Gong Li facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gong Li
鞏俐
Gong in 2016
Born	(1965-12-31) 31 December 1965 (age 59) Shenyang, Liaoning, China
Citizenship	Chinese Singaporean
Education	Central Academy of Drama (BA)
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	1987–present
Works	Filmography
Spouse(s)	Ooi Hoe Soeng ​ ​ (m. 1996; div. 2009)​ Jean-Michel Jarre ​ (m. 2019)​
Awards	Full list
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	巩俐
Traditional Chinese	鞏俐
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Gǒng Lì Wade–Giles Kung Li

Gong Li (simplified Chinese: 巩俐; traditional Chinese: 鞏俐; born on December 31, 1965) is a famous actress from China. Many people think she is one of the best actresses in China. She is known for being able to play many different kinds of characters very well.

Gong Li has starred in three of the four Chinese-language films that were nominated for an Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. These awards are a big deal in the movie world.

Early Life and Education

Gong Li was born in Shenyang, Liaoning, China. She was the youngest of five children. Her father was a professor and her mother was an accountant.

She grew up in Jinan, which is the capital of Shandong province. From a young age, Gong Li loved singing, dancing, and acting. She even joined her school's performing arts group.

Gong Li tried several times to get into acting schools. Even though it was tough, she kept trying. In 1985, she was finally accepted into the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing. She graduated from there in 1989.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Her Career (1987–1989)

While still a student, Gong Li was discovered by director Zhang Yimou. He cast her in his first film, Red Sorghum, in 1987. This movie was a big success. It won the Golden Bear award at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival. This was the first time a Chinese film won such a major award.

In 1989, Gong Li also starred in Zhang Yimou’s film Codename Cougar. For this role, she won an award for Best Supporting Actress. She also learned to have her own opinions during this time.

Becoming an International Star (1990–1999)

Gong Li at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival

After Red Sorghum, Gong Li became very famous around the world. She worked with Zhang Yimou on many more successful films.

In 1990, she starred in Ju Dou, which was nominated for an Oscar. This was the first Chinese film to get an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

In 1991, she starred in Raise the Red Lantern. This film also won awards and was nominated for an Oscar. Gong Li's performance made her even more famous internationally.

For her role in The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), Gong Li won the Best Actress award at the 49th Venice International Film Festival. She played a strong rural woman in this movie.

In 1993, she starred in Farewell My Concubine, directed by Chen Kaige. This was her first big role with a different director. The film won many awards, and Gong Li also received an award for her acting. She also worked with famous director Stephen Chow in comedy films like Flirting Scholar.

Gong Li became known for speaking her mind about freedom in films. Some of her movies were initially not allowed in China because they were seen as critiques of the government.

In 1994, she played a key role in To Live, which won a major award at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. In 1995, she starred in Shanghai Triad. These roles helped her become known as one of the world's most glamorous movie stars.

In 1997, Gong Li was invited to be a judge at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. She was the first Chinese person to be a judge there. In 1998, France honored her with a special award for her contributions to art.

Global Recognition (2000–2004)

In 2000, Gong Li won another Best Actress award for her role in Breaking the Silence. She also received a special award for her amazing career achievements. That same year, she was asked to be the head judge at the 50th Berlin International Film Festival. She was also named a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In 2002, she was invited to lead the jury at the 59th Venice Film Festival. In 2003, she was the first woman to be the president of the jury at the 16th Tokyo International Film Festival.

She also starred in two films by director Wong Kar-wai, 2046 and Eros (both in 2004). At the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, she received a special trophy for her contributions to the film industry.

Hollywood and Chinese Cinema (2005–2018)

Gong Li at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival

Gong Li started acting in Hollywood films in 2005. Her first English-speaking role was as Hatsumomo in Memoirs of a Geisha. She received good reviews for her performance and won an award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared in Miami Vice (2006) and Hannibal Rising (2007). She learned her English lines by listening and repeating them.

Working in Hollywood helped her learn new acting styles. In 2006, she worked with Zhang Yimou again in the historical film Curse of the Golden Flower. She won Best Actress at the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards for this role.

Gong Li in 2013

In 2010, Gong Li starred in the thriller Shanghai. She played a spy in this movie. She took dancing classes and studied history to prepare for the role. She also said she was becoming more careful about choosing her roles.

In 2014, Gong Li was the head judge for the 17th Shanghai International Film Festival. She was the first woman to lead the jury there. Later that year, she worked with Zhang Yimou again on the film Coming Home.

In 2016, Gong Li took on her first action role in The Monkey King 2, playing a powerful demon. In 2018, she was the jury president for the 55th Golden Horse Awards.

Recent Work (2019–Present)

In 2019, Gong Li starred in Saturday Fiction, playing an actress who is also a spy. She learned shooting and hypnosis for the film. Her performance in the movie received great reviews.

That same year, she was cast in the live-action Disney movie Mulan (released in 2020). She played a powerful witch in the film. Critics praised her performance.

In 2020, Gong Li played the real-life head coach of the Chinese women’s national volleyball team, Lang Ping, in the film Leap. The movie was very successful, and Gong Li's acting was highly praised. She won several major awards for this role in 2021.

In 2021, Gong Li was invited to be the head judge of the 11th Beijing International Film Festival. She was the first female jury president in the festival's history. In 2022, she was invited to be the Art Chairman for the 12th Beijing Film Festival.

Personal Life

Gong Li's relationships have sometimes been in the news. She had a long professional and personal relationship with director Zhang Yimou. They worked on many films together.

In 1996, Gong Li married Singaporean businessman Ooi Hoe Seong. They divorced in 2009. In 2019, she married French composer and musician Jean-Michel Jarre.

Filmography

Films

Dubbing Roles

Talk Show Appearances

Music Videos

Discography

Endorsements and Partnerships

Gong Li has worked with many big brands. She was the first Chinese ambassador for L'Oreal Paris in 1997. She has also been an ambassador for companies like Midea, Chopard, and Osim International.

From 2013 to 2018, she was a global ambassador for Piaget, a luxury watch and jewelry company. Since 2021, Gong Li has been the first Chinese artist to be a global high jewelry ambassador for Cartier.

Charity Work

Gong Li is also involved in many charity efforts:

• In 2000, she was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace.
• She became a FAO Goodwill Ambassador on World Food Day in 2000, helping to fight hunger.
• In 2008, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) asked her to be a Global Environmental Ambassador. She encouraged people to protect the environment.
• In 2016, her portrait was shown at an exhibition at the the United Nations headquarters, highlighting the power of art.

Awards and Nominations

Jury Roles at Film Festivals

Gong Li has been invited to be a judge at many important film festivals around the world:

• 1997 – 50th Cannes Film Festival
• 2000 – 50th Berlin International Film Festival
• 2002 – 59th Venice Film Festival
• 2003 – 16th Tokyo International Film Festival
• 2014 – 17th Shanghai International Film Festival
• 2018 – 55th Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards
• 2021 – 11th Beijing International Film Festival

See also

In Spanish: Gong Li para niños

• Cinema of China