Zhang Ziyi aka Zhang biography

Real biography: Introduction

Whether you call her Ziyi Zhang or Zhang Ziyi, it's hard to deny her place as one of the world's most famous and beloved actresses. All told, her movies have grossed more than a billion dollars and when she endorses a product a billion Chinese people go out and buy it.

Life Story

Born in Beijing to a working class family, she was a small and fragile child so her parents encouraged her to take up dance to build her strength. She earned a spot in the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy and went on to place 4th in a national dance competition. She left the academy to pursue acting and it wasn't long before she landed the lead role in The Road Home (1999). Her next film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) made her an international star. She followed that up with her American film debut in Rush Hour 2 (2001) despite the fact that she couldn't speak a lick of English at the time.She has a list of product endorsements as long as the Great Wall, but on the charitable side she's the spokesperson for Care for Children, a foster-home program in China and she's a Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics. She is notoriously tight lipped about her relationships and makes an effort to keep her private life private. But if you must know, she's currently dating Vivi Nevo, an Israeli millionaire 13 years her senior. Nonetheless, she continues to capture the hearts of men everywhere with her poignant and reserved performances. There may be more than a billion people in China but there's only one Zhang Ziyi. Or is it Ziyi Zhang?