Gao Yuanyuan

Gao Yuanyuan was born in 1979 in Yungang, Fengtai District, Beijing, into an intellectual family. She showed some potential for film and television in her youth. In 1996, she was discovered by a talent scout while buying books in Wangfujing; she then shot her first set of commercials for an advertising company, which launched her entertainment career. The following year she made her screen debut in the romance film Spicy Love Soup (爱情麻辣烫), playing a high-school girl named He Ling and formally entering the industry.

After graduating high school in 1998, she did not apply to professional art schools but enrolled at the China Institute of Labor Relations to study public relations and secretarial work. In 1999 she starred in the urban family drama The Story of the Interns (实习生的故事) as early-childhood teacher Gao Fei. That same year she appeared in a series of short plays, Our Common People: Li Zhi’s Emotions (咱老百姓之李治的情感), playing a short-haired Yu Jing. In 2000 she progressed to undergraduate studies in economic management. Also in 2000, a commercial aired during the Sydney Olympics earned her the nickname “the fresh-mouth girl,” and her public profile rose.

In 2001 Gao starred in the drama film Beijing Bicycle (十七岁的单车), which premiered at the 51st Berlin International Film Festival. While at university she was invited to appear in several films and TV series, cultivating a fresh, innocent “girl-next-door” image. In 2002 the film The Subway to Spring (开往春天的地铁) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2003 she took on her first costume wuxia role, portraying Zhou Zhiruo in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (倚天屠龙记); the series reached a peak rating of 26%. That same year she also starred in the costume suspense series Di Renjie, the Loyal Prime Minister (护国良相狄仁杰).

From 2004 to 2005 she continued to broaden her range, appearing in multiple contemporary and historical dramas. In 2005 she headlined Qin Wang Li Shimin (秦王李世民) and The First Under Heaven (天下第一), showing different character styles. That year her film Qinghong (青红) received a Jury Prize nomination at the Cannes Film Festival, further affirming her acting. In 2006 Gao co-starred with Jackie Chan in the action comedy Rob-B-Hood (宝贝计划), for which she received a Best Actress nomination at the Hundred Flowers Awards.

In 2007 she starred in the romantic comedy Nan Cai Nu Mao (男才女貌) and won several newcomer awards. Thereafter she gradually transitioned from a pure image to more mature roles, appearing in many projects including Love Without Regret (爱无悔) and Nanjing! Nanjing! (南京！南京！). In 2009 she played a courageous female teacher in Nanjing! Nanjing!, a role that received high recognition. That same year she attracted great attention for the TV series Let’s Get Married (咱们结婚吧) and won Best Actress at the Beijing Film and Television Chunyan Awards.

From 2009 onward Gao Yuanyuan’s career continued to expand with numerous film and TV roles and several important awards, including the 2015 Korean Grand Bell Awards’ Best Overseas Actress. She is also active in public welfare, participating in many charitable causes. In 2021 she was notably active in flood relief and other public-service efforts and received commendations. Beyond acting, Gao has made investments, founded her own shoe brand “Yuan Yang” (圆漾), and become a shareholder and partner in several companies.

As a result, Gao Yuanyuan holds a stable position in China’s film and television industry; through her work and the honors she has received, she has become one of the representative actresses of her generation.