Zhao Wei facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zhao Wei
赵薇
Zhao Wei in 2011
Born	(1976-03-12) 12 March 1976 (age 49) Wuhu, Anhui, China
Nationality	Chinese
Other names	Vicki Zhao Vicky Zhao
Education	Beijing Film Academy (MFA)
Occupation	Actress director producer singer
Years active	1994–2021
Spouse(s)	Huang Youlong ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2021)​
Children	1
Awards	See list
Musical career
Genres	Mandopop
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	趙薇
Simplified Chinese	赵薇
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhào Wēi IPA [ʈʂâu̯ u̯éi̯] Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Ziu6 Mei4

Zhao Wei (simplified Chinese: 赵薇; traditional Chinese: 趙薇; pinyin: Zhào Wēi), also known as Vicky Zhao, was born on March 12, 1976. She is a talented Chinese actress, singer, filmmaker, and businesswoman. Zhao Wei is known as one of China's Four Dan Actresses, which means she is one of the most famous actresses of her time.

She became very well-known across Asia for her role in the TV series My Fair Princess (1998–1999). After that, she starred in many popular dramas and films. These include Romance in the Rain (2001), Shaolin Soccer (2001), Red Cliff (2008–2009), and Dearest (2014). For Dearest, she won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress.

Zhao Wei also became a director with her first film, So Young (2013). This movie was a big success. Besides acting and directing, she is also a singer with seven albums. She was also a major shareholder in Alibaba Pictures, a film company. Zhao Wei has often been listed among the top celebrities in China by Forbes magazine.

Since August 2021, some of Zhao Wei's content has been removed from the Chinese internet. However, some of her works have started to reappear online in 2024.

Early Life and Education

Zhao Wei grew up in Wuhu, Anhui, China. Her father, Zhao Jiahai, was an engineer, and her mother, Wei Qiying, was a primary school teacher. She has an older brother named Zhao Jian.

After finishing secondary school, Zhao Wei attended Wuhu Normal School. This school trained students to become pre-school teachers. She also learned to play the piano, dance, and paint using Chinese ink.

Career Journey

Starting Out in Acting

Zhao Wei's acting journey began in 1993. While she was still a student, a movie called A Soul Haunted by Painting (1994) was being filmed in Wuhu. She had a small, non-speaking part in the film. This experience made her very interested in acting.

In 1994, after graduating from Wuhu Normal School, she decided to become an actress instead of a teacher. She moved to Shanghai and joined the Shanghai Xie Jin-Hengtong Star Academy. Here, she trained in acting for a year. She also got her first main role in the movie Penitentiary Angel (1996). This role helped her get other parts in TV series, including her first lead role in Sisters in Beijing (1996).

In 1996, Zhao Wei was accepted into the Beijing Film Academy (BFA). She had the highest entrance exam score in the whole country! She graduated four years later with excellent grades, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in performing arts.

Becoming a Star with My Fair Princess

In 1997, a famous writer and producer named Chiung Yao was looking for actors for a new TV series. The show was called My Fair Princess. Chiung Yao saw Zhao Wei in Sisters in Beijing and offered her the main role of Huan Zhu Ge Ge, also known as Xiao Yanzi ("Little Swallow"). This character was a fun and rebellious princess who liked to challenge palace rules.

My Fair Princess quickly became a huge hit in Taiwan, mainland China, Hong Kong, and other Asian countries. Zhao Wei became famous overnight. In 1999, she won the Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress, becoming the youngest actress to do so. Many people called her mainland China's first "national idol."

In 2001, Zhao Wei worked with Chiung Yao again on the TV series Romance in the Rain. This drama was set in the 1930s and 1940s. It was also very popular and had the highest ratings of the year. After these successes, Zhao Wei decided to focus more on movies.

Moving to Movies

Zhao Wei began starring in Hong Kong movies. In 2001, she appeared in the comedy film Shaolin Soccer with Stephen Chow. She played a unique character: an "ugly-duckling" steamed bun maker who was also a tai chi master. This was very different from her previous glamorous roles.

She then had a supporting role in Chinese Odyssey 2002 and played an assassin in So Close (2002). In 2003, she starred in four films, including Jade Goddess of Mercy. Her acting in Jade Goddess of Mercy was praised by critics, and she won the Golden Phoenix Award in 2004.

In 2004, Zhao Wei was chosen to be the voice of Princess Fiona for the Chinese release of Shrek 2. The year 2005 was also successful for her. She won the Golden Goblet Award for Best Actress at the Shanghai International Film Festival for her role in A Time to Love. She also won Best Actress for the same film at the 8th Changchun Film Festival in 2006.

Zhao Wei at 2007 Huabiao Award red carpet

After a break from TV, Zhao Wei returned in 2005 with Moment in Peking. This TV series also became the highest-rated drama of the year. She was nominated for the Outstanding Actress award at the 26th Flying Apsaras Awards.

In 2006, Zhao Wei decided to go back to school. She passed the national entrance exam for postgraduate studies and returned to the Beijing Film Academy. She studied film directing there. That year, Forbes magazine ranked her as one of the top celebrities in China.

In 2008 and 2009, Zhao Wei starred in John Woo's big historical movie Red Cliff. She played Sun Shangxiang, a strong and independent sister of a warlord. She also appeared in the horror-adventure film Painted Skin (2008), which was a big hit. Her role as a general's wife was highly praised.

In 2009, Zhao Wei played the legendary hero Hua Mulan in the film Mulan. The director said she was "perfect" for the role. She won several Best Actress awards for her performance in this movie. After filming 14 Blades in 2010, Zhao Wei took a two-year break from acting. On April 11, 2010, she gave birth to her daughter, Huang Xin.

Directing and Return to Acting

On June 3, 2015, Zhao Wei became the first Chinese actress to leave her hand-prints and footprints at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Zhao Wei returned to acting in 2012, playing a single mother in the film Love. The same year, she starred in Painted Skin: The Resurrection, the sequel to Painted Skin. This film became one of the highest-grossing Chinese films at the time.

In 2012, she also graduated from the Beijing Film Academy with a Master of Fine Arts degree in directing. Her first movie as a director, So Young, was released in April 2013. It earned a lot of money in its first weekend and became a huge success. Zhao Wei was the first female director in China whose first film earned over 100 million yuan. For So Young, she won awards for Best Directorial Debut and Best Director.

Production still. On April 8, 2016, director Zhao Wei (center) filming her second feature.

Zhao Wei also became a judge for the 5th season of China's Got Talent. In 2014, she returned to acting in the film Dearest. Her performance as a foster mother of a kidnapped child received international praise. She won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress for this role.

In 2015, she starred in the comedies Hollywood Adventures and Lost in Hong Kong, both of which were successful. Forbes magazine called her the "world's wealthiest working actress" that year. She also returned to television in the series Tiger Mom. In 2016, Zhao Wei played a doctor in the film Three and began directing her second film, No Other Love. She was also a jury member for the 73rd Venice International Film Festival.

In 2017 and 2018, Zhao Wei continued to be involved in film festivals as a jury member and spokesperson. In 2019, she made her stage debut in a play called Proof.

Public Presence Changes

On August 27, 2021, many films and TV shows featuring Zhao Wei were removed from Chinese streaming services. Her fan page on Weibo was also deleted. The Chinese government did not give a clear reason for this.

Later, some reports said she had left China, but she denied this on Instagram. Over time, she posted less often on social media. However, starting in February 2024, some Chinese video and social media platforms began showing her content again. Her profile on Weibo and photos on Douban were restored. Some of her TV shows also became available for streaming.

In April 2024, a court froze some shares of Zhao Wei's company. By June 2024, she had fewer business investments. In August, her name could be searched on Douban again. In December, Zhao Wei announced her divorce from Huang Youlong.

Other Works

Business Ventures

Zhao Wei has also been involved in business. With her former husband, Huang Youlong, she invested in Alibaba Pictures in 2014. This made them major shareholders in the company.

Winery Ownership

Zhao Wei loves wine and has become passionate about winemaking. In December 2011, she bought Château Monlot, a vineyard in France. In 2012, she was welcomed into the Jurade de Saint-Émilion, a group that promotes Saint-Émilion wines. After four years of work, she launched her Bordeaux wine brand in China in 2015.

Since then, she has bought more vineyards in France, including Patarabet, Senailhac, and Château La Croix de la Roche. Château La Croix de la Roche is her first certified organic vineyard.

Personal Life

Zhao Wei married Chinese-born Singaporean businessman Huang Youlong in Singapore in December 2008. They have one daughter, Huang Xin, who was born in April 2010. Zhao Wei announced their divorce in December 2024.

Giving Back to the Community

Zhao Wei has been very active in charity work and helping people after disasters. Here are some of her notable contributions:

• In 1999, she donated money after the Taiwan 921 earthquake.
• In 2004, she helped set up a scholarship fund in her hometown, Wuhu, for students from families facing financial difficulties.
• In 2005, she became a spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund and the China Youth Concern Committee. She helped raise awareness for children affected by AIDS.
• In 2006, she supported fundraising for the Smile Angel Foundation, which helps children with clefts.
• After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, Zhao Wei donated money to the China Red Cross and the China Children and Teenagers' Fund to build a school.
• She donated money to the Yunnan government in 2010 during a severe drought and to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation after the Qinghai Yushu Earthquake.
• In 2011, she received the China Charity Billboard Award for her charity work.
• In 2013, she donated money after the Sichuan Yaan Earthquake.
• In 2014, Zhao Wei started the V-Love Foundation to help children with childhood leukemia. She also became an ambassador for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves.
• In 2016, she donated money to the Anhui government during severe flooding. That same year, she was appointed a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She also held a charity party for her V-Love Foundation, raising over 16 million yuan for childhood leukemia.
• In 2017, she and her husband donated money to the Hunan government after flooding.

Filmography

Discography

• 1999: Swallow (小燕子)
• 1999: Magic of Love (爱情大魔咒)
• 2001: The Last Separation (最后一次分手)
• 2004: Afloat (飘)
• 2005: Double (双)
• 2007: Angel's Suitcase (天使旅行箱)
• 2009: We're All Great Directors (我们都是大导演)

Ambassadorships and Endorsements

Zhao Wei has been an ambassador for many important events and causes:

• 2001 World University Games
• 2002 China Youth Development Foundation "Hope Project"
• 2002 All-China Environment Federation
• 2004 China Farmers Games
• 2005 United Nations Children's Fund's "Orphan and Vulnerable Children, Children Affected by AIDS Awareness"
• 2007 World Special Olympic Games
• 2007 China Foundation of Disabled Person "Lighting Activities"
• 2008 China Red Cross "Heart Project"
• 2009 China Flowers Expo
• 2010 Changchun Film Festival
• 2011 Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival
• 2013 Festival du Cinéma Chinois en France
• 2014 China Sport Show
• 2014 United Nations Foundation's Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
• 2016 The Ministry of Public Security of China's Anti-kidnapping
• 2016 United Nations Development Programme's Goodwill Ambassador
• 2018 Xining FIRST International Film Festival
• 2019 Festival Croisements

She has also endorsed several well-known brands:

• From 2013 to 2014, she was the spokeswoman for Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
• From 2012 to 2017, she was the official ambassador for Jaeger-LeCoultre.
• Since 2018, she has been the official brand ambassador for Burberry.
• Since 2020, she has been the brand spokesperson in China for the Italian luxury brand Fendi.

Awards and Nominations

Forbes China Celebrity 100

Zhao Wei has often been listed among the top celebrities in China by Forbes magazine:

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See also

In Spanish: Zhao Wei para niños