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Zhou Xun (Chinese: 周迅, born 18 October 1974) is a Chinese actress and singer. She gained international fame for her earlier roles in Suzhou River (2000) and Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002).

Zhou has won Best Actress honors from Asian Film Awards, Beijing College Student Film Festival, Chinese Director's Association Awards, Chinese Film Media Awards, Golden Bauhinia Awards, Golden Horse Awards, Golden Rooster Awards, Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards, Hundred Flowers Awards and Shanghai Film Critics Awards; as well as the French award-giving body Festival du Film de Paris. She is regarded as one of the Four Dan Actresses of China.

Early life

Zhou was born to a middle-class family in Quzhou, Zhejiang. Her father, Zhou Tianning (周天宁), was a local film projectionist, and her mother, Chen Yiqin (陈以琴), was a salesperson at a department store. She had her schooling in Quzhou No.1 Middle School. After she graduated, Zhou enrolled at the Zhejiang Arts Institute to further her interest in dramatic arts, against the wishes of her parents, who wanted her to graduate from a university. She was handpicked for a role in the film Strange Tales Amongst Old and Desolate Tombs during her teenage years in school.

1995–2004: Beginnings and Breakthrough

Zhou debuted in the comedy movie The Pampered Wife. She next starred in Chen Kaige's films, Temptress Moon and The Emperor and the Assassin. But it was not until in 2000 that Zhou received recognition in China. With her role as young Princess Taiping in historical drama Palace of Desire, Zhou received the Audience's Choice for Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards at the 18th China TV Golden Eagle Award.

Zhou achieved breakthrough on the big screen with Lou Ye's Suzhou River (2000), which won her the Best Actress award at the 15th Festival du Film de Paris. That year, she was named one of the Four Dan Actresses alongside Zhang Ziyi, Zhao Wei and Xu Jinglei.[2] She further achieved international recognition when she starred in the Franco-Chinese romance drama film Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002).

A string of successful projects followed. In her first Hong Kong film Hollywood Hong Kong directed by Fruit Chan, Zhou impressed critics with her performance. Hollywood magazine Variety praise Zhou saying "Zhou is superb, moving with ease between her various personalities and always convincing in each".[4] Her next film, romance-themed A Pinwheel Without Wind won her the Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Actress.[5] Among Zhou's earlier notable works also include television series The Legend of the Condor Heroes and the film Baobei in Love.

2005–2011: Critical acclaim

Zhou impressed critics once again with her performance in Peter Chan's musical film Perhaps Love (2005). The film represented Hong Kong at the 2006 Academy Awards.[7] Zhou received Best Actress awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards,[8] Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award,[9] Golden Bauhinia Awards[10] and Golden Horse Awards.[11] She next starred in Feng Xiaogang's wuxia film The Banquet (2006), inspired from William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Zhou plays the girlfriend of the crown prince, equivalent to Ophelia.[12] She won the Golden Bauhinia Awards[13] and Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress.[14] In 2007, she starred in Susie Au's film Ming Ming, which was highly praised at the 11th Pusan International Film Festival. Zhou played dual roles - twins with absolutely different characteristics and personalities.

With a string of successful films, Zhou was brought into the spotlight as one of China's top actresses. Her ability to pull off various roles makes her a favorite with Chinese directors and won her the reputation of "Angel in the World" among the audience.

She then starred in Cao Baoping's romantic thriller The Equation of Love and Death (2008) as a taxicab driver on the lookout for her missing boyfriend.[17] Critics again praised Zhou, crediting the film's success to Zhou's performance as Li Mi.[18] Zhou went on to receive Best Actress awards at the Asian Film Awards,[19] Shanghai Film Critics Awards,[20] Golden Rooster Film Festival,[21] and Chinese Film Media Awards.[22] The same year she appeared in Gordon Chan's horror-adventure film Painted Skin, a remake of a classic supernatural thriller of the same title.[23] Next came spy thriller The Message (2009), about Japanese invaders in China who try to ferret out a spy among their Chinese collaborators.

In 2009, Zhou was named the Star of the Year at CineAsia exhibition and distribution convention in Hong Kong.[25] Asia-Pacific Producers Network (APN) also honored her as the Asian Star of the Year for her exemplary box office achievements.[26] In an interview with CNN, Zhou was named Asia's 25 greatest actors of all time.

Zhou next featured in biographic drama film Confucius (2010)[28] and filmed her first wuxia film, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011) directed by Tsui Hark

2012–present: Directorial and Hollywood debut, Television comeback

Zhou made her directorial debut with the short film Five Demon Traps (2011), which stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai as a demon killer.

In 2012, Zhou made her Hollywood debut in the science fiction film Cloud Atlas, playing multiple roles in the film.[31] Zhou then reprised her role in Painted Skin: The Resurrection (2012), the sequel to Painted Skin.[32] The film grossed over the 700 million yuan ($109.8 million) landmark, becoming the highest-grossing Chinese-language movie of all time then.

Zhou returned to television after 10 years in Red Sorghum (2014), based on Nobel prize laureate Mo Yan's 1986/1987 novel of the same name.[34] Zhou's performance in the series was highly praised by the author himself for her immaculate grasp of the character's inner turmoil.[35] Zhou won the Best Actress Award at the Shanghai Television Festival[36] and Asian Television Award.

The same year, she received the Chevalier medal in the Order of Arts and Letters by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius for her contribution in film, public welfare and Sino-French communications in Beijing, China.[38] She was also rated as China's favorite star, ranking first on the 15th Huading Award international celebrity's satisfaction survey.

In 2015, Zhou served as a jury for the 5th Beijing International Film Festival.[40] Zhou returned to the screen in 2017, starring in war film Our Time Will Come directed by Ann Hui.[41] The same year, she will also star in historical drama Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace.

Social activities

Zhou Xun was named the first United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador for China in 2008 with a special focus of promoting environmental sustainability. Zhou jointly runs a campaign 'Our Part', which promotes ‘tips for green living’.

In 2010, she became the Laureate of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s Champions of the Earth (Inspiration & Action). She was the first entertainer in the world to receive this honour.[46] She was also the Green Ambassador for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.[47]

In 2011, Zhou has been honored as one of the 2011 Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum.

Fashion

Since 2011, Zhou was formally announced as a new ambassador for Chanel. Chanel chief designer Karl Lagerfeld noted Zhou Xun for her strong fashion sense, describing the actress as "a synthesis of young Coco Chanel and Ballet Troupe Zizi Jeanmaire.

Personal life

Zhou Xun married American actor Archie Kao on July 16, 2014 on stage after a charity event in Hangzhou, China.

Zhou received Hong Kong citizenship under the "Quality Migrant Admission Scheme