Zhang Ziyi was born on February 9, 1979, to an economist and kindergarten teacher in Beijing, China. Her parents are Zhang Yuanxiao and Li Zhousheng. With her older brother Zhang Zinan, Ziyi was raised in a metropolitan, blue-collar part of Beijing.
Zhang Ziyi has been interested in dancing and gymnastics since she was a young child. At age 8, she started dancing at the Youth Palace in the Xuan Wu District, Beijing. Graceful Ziyi then attended the Beijing Dancing College at age 11 and enrolled at the Beijing Dancing Academy by age 15. Her excellence in dancing handed her several awards, including one from the National Young Dancer competition. Despite her accomplishments in dancing, Ziyi, who idolized Chinese actress Gong Li, eventually turned to acting and studied at the China Central Drama Academy in Beijing, China.
Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi received rave reviews after portraying passionate heroine Jen Yu/Jiao Long in Ang Lee’s highly praised Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000, also starring Michelle Yeoh). Later gaining more recognition while starring in the 2001 film Rush Hour 2 with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Zhang Ziyi also played roles in such recent films as House of Flying Daggers, 2046, Jasmine and Operetta tanuki gotten.
“In China, we don’t consider someone truly beautiful until we have known them for a long time and we know what’s underneath the skin.” Zhang Ziyi
5′ 5″ inch tall Zhang Ziyi has been listed as one of the 25 Hottest Stars Under 25 by Teen People Magazine twice (2001 and 2002). On a more personal note, one of Time Magazine’s World’s 100 Most Influential People, Zhang Ziyi has been reportedly linked to film director Zhang Yimou (Ziyi’s first film The Road Home creator).
Zhang Ziyi
