Tang Wei facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tang Wei
汤唯
Tang in 2022
Born	(1979-10-07) 7 October 1979 (age 45) Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Other names	Rebecca Tang
Citizenship	Chinese (Hong Kong)
Education	Central Academy of Drama
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1998–present
Agent	Edko Films Ltd. (China) Creative Artists Agency (US)
Notable work	..., Caution Decision to Leave
Spouse(s)	Kim Tae-yong ​ (m. 2014)​
Children	1
Awards	Full list
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	湯唯
Simplified Chinese	汤唯
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tāng wéi

Tang Wei (simplified Chinese: 汤唯; traditional Chinese: 湯唯; pinyin: Tāng Wéi; Hangul: 탕웨이; born on October 7, 1979) is a famous Chinese actress. She became known around the world for her role in the movie ..., Caution (2007). This film won a top award called the Golden Lion.

Tang Wei has also received many awards for her acting. She is the first and only non-Korean actress to win the Best Actress award at several major South Korean film events. These include the Baeksang Arts Awards (twice), Blue Dragon Film Awards, Chunsa Film Art Awards, and Buil Film Awards. She was also the first Asian actor to win the Trophée Chopard at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

Tang Wei has often been listed among the top celebrities in China by Forbes magazine. She ranked 72nd in 2008, 70th in 2013, 38th in 2014, and 55th in 2015.

Life and Career

Early Life and First Roles (1979–2005)

Tang Wei was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. She is the only child of a former stage actress and a painter. Tang Wei has shared that she traveled a lot in China when she was young. She also learned to paint, inspired by her parents.

She finished high school in her hometown in 1996. Her teachers said she was "athletic" and a "good student." At first, she did not plan to become an actress. She wanted to be an archaeologist or a lawyer. However, after trying some modeling in 1997, she decided to join the entertainment world. She played a small part in the TV show Chinese Female Football. Later, she studied directing at the Central Academy of Drama.

After college, Tang Wei met a director named Stan Lai. He was very impressed with her. He said that many stars are not good actors, and many good actors are not stars, but Tang Wei was lucky to be both. He helped her get more acting jobs. At this time, she was not very well known outside her hometown. Still, she starred in TV shows like Policewoman Swallow (2004) and Sons and Daughters of the Red Cross (2004).

Becoming Well-Known (2009–2011)

From late 2009 to early 2010, Tang Wei filmed Late Autumn (2010) with actor Hyun Bin. The movie was filmed in Seattle, Washington. Tang Wei's acting in this film was loved by South Korean audiences. She became the only non-Korean to win the Best Actress award at the Baeksang Awards.

In 2010, she was set to appear in a film called The Founding of a Party. This movie honored the CCP. She played the role of Tao Yi, an early girlfriend of Mao Zedong. However, her scenes were removed from the final movie.

Tang Wei then returned to big movies with Speed Angels, a car-racing film, and Dragon, a martial arts movie. While Speed Angels did not do well, Dragon was a success. Time magazine even called Dragon one of the best movies of 2012.

Continued Success (2013–Present)

In 2013, Tang Wei starred with actor Wu Xiubo in the romantic comedy Finding Mr. Right. This movie was a surprise hit, earning $85 million in China. Tang Wei received great reviews for her acting. She won the Best Actress award at the 21st Beijing College Student Film Festival.

Next, Tang Wei played the writer Xiao Hong in the movie The Golden Era. This film was shown at the Venice International Film Festival. Even though many people were excited about it, the movie got mixed reviews and did not earn much money. However, critics praised Tang Wei's performance.

She also starred in A Tale of Three Cities, which was based on the story of Jackie Chan's parents during wartime.

Tang Wei and Wu Xiubo worked together again for the sequel to Finding Mr. Right. The new movie, Book of Love (2016), was also a big success. With this film, she was nominated for Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for the sixth time. This set a new record for nominations.

In 2017, Tang Wei was chosen for the main female role in Long Day's Journey Into Night. This film was shown at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. In 2019, she returned to TV in the historical drama Empress of the Ming. That same year, she also starred in the film The Whistleblower.

In 2022, Tang Wei starred in the South Korean mystery-romance film Decision to Leave. This movie was highly praised by critics. It was chosen to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. For her role, Tang Wei became the first non-Korean to win Best Actress at several major South Korean film awards. These included the Baeksang Arts Awards (for the second time), Blue Dragon Film Awards, Chunsa Film Art Awards, and Buil Film Awards.

Brand Endorsements

Tang Wei has worked with many well-known brands. An "ambassador" for a brand helps promote its products.

• In 2011, she became a brand ambassador for the Japanese cosmetics company SK-II. Since 2015, she has been their global brand ambassador.
• In 2013, Tang Wei became the global face for Piaget's rose jewelry collection. Since 2014, she has been a global spokesperson for the Swiss luxury watch brand Rado.
• Since 2021, the British makeup and skincare brand Charlotte Tilbury chose Tang Wei as its first global makeup ambassador. In 2022, she also became the first global brand ambassador for the watches and jewelry brand Lola Rose.
• Since 2022, Tang Wei has been a global brand ambassador for the Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe. She has appeared in many of their campaigns.
• In May 2023, Chopard, a Swiss brand for luxury watches and jewelry, announced Tang Wei as its brand ambassador.
• In November 2023, Tang Wei became a global brand ambassador for the British luxury fashion house Burberry.

Personal Life

In 2014, Tang Wei married South Korean film director Kim Tae-yong. They had a small wedding ceremony in Sweden. A formal wedding was later held in Hong Kong with close family. In August 2016, Tang Wei and Kim Tae-yong welcomed their daughter, Summer.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theater

Music Video Appearances

Awards and Nominations

Other Honors

• 2004 - Finalist in the Miss Universe China competition.
• 2007 - Listed by New York Times as one of the top 15 performers of the year.
• 2007 - Named one of Variety's top 10 actors to watch.
• 2022 - Honored by New York cinema's Metrograph with a special film series called "Starring Tang Wei" in November.

See also

In Spanish: Tang Wei para niños