Zhao Wei (; born 12 March 1976), also known as Vicky Zhao or Vicki Zhao, is a

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

actress, businesswoman, film director, producer and pop singer. She is considered one of the most popular actresses in China and Chinese-speaking regions, and one of the highest paid actresses as well. While studying at the

Beijing Film Academy Beijing Film Academy (BFA; ) is a coeducational state-run higher education institution in Beijing, China. The film school is the largest institution specializing in the tertiary education for film and television production in Asia. The academy h ...

, Zhao rose to national and regional prominence overnight for her role as Xiao Yan Zi ("Little Swallow") in the hit TV series ''

My Fair Princess ''My Fair Princess'', also known as ''Return of the Pearl Princess'' or ''Princess Returning Pearl'' (), is a 1998–1999 Taiwanese television costume drama jointly produced by Yi Ren Communications Co. (怡人傳播公司) in Taiwan and Hunan B ...

'' (1998–1999), for which she also won Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress. ''My Fair Princess'' enjoyed unprecedented success in East and Southeast Asian countries, and Zhao was regarded by many as

Mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...

's first "national idol" since the economic reform began in 1978. Zhao has starred in many box-office hits, including ''

Shaolin Soccer ''Shaolin Soccer'' (Chinese: ) is a 2001 Hong Kong sports comedy film directed by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the lead role. The film revolves around a former Shaolin monk who reunites his five brothers,"Brothers" here does not mean biologi ...

'' (2001), '' Red Cliff'' (2008–2009), ''

Painted Skin Painted Skin may refer to: * "Painted Skin" (short story), short story from Pu Songling's ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'' * ''Painted Skin'' (1992 film), Hong Kong film directed by King Hu * ''Painted Skin'' (2008 film), Chinese film dir ...

'' (2008), '' Painted Skin: The Resurrection'' (2012), '' Dearest'' (2014) and ''

Lost in Hong Kong ''Lost in Hong Kong'' is a 2015 Chinese comedy film directed, co-written and co-produced by Xu Zheng, starring himself along with Bao Bei'er, Zhao Wei, and Du Juan. This is Xu's second directorial feature, after the huge domestic hit ''Lost in Tha ...

'' (2015). She has received numerous awards from the

Shanghai International Film Festival The Shanghai International Film Festival (, French: ''Festival international du film de Shanghai''), abbreviated SIFF, is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia. "China's biggest film festival" according to the Hollywood Reporter. Nex ...

Huabiao Awards China Huabiao Film Awards (), also simply known as Huabiao Awards, is an annual awards ceremony for Chinese cinema. Named after the decorative Chinese winged columns (''huabiaos''), The Huabiao Awards were first instituted in 1957 as the Ministry ...

Changchun Film Festival The Changchun Film Festival (中国长春电影节) is a biennial international film festival held in the Chinese city of Changchun Changchun (, ; ), also romanized as Ch'angch'un, is the capital and largest city of Jilin Province, People's R ...

Hundred Flowers Awards The Hundred Flowers Awards () are, together with the Golden Rooster Awards, the most prestigious film awards honouring the best in Chinese cinema, as well as Hong Kong cinema and the Cinema of Taiwan, they are classified as the Chinese equivale ...

and

Shanghai Film Critics Awards Shanghai Film Critics Awards are given annually to honor excellence in national cinema by an organization of film reviewers from Shanghai Film Critics Association and Shanghai Film Museum.A Time to Love'' (2005) and ''

Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as ...

'' (2009). In 2014, after almost a two-year break from acting, she appeared in Peter Chan's film '' Dearest'', and won the

Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award The Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards () are the annual awards given by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society in Hong Kong since 1994. The awards are determined by votes cast in three rounds after a substantial discussion session between the mem ...

and

Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress The Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually at the Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA). It is given to honour an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a Hong Kong film. The 1st Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony ...

. While focusing mostly on films, her works also include TV series such as ''

Romance in the Rain ''Romance in the Rain'' is a 2001 Chinese television period drama jointly produced by Yi Ren Communications Company (怡人傳播有限公司) in Taiwan and China International Television Corporation (中国国际电视总公司) in mainland China ...

'' (2001), ''

Moment in Peking ''Moment in Peking'' is a novel originally written in English by Chinese author Lin Yutang. The novel, Lin's first, covers the turbulent events in China from 1900 to 1938, including the Boxer Uprising, the Republican Revolution of 1911, the W ...

'' (2005) and ''

Tiger Mom Tiger parenting is a form of strict parenting, whereby parents are highly invested in ensuring their children's success. Specifically, tiger parents push their children to attain high levels of academic achievement or success in high-status ext ...

'' (2015). She has a music career, starting with her debut album ''

Swallow The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The ...

'' (1999), and has released 7 albums. In 2006, she won the MTV Asia Award for Favorite Artist from Mainland China, for her album ''

Double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...

''. Zhao ranked 80th on ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...

China Celebrity 100 The ''Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 is a list published annually by ''Forbes'' that ranks the influence of Chinese celebrities. First published in 2004, it is similar to Celebrity 100 also published by ''Forbes''. Factors that are taken into acco ...

list in 2013, 22nd in 2014, 7th in 2015, and 28th in 2017. In 2016, Zhao is named as member of the main jury at the

73rd Venice International Film Festival The 73rd annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 31 August to 10 September 2016. English director Sam Mendes was the President of the Jury for the main competition. The opening night film was Damien Chazelle's musical ''La La ...

. In September 2017, she is named as a member of the main competition jury for the 30th

Tokyo International Film Festival The is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biennially from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter. Along with the Shanghai International Film Festival, it is one of Asia's competitive film festivals, and is considered to be the ...

. Zhao received her master's degree in film directing from Beijing Film Academy in 2012. Her directorial debut '' So Young'' (2013) is both a box office and critical success. It broke the box office record for films directed by female Chinese directors in a week, and eventually became one of the highest-grossing films in China. The movie earned her multiple awards in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, including

Golden Rooster Award for Best Directorial Debut Golden Rooster for Best Directorial Debut (中国电影金鸡奖最佳导演处女作) is the main category of Competition of Golden Rooster Awards The Golden Rooster Awards () are film awards given in mainland China. The awards were originally g ...

Hundred Flowers Award for Best Director The Hundred Flowers Award The Hundred Flowers Awards () are, together with the Golden Rooster Awards, the most prestigious film awards honouring the best in Chinese cinema, as well as Hong Kong cinema and the Cinema of Taiwan, they are classifi ...

and

Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan The Hong Kong Film Award for ''Best Film From Mainland And Taiwan'' is a retired annual Hong Kong industry award presented for a film considered the best of the year. In order to be eligible for the award films had to be in a Chinese language and ...

. On 27 August 2021, all films and television dramas featuring Zhao disappeared from Chinese video streaming services like ''Tencent Video'' and ''iQiyi'', and her Weibo Super Talk was deleted; no formal explanation was given by the

Chinese government The Government of the People's Republic of China () is an authoritarian political system in the People's Republic of China under the exclusive political leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It consists of legislative, executive, mili ...

Early life

Born and brought up in

Wuhu Wuhu () is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Anhui province, China. Sitting on the southeast bank of the Yangtze River, Wuhu borders Xuancheng to the southeast, Chizhou and Tongling to the southwest, Hefei city to the northwest, Ma'anshan ...

, Anhui, Zhao is the second child to Zhao Jiahai (), an engineer, and Wei Qiying (), a primary school teacher, She has an elder brother Zhao Jian (; born 1971). After secondary school, Zhao entered Wuhu Normal School, a local education institution training students to become pre-school teachers. She also received training in piano, dance, and Chinese ink wash painting.

Career

Early career (1994–1997)

In 1993, while Zhao was still in school, the movie ''

A Soul Haunted by Painting ''A Soul Haunted by Painting'' () (also known as ''Soul of a Painter'' and ''Pan Yu Liang (Pan Yuliang), a Woman Painter'') is a 1994 Chinese film starring Gong Li and directed by Huang Shuqin. It is loosely based on the life of Pan Yuliang ...

'' (1994), directed by

Huang Shuqin Huang Shuqin (9 September 1939 – 21 April 2022) was a Chinese film director known for her film ''Woman, Demon, Human'' (1987). Widely considered the first feminist Chinese film by critics and scholars,Kang, Kai. "Beyond New Waves: Gender and ...

, starring

Gong Li Gong Li (Chinese: 巩俐; born 31 December 1965) is a Chinese actress. She starred in three of the four Chinese-language films that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Gong was born in Shenyang, Liaoni ...

and

Derek Yee Derek Yee Tung-sing () is a film producer, director and a former Shaw Brothers actor from Hong Kong. Early life Yee was born Yee Tung-sing in Hong Kong on 28 December 1957, the son of Yee Kwong (爾光), a film producer from Tientsin (Tianjin), ...

, was filming in Wuhu. Zhao was cast in the role of a young prostitute in the brothel where Gong's character worked, her first acting experience. She appeared briefly at the beginning of the film and had no dialogue. Zhao developed a strong interest in acting after this first experience, and decided to become an actress. In 1994, after graduating from the Wuhu Normal School, she gave up her job as an apprentice pre-school teacher. She moved from her hometown to Shanghai and enrolled in Xie Jin Star Academy, an acting school founded by the Chinese director

Xie Jin Xie Jin (; 21 November 1923 – 18 October 2008) was a Chinese film director. He rose to prominence in 1957, directing the film '' Woman Basketball Player No. 5'', and is considered one of the Third Generation directors of China. Most recently h ...

, where she received structured acting training during 1994–1995. She was also selected by Xie to star in his movie '' Penitentiary Angel'' (1996). This was her first substantial role. Though she did not find her own performance fulfilling, Zhao considered it a valuable experience and a good start to her career. The film landed her other roles in TV series including her first leading role in ''Sisters in Beijing'' (1996). "I am too young to understand the role," she said, "but if you've been cast in a film by a famous director, no matter how well you did, other less-famous directors will also want to cast you." In 1996, Zhao was admitted to the

(BFA) School of Performing Arts with the highest entrance examination score nation-wide. She graduated four years later with a

Bachelor’s Degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six y ...

in performing arts as one of the most outstanding graduates – Zhao scored five "A"s and nine "A−"s out of the 14 courses. Her graduation thesis scored 90 (out of 100).

Rise to Stardom (1998–2001)

In 1997, novelist and producer

Chiung Yao Chiung Yao or Qiong Yao (; born 20 April 1938) is the pen name of Chen Che, a Taiwanese writer and producer who is often regarded as the most popular romance novelist in the Chinese-speaking world. Her novels have been adapted into more than 100 f ...

was casting the TV series ''

'', a joint production by

mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...

and

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

which was adapted from Chiung Yao's own novel. She identified Zhao Wei as a talent after watching ''Sisters in Beijing'' and offered Zhao the title role of Huan Zhu Ge Ge (Princess Pearl) a.k.a. Xiao Yanzi ("Little Swallow"), a rebellious and funny princess who dared to challenge authority and rules in the palace. Filming the series was an arduous task for Zhao and her co-stars; Zhao herself acknowledged the intensity of filming: The hard work of the cast yielded unexpected results. This comedic period drama quickly became a phenomenal sensation and swept TV ratings in Taiwan, mainland China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore and

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

. Zhao rose to prominence and became a household name overnight. In 1999, she became the youngest actress to win the Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress. She is regarded by many as mainland China's first "national idol", and was named one of Taiwan's "Top Ten Most Outstanding Individuals in Television". She is also regarded as one of China's Four Dan Actresses. However, alongside the phenomenal success were increasingly negative critics in mainland China, attacking the rebellious role as a "bad influence" over children. During the

Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC, zh, 中国人民政治协商会议), also known as the People's PCC (, ) or simply the PCC (), is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China and a central part of ...

in 2002, a member of the CPPCC submit a proposal to boycott the "little swallow". Zhao once again worked with Chiung Yao for the 2001 television series ''

'', a costume drama set in the 1930s and 1940s. In this series, Zhao played a vengeful girl who tried to exact revenge against her parents. The series was a commercial success, and recorded the highest ratings of the year. Zhao soon felt that she had achieved all she could in television and began to shift her career focus from TV to films.

Film (2001–2008)

Zhao went on to star in a few Hong Kong movies. In 2001, she starred in the comedy film ''

'' alongside Hong Kong actor and director

Stephen Chow Stephen Chow Sing-chi (, born 22 June 1962), known professionally as Stephen Chow, is a Hong Kong filmmaker, former actor and comedian, known for ''Shaolin Soccer'' and ''Kung Fu Hustle''. Early life and education Stephen Chow was born in British ...

. Zhao played an ugly-duckling

steamed bun ''Mantou'' (), often referred to as Chinese steamed bun, is a white and soft type of steamed bread or bun popular in northern China. Folk etymology connects the name ''mantou'' to a tale about Zhuge Liang. Description ''Mantou'' are ty ...

-maker-cum-

taichi Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called "shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. Ta ...

-master, a great contrast from the glamorous image she had established for herself in previous roles. Zhao was nominated at the

Chinese Film Media Awards Chinese Film Media Awards (华语电影传媒大奖) are presented by ''Southern Metropolis Daily'' annually to honor excellence in Chinese-language cinema. Though based in mainland China, the awards are open to Chinese-language films from Hong Kong ...

for Best Actress. This was followed by a supporting role in ''

Chinese Odyssey 2002 ''Chinese Odyssey'' is a 2002 Hong Kong mo lei tau musical film written and directed by Jeffrey Lau and produced by Wong Kar-wai. It stars Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, Zhao Wei and Chang Chen. It is a parody of the 1959 Huangmei opera film '' ...

'' as "Phoenix", for which she was nominated

Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actress This is a list of winners and nominees of the Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actress (). Superlatives Multiple wins and nominations The following individuals received two or more Best Supporting Actress awards: The following indivi ...

. In 2002, Zhao played an assassin in '' So Close'', which also stars

Shu Qi use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinate ...

and

Karen Mok Karen Mok (born Karen Joy Morris (), 2 June 1970) is a Hong Kong pop diva who is one of the leading Asian pop singers and actresses with a career spanning three decades. She is the first female Hong Kong singer to win the Golden Melody Award and ...

. In 2003, Zhao starred in four films: ''My Dream Girl'', ''

Warriors of Heaven and Earth ''Warriors of Heaven and Earth'' () is a 2003 Chinese action adventure film directed by He Ping. The film's notable cinematography captures a wide range of landscapes across China's Xinjiang province. It was China's official entry for the Academy ...

'', ''

Green Tea Green tea is a type of tea that is made from '' Camellia sinensis'' leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process which is used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since the ...

'', and ''

Jade Goddess of Mercy ''Jade Goddess of Mercy'' or ''Goddess of Mercy'' () is a 2003 film directed by Ann Hui, starring Zhao Wei and Nicholas Tse. It was adapted from a novel from Chinese writer Hai Yan. The title comes from a necklace featuring Kuan Yin, the "Godde ...

''. After much speculation over who was cast for the female lead An Xin in

Ann Hui Ann Hui On-wah, (; born 23 May 1947) is a film director, producer, screenwriter and actress from Hong Kong who is one of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers of the Hong Kong New Wave. She is known for her films about social issues in Hon ...

's film ''Jade Goddess of Mercy'', the role was finally offered to Zhao, and her performance was well received by critics. In 2004, the Chinese Association of Film Performing Arts presented her the Golden Phoenix Award for this role. She was also nominated at the 27th

Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress The Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress was first awarded by the China Film Association in 1962. Records Winners & nominees 2020s 2010s 2000s 1990s 1980s 1960s Multiple awards for Best Actress ;3 awards * Liu Xiaoqing ;2 awards * ...

for her performance in ''Warriors of Heaven and Earth''. In 2004, Zhao was cast to dub the character

Princess Fiona Fiona is a fictional character in DreamWorks' ''Shrek'' franchise, first appearing in the animated film ''Shrek'' (2001). One of the film series' main characters, Fiona is introduced as a beautiful princess placed under a curse that transforms ...

for when ''

Shrek 2 ''Shrek 2'' is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book ''Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The sequel to ''Shrek'' (2001) and the seco ...

'' was released in China. The year 2005 proved to be another successful year for Zhao. She won the

Golden Goblet Award for Best Actress The Golden Goblet Award for Best Actress (Chinese: 金爵奖最佳女演员) is a prize given to actresses in the main category of competition at the Shanghai International Film Festival The Shanghai International Film Festival (, French: ''F ...

at the

and tied with

Zhang Ziyi Zhang Ziyi (; ; born 9 February 1979) is a Chinese actress and model. She is regarded as one of the Four Dan Actresses of China. Her first major role was in '' The Road Home'' (1999). She later gained international recognition for her role in ...

for the

Huabiao Award China Huabiao Film Awards (), also simply known as Huabiao Awards, is an annual awards ceremony for Chinese cinema. Named after the decorative Chinese winged columns (''huabiaos''), The Huabiao Awards were first instituted in 1957 as the Ministr ...

. Both awards were for her performance in '' A Time to Love''. Zhao once again won Best Actress for the film at the 8th

in 2006.

After a four-year break from television series, Zhao starred as Yao Mulan in a remake of

Lin Yutang Lin Yutang ( ; October 10, 1895 – March 26, 1976) was a Chinese inventor, linguist, novelist, philosopher, and translator. His informal but polished style in both Chinese and English made him one of the most influential writers of his generati ...

's ''

'' (2005). The television series became Zhao's fourth TV drama (after ''My Fair Princess'', ''My Fair Princess 2'' and ''Romance in the Rain'') to become the highest rated drama of the year. Zhao was nominated at the 26th

Flying Apsaras Awards China TV Drama Flying Apsaras Awards (), also known as Flying Apsaras Awards or simply Feitian Awards, is a biennial awards ceremony awarding excellent achievement in Chinese television. Named after the ''Gandhanra'' aka ''Flying Apsaras'', the a ...

for Outstanding Actress. Following the success of ''Moment in Peking'', Zhao starred in ''

The Postmodern Life of My Aunt ''The Postmodern Life of My Aunt'' () is a 2006 Hong Kong serio-comedy film, directed by Ann Hui, starring Siqin Gaowa and Chow Yun-fat. The film also guest-stars Chinese actresses Zhao Wei and Lisa Lu. Its executive producer was Yuan Mei; anoth ...

'', which premiered at film festivals around the world, including the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...

. Though Zhao only appeared for ten minutes in the film, her performance led her to be nominated at the 43rd

Golden Horse Awards The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards () is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962 by the Government Information Office of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan. The awards ceremony is us ...

and the 27th

Hong Kong Film Awards The Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA; ), founded in 1982, is an annual film awards ceremony in Hong Kong. The ceremonies are typically in April. The awards recognise achievement in various aspects of filmmaking, such as directing, screenwriting, ac ...

for Best Supporting Actress. In 2006, Zhao made a surprising move by sitting for the national entrance exam for postgraduate studies. After passing, Zhao returned to her alma mater, the Beijing Film Academy (BFA) in September 2006 as a postgraduate student in the Department of Film Directing, where she studied under director Tian Zhuangzhuang. That year, Zhao was ranked No.4 on ''

'' 2006

list.Forbes 2006 China's Top 10 Celebrity Rankings List
''Karazen.com'' She was selected as the "Most Beautiful Woman" in China through a national vote by Sina.com & Sohu.com's users. ''

People A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...

'' magazine also listed Zhao as "100 Most Beautiful People" in 2006. Zhao then portrayed a cabby in the 2007 film ''

The Longest Night in Shanghai ''The Longest Night in Shanghai'' () is a 2007 film produced by Japan's Movie Eye Entertainment and directed by Chinese director Zhang Yibai. It is a rare collaboration between China and Japan. The film consists of a diverse cast. It stars Chine ...

'', starring alongside

Masahiro Motoki Masahiro Motoki (本木雅弘 ''Motoki Masahiro'', born December 21, 1965) is a Japanese actor. He portrayed protagonist Daigo Kobayashi in '' Departures'', which won the 81st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. His performance earned ...

and

Dylan Kuo Dylan Kuo (; born 8 June 1977) is a Taiwanese actor, singer and model. He rose to fame in 2004 after playing the lead role in the television series '' The Outsiders''. He is also known as Irons Kwok, his earlier western name, and Kwok Bun-chiu, ...

. The same year, Zhao starred in the television series ''

Thank You for Having Loved Me Academy Awards best screenplay nominee Hui-Ling Wang's first television screenplay after ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon''. Cast *Tan Yuwei, played by Zhao Wei *Houzi, played by Zhou Yiwei *Huo Ran, played by Tuo Zonghua *Yin Zhihan, played by ...

''. She reportedly received a salary of 100,000 yuan per episode.

Kung Fu epics (2008–2010)

From 2008 to 2009, Zhao starred in

John Woo John Woo Yu-Sen SBS (; born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong filmmaker, known as a highly-influential figure in the action film genre. He was a pioneer of heroic bloodshed films (a crime action film genre involving Chinese triads) and the gun fu ...

's historical epic '' Red Cliff''. Set in the

Three Kingdoms period The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the West ...

, the film is mainland China's most expensive production then. She played Sun Shangxiang, the independent-minded sister of warlord

Sun Quan Sun Quan (, Chinese: 孫權) (183 – 21 May 252), courtesy name Zhongmou (), posthumously known as Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of the Eastern Wu dynasty, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. He inherited control of the warlord regime es ...

, who disguises herself as a male enemy soldier to gather intelligence. Zhao received two nominations at the

Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress The Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actress for the best performance by an actress in a supporting role. History The award was established at the 4th Hong Kong Film Awards ( ...

. She next appeared in

Gordon Chan Gordon Chan Kar-Seung (), born in 1960, is a Hong Kong film director, writer and producer. His most notable works include ''Beast Cops'', ''Fist of Legend'', ''Painted Skin'', '' 2000 AD'' and '' Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen''. I ...

's horror-adventure film ''

'' (2008). The film set a new milestone in Chinese film by grossing 100 million yuan in six days. Zhao's role as a general's wife was particularly acclaimed, and she received Best Actress nominations at the 27th

Golden Rooster Award The Golden Rooster Awards () are film awards given in mainland China. The awards were originally given annually, beginning in 1981. The name of the award came from the year of the Rooster in 1981. Award recipients receive a statuette in the shap ...

and 3rd Asian Film Award. In 2009, Zhao played the legendary character

Hua Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as ...

Jingle Ma Jingle Ma Cho Shing (; born 1957) is a Hong Kong-based writer and director, best known for his action films such as ''Tokyo Raiders'' and ''Seoul Raiders''. Filmography References External links *Jingle MaaLoveHKFilm.comHK cinemagic entry

's ''
Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as ...
''. Ma called Zhao the "perfect fit" for the cross-dressing heroine. Zhao won the Best Actress Award at the 10th
Changchun Film Festival The Changchun Film Festival (中国长春电影节) is a biennial international film festival held in the Chinese city of Changchun Changchun (, ; ), also romanized as Ch'angch'un, is the capital and largest city of Jilin Province, People's R ...
, 30th
Hundred Flowers Awards The Hundred Flowers Awards () are, together with the Golden Rooster Awards, the most prestigious film awards honouring the best in Chinese cinema, as well as Hong Kong cinema and the Cinema of Taiwan, they are classified as the Chinese equivale ...
and 19th
Shanghai Film Critics Awards Shanghai Film Critics Awards are given annually to honor excellence in national cinema by an organization of film reviewers from Shanghai Film Critics Association and Shanghai Film Museum.China Film Performance Art Academy Chinese Film Performance Art Academy (), founded in January 1985, is a professional organization of Chinese actors. Awards Since 1985, the academy has bi-annually awarded the Golden Phoenix Awards. The "100 outstanding actors in 100 years of ...
and executive member of the council of the China Environmental Society. After filming the
wuxia ( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted f ...
film ''
14 Blades ''14 Blades'' (Chinese: 錦衣衛) is a 2010 ''wuxia'' film directed by Daniel Lee and starring Donnie Yen, Zhao Wei, Sammo Hung, Wu Chun, Kate Tsui, Qi Yuwu and Damian Lau. The film was released on 4 February 2010 in China and on 11 February 2 ...
'' alongside
Donnie Yen Donnie Yen Chi-tan (; born 27 July 1963) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, and action director. Yen is one of Hong Kong's top action stars. Yen is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts (MMA) into the mainstream Asian cinema by cho ...
, Starting in mid-2010 Zhao took a 2-year break from acting. On 11 April 2010, she gave birth to a girl, Huang Xin, the only child of her and businessman Huang Youlong, whom she married in 2008. In June 2010, she returned to the limelight as a jury member of the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival.

Comeback and directing (2012–)
Zhao returned from her extended parental leave in 2012, playing, incidentally, a single mother in ''
Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
'', directed by
Doze Niu Doze Niu (, also known as Niu Chen-zer; born June 22, 1966) is a Taiwanese actor, film director, show host, screenwriter, and producer. As a film director, he is best known for the Taiwanese film '' Monga''. Early life Niu was born in Taipei, T ...
. The film also achieved commercial success, and became the only film to gross 100 million yuan in both Taiwan and mainland China. Critics call the solo performance of Zhao Wei as "the most amazing scene". The same year she starred in '' Painted Skin: The Resurrection'', the sequel to the 2008 film ''
Painted Skin Painted Skin may refer to: * "Painted Skin" (short story), short story from Pu Songling's ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'' * ''Painted Skin'' (1992 film), Hong Kong film directed by King Hu * ''Painted Skin'' (2008 film), Chinese film dir ...
''. The film grossed over 700 million yuan to become the highest grossing Chinese film then, before being beaten by ''
Lost in Thailand ''Lost in Thailand'' is a 2012 Chinese comedy film directed and co-written by Xu Zheng and starring Xu Zheng, Wang Baoqiang, and Huang Bo. The film is about three Chinese men traveling in Thailand: two competing scientists searching for their boss ...
''. In 2012, she graduated from the directing institute of Beijing Film Academy, with an MFA dissertation defense score of 99/100, ranking No. 1 out of all the graduates. Her directorial debut, '' So Young'', opened on 26 April 2013 to 141 million yuan in its first weekend. She is the first female director whose debut film broke 100 million yuan in China. In just one week, ''So Young'' garnered 350 million yuan, with the final box office record in China being over 700 million yuan. For the film, Zhao won the
Golden Rooster Award for Best Directorial Debut Golden Rooster for Best Directorial Debut (中国电影金鸡奖最佳导演处女作) is the main category of Competition of Golden Rooster Awards The Golden Rooster Awards () are film awards given in mainland China. The awards were originally g ...
,
Hundred Flowers Award for Best Director The Hundred Flowers Award The Hundred Flowers Awards () are, together with the Golden Rooster Awards, the most prestigious film awards honouring the best in Chinese cinema, as well as Hong Kong cinema and the Cinema of Taiwan, they are classifi ...
and
Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan The Hong Kong Film Award for ''Best Film From Mainland And Taiwan'' is a retired annual Hong Kong industry award presented for a film considered the best of the year. In order to be eligible for the award films had to be in a Chinese language and ...
. Zhao also became a judge for the 5th season of ''
China's Got Talent ''China's Got Talent ''() was a Chinese reality television series on Dragon TV and a part of the ''Got Talent'' franchise, hosted by Cheng Lei. It is a talent show that features all different kinds of performances of all ages competing for perfor ...
'' alongside Liu Ye,
Alec Su Alec Su You-peng (born 11 September 1973) is a Taiwanese actor, singer, television producer, and film director. Su became a popular teen idol in the 1980s as a member of the boyband ''Xiao Hu Dui''. He was known as the "Obedient Tiger" (乖乖 ...
and Wang Wei Chun. Zhao returned to acting in 2014, playing a countrywoman in the film '' Dearest'', directed by
Peter Chan Peter Ho-sun Chan (born 28 November 1962) is a film director and producer. Early life Chan was born in British Hong Kong to parents China. He and his family moved to Thailand when he was 12, where he grew up amongst the international Chines ...
. The movie was selected by the 71st Venice International Film Festival in the Out-of-competition category, and Zhao's performance as a foster mother of a kidnapped children received international acclaim. ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' called her Chinese
Juliette Binoche Juliette Binoche (; born 9 March 1964) is a French actress and dancer. She has appeared in more than sixty feature films and has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Silver Bear, ...
. This movie also earned Zhao the
Hong Kong Film Award The Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA; ), founded in 1982, is an annual film awards ceremony in Hong Kong. The ceremonies are typically in April. The awards recognise achievement in various aspects of filmmaking, such as directing, screenwriting, act ...
and
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award The Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards () are the annual awards given by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society in Hong Kong since 1994. The awards are determined by votes cast in three rounds after a substantial discussion session between the mem ...
for Best Actress. In 2015, she starred in comedies '' Hollywood Adventures'' and ''
Lost in Hong Kong ''Lost in Hong Kong'' is a 2015 Chinese comedy film directed, co-written and co-produced by Xu Zheng, starring himself along with Bao Bei'er, Zhao Wei, and Du Juan. This is Xu's second directorial feature, after the huge domestic hit ''Lost in Tha ...
'', both of which were commercially successful. Forbes described Zhao as the "world's wealthiest working actress". The same year, Zhao made her return to television in ''
Tiger Mom Tiger parenting is a form of strict parenting, whereby parents are highly invested in ensuring their children's success. Specifically, tiger parents push their children to attain high levels of academic achievement or success in high-status ext ...
''. She was nominated at the
Asian Television Award The Asian Television Awards (launched in 1996), is an appreciation to recognize and reward programming and production excellence in the Asian television industry. Held every December, the Awards comprises 56 categories across news, documentarie ...
and
Magnolia Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Magnolia Award for Best Actress is awarded under the Shanghai Television Festival. Winners and nominees 2020s 2010s 2000s References {{Shanghai Television Festival Shanghai Television Festival Television awards for Best Actress ...
. On 20 October, Zhao elected as executive member of Executive Committee of China Film Directors' Guild. In 2016, Zhao played a doctor in
Johnnie To Johnnie To Kei-fung (born 22 April 1955) is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter and film producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas. Intensely prolific, To has made films in a variety of genres, though in ...
's crime thriller film ''
Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
''. She also began the production for her second directorial work ''No Other Love''. In July, she was a member of the main competition jury for the
73rd Venice International Film Festival The 73rd annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 31 August to 10 September 2016. English director Sam Mendes was the President of the Jury for the main competition. The opening night film was Damien Chazelle's musical ''La La ...
. In February 2017, Zhao went back to her alma mater – School of Performing Arts,
Beijing Film Academy Beijing Film Academy (BFA; ) is a coeducational state-run higher education institution in Beijing, China. The film school is the largest institution specializing in the tertiary education for film and television production in Asia. The academy h ...
– to be the finale round examiner/assessor of applicants for the 2017 intake. The entrance exam is said to be the most challenging one for students pursuing performing arts whereby the success ratio is 1:113. In September, she was named as a member of the main competition jury for the 30th
Tokyo International Film Festival The is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biennially from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter. Along with the Shanghai International Film Festival, it is one of Asia's competitive film festivals, and is considered to be the ...
. In March 2018, Zhao Wei was a member of the finale-round jury for the 9th China Film Directors Guild Award. She was also appointed as official spokesperson of the 12th Xining FIRST International Film Festival. On 17 Oct, CCTV announced Zhao as the chief director of the documentary ''Starlight'', presented by
China Movie Channel China Movie Channel (), the trade name of (), an agency at the Chinese Government's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. In mainland China, the agency provides programming to the China Central Television chann ...
. As the protagonist Catherine, Zhao made her stage debut with a public theater production adapted from
David Auburn David Auburn (born 30 November 1969) is an American playwright, screenwriter and theatre director. He is best known for his 2000 play '' Proof'', which won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play and Pulitzer Prize for Drama. He also wrote the screen ...
's 2001 broadway play ''
Proof Proof most often refers to: * Proof (truth), argument or sufficient evidence for the truth of a proposition * Alcohol proof, a measure of an alcoholic drink's strength Proof may also refer to: Mathematics and formal logic * Formal proof, a con ...
'', directed by
Tian Zhuangzhuang Tian Zhuangzhuang (; born April 1952 in Beijing) is a Chinese film director, producer and actor. Tian was born to an influential actor and actress in China. Following a short stint in the military, Tian began his artistic career first as an ama ...
. The play opened in Beijing at the Tianqiao Art Center on 23 January 2019 to critical acclaim. By 2021, Zhao had been "erased" from the internet in China without official reasons.

Other work
Alongside her acting career, Zhao has become actively involved in commercial work. In 2001, she was selected as one of "China's Top Ten Most Popular Commercial Models", the culmination of her work for Red Earth and Amoisonic Mobile Phone. The same year, Zhao was ranked second on "China's Top 10 Artists for Advertisements" list. South Korean television network KBS ranked Zhao number one in China and Japan and number two in South Korea, crowning her "Commercial Queen in 3 countries". On several occasions, Zhao has been praised by the media for her sense of style. At the Lycra Channel Young Awards (now known as the China Fashion Awards), Zhao was chosen as the "Most Stylish Actress" in mainland China. The same year, MTV China also selected Zhao as the "Most Stylish Asian Actress". Zhao received another fashion award at the 2004
Pierre Cardin Pierre Cardin (, , ), born Pietro Costante Cardino (2 July 1922 – 29 December 2020), was an Italian-born naturalised-French fashion designer. He is known for what were his avant-garde style and Space Age designs. He preferred geometric shap ...
Awards. In 2005 Zhao was awarded the "Most Stylish Female Artist" and "Most Stylish Actor" at the China Fashion Award (CFA). In 2007, Zhao won her third "Most Stylish Actor" at the China Fashion Awards. The same year, she won "Most Stylish Female Artist" at the MTV China Style Gala. As of 18 April 2011, Zhao was climbing up the ranks of the most followed microbloggers worldwide. Her fan count exceeded six million, bringing her closer to American celebrities
Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She starred in the sitcom ''Ellen'' from 1994 to 1998, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for " The Puppy Episode". Sh ...
,
Ashton Kutcher Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a People's Choice Award, and nominations for two Young Artist Awards, a S ...
and
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
, all of whom have also passed the six million fan mark.

Media investments
Wei and her husband purchased stakes in
Alibaba Pictures Alibaba Pictures Group is a Chinese film company under the Alibaba Group. The film company was formerly ChinaVision Media, of which Alibaba Group bought a majority stake in late 2014. It subsequently was renamed from ChinaVision to Alibaba Pictur ...
in 2014, leading to tens of millions of dollars in gains over the next two years. Near the end of 2016, her company Longwei Culture & Media purchased control of Zhejiang People Culture, a Chinese
animation studio An animation studio is a company producing animated media. The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce, own the physical equipment for production, employ operators for that equipment, and hold a major stake in the sales or rentals ...
and
mobile gaming A mobile game, or smartphone game, is a video game that is typically played on a mobile phone. The term also refers to all games that are played on any portable device, including from mobile phone (feature phone or smartphone), tablet, PDA to h ...
company listed on the
Shenzhen Stock Exchange The Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE; ) is a stock exchange based in the city of Shenzhen, in the People's Republic of China. It is one of three stock exchanges operating independently in Mainland China, the others being the Beijing Stock Excha ...
, for . Although the acquiring company have answered the
Shanghai Stock Exchange The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) is a stock exchange based in the city of Shanghai, China. It is one of the three stock exchanges operating independently in mainland China, the others being the Beijing Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exc ...
questions, several mainland China media and some netizens still boycott it, regard the buyout by a female actor as "the hen cackles in the morning". Furthermore, nationalists combined with ultra-left media attack Zhao continuously. Finally, original banks quit for "uncertainty", causing the acquisition to fail.

Wine interests
Zhao is a wine lover and has developed a passion for winemaking. On 21 December 2011, she finalised the purchase of the Château Monlot, a
Saint-Émilion Saint-Émilion (; Gascon: ''Sent Milion'') is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. In 2016, it had a population of 1,938. In the heart of the country of ''Libournais'' (the area around Libourne), in ...
Grand Cru
vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
in France, for €4 million. On 16 September 2012, Zhao was admitted into the Jurade de Saint-Émilion. Following four years of work, Zhao launched the Bordeaux wine brand in the Chinese mass market in October 2015. The online shop offers both high end and affordable wine selections. Since her purchase of Château Monlot she has expanded her wine interests in France by purchasing the 9 hectare Patarabet vineyard in AOC Saint-Émilion, the 57 hectare Senailhac vineyard in Entre-Deux-Mers and on 29 March 2019 the 12 hectare Château La Croix de la Roche vineyard in AOC Fronsac and Bordeaux. The Château La Croix de la Roche has an annual potential production of 82,000 bottles and is Zhao's first certified organic property. It was purchased from Isabelle Maurin, who had owned the château since 1982, and sold it due to lack of a family member willing to take over the property.

Personal life
After two known relationships, Zhao Wei married Chinese businessman Huang You Long () in 2008 in Singapore. The couple's daughter, Huang Xing () is born in April 2010. Zhao is close friend with Chinese singers
Faye Wong Faye Wong ( zh, 王菲; born Xia Lin on 8 August 1969) is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter. Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong. Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and her debut album '' Shirley Wong'' ( ...
and
Na Ying Na Ying (born 27 November 1967) is a Chinese singer and musical judge. She is known for her prominent roles as a judge on Chinese TV singing shows such as ''The Voice of China''. She later transferred to the show '' Sing! China'' and remained th ...
.

Philanthropy
Zhao has been actively involved in charity and disaster relief work. Her notable charity work and donations include: *In 1999, Zhao donated 100,000 yuan, after the Taiwan 921 earthquake. *In 2004, with the local education authority, she set up a scholarship and study grant fund in
Wuhu Wuhu () is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Anhui province, China. Sitting on the southeast bank of the Yangtze River, Wuhu borders Xuancheng to the southeast, Chizhou and Tongling to the southwest, Hefei city to the northwest, Ma'anshan ...
, her hometown. for students from families in financial difficulties. *In 2005, she was appointed as a spokesperson and ambassador for the
United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...
and China Youth Concern Committee's "Awareness for Children Affected by AIDS" campaign; she also performed the song "来得及的明天" () as the theme song for the campaign. *In 2006, Zhao supported fundraising events for the Smile Angel Foundation, a charity fund set up by Zhao's friend, pop diva
Faye Wong Faye Wong ( zh, 王菲; born Xia Lin on 8 August 1969) is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter. Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong. Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and her debut album '' Shirley Wong'' ( ...
, for children with clefts. *The morning following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, Zhao donated 100,000 yuan to the
China Red Cross The Red Cross Society of China () is the national Red Cross Society in the People's Republic of China. Origins and history before 1949 The Red Cross Society of China was founded as the Shanghai International Red Cross Committee on March 10, 19 ...
. Soon afterward, she donated 500,000 yuan to the China Children and Teenagers' Fund to construct a Spring Bude Building School. *On 29 March 2010, Zhao donated 200,000 RMB to the Yunnan government, as Yunnan was suffering from the worst drought during the past few decades. On 17 April, the third day after the Qinghai Yushu Earthquake, Zhao donated 200,000 yuan to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. * In 2011 Zhao received the China Charity Billboard Award for her contributions to charity. *On 22 April 2013, Zhao donated 500,000 RMB to the Sichuan
Yaan Earthquake The Lushan earthquake or Ya'an earthquake (, ''Yak-ngai Sayom'') occurred at 08:02 Beijing Time (00:02 Coordinated Universal Time, UTC) on April 20, 2013. The epicenter was located in Lushan County, Sichuan, Lushan County, Ya'an, Sichuan, about ...
. *In 2014, Zhao launched the V-Love Foundation for
childhood leukemia Childhood leukemia is leukemia that occurs in a child and is a type of childhood cancer. Childhood leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, accounting for 29% of cancers in children aged 0–14 in 2018. There are multiple forms of leukemia t ...
. Also in 2014, Zhao was named ambassador for the
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves The Clean Cooking Alliance, formerly the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, is a non-profit organization operating with the support of the United Nations Foundation to promote clean cooking technologies in lower and middle-income countries. A ...
. *In June 2016, Zhao donated 1 million RMB to the Anhui government, as Anhui was suffering from the worst flooding during the past decade. The same year, Zhao was appointed ambassador for
China Soong Ching Ling Foundation China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
and the
United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
's (UNDP) "Ethnic Minority Women Empowerment and Development Project", aimed to promote sustainable human development with ethnic minority women through joint collaborations in social and economic development. She was also named the ambassador for an Anti Child-trafficking campaign by the
Chinese Ministry of Public Security The Ministry of Public Security () is a Ministries of the People's Republic of China, government ministry of the China, People's Republic of China responsible for public security, public and political security. It oversees more than 1.9 mil ...
. On 20 November, UNDP appointed her as goodwill ambassador. On 26 December, Zhao held a charity party for her V-Love Foundation and raised donations more than 16 million yuan for childhood leukemia. *In July 2017, Zhao and her husband donated 1 million HKD to the Hunan government, as Hunan was suffering from flooding.

Controversy
Zhao has been a regular subject of tabloids. In 2001, she did a group of photos for the August issue of fashion magazine L'Officiel China. In one photo, Zhao was wearing a designer dress (
Heatherette Heatherette was an American fashion company that closed in 2008. It was founded in 1999 by Club Kid Richie Rich and Traver Rains. The pair first began designing T-shirts and leather goods. When Rich wore one of their leather tops to a party, he c ...
NYC label, designed by Richie Rich). The dress assembled a pattern similar to the Japanese military's
Rising Sun Flag The is a Japanese flag that consists of a red disc and sixteen red rays emanating from the disc. Like the Japanese national flag, the Rising Sun Flag symbolizes the sun. The flag was originally used by feudal warlords in Japan during the Ed ...
during
World War 2 World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
(WW II). Four months later, in December 2001, a local evening newspaper started to question and criticize the photo. Still torn by Japan's crimes against China during WW II, the newspaper quickly provoked a public outcry, and more media joined to attack Zhao. Some called for her work to be banned and to prohibit her from show business. On 9 December, the newspaper ''Beijing Evening News'' and network Sina.com published Zhao's apology letter to the nation. On 17 December, Zhao again apologized on the television show ''Entertainment Live;'' the apology was broadcast on 200 television networks and 100 radio stations in China. Different opinions and questions started to surface over the magazine editors' negligence and choice of dress. There were also suspicions that the incident was a set-up to ruin Zhao's career. On 28 December 2001, during her performance at a concert, Zhao was attacked on stage by Fu Shenghua, a construction worker who later said his grandparents were killed during the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
. Reflecting upon his actions, Fu told a Chinese magazine: "I know what I did isn't right. But I believe my cause is just... As a famous Chinese person, she should have been aware of such an important event in Chinese history." Later, a Chinese newspaper, ''
Beijing Youth Daily ''Beijing Youth Daily'' or ''Beijing qingnianbao'' (Abbreviation: ''BYD'', ) is the official newspaper of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (中国共产主义青年团北京市委员会). ''Beijing Youth D ...
'' published a special report after a two-month investigation and alleged that Fu had lied to the media, claiming that no one in his family had died during the war and that he was not a construction worker but instead had been unemployed for several years. The journalist noted that it was difficult to have conversations with Fu due to his alleged extremist views. More and more people started to believe that the incident was a set-up and the public views started becoming more sympathetic to Zhao. After this report was published, the hype surrounding the incident died down and the Chinese media seldom mentioned it again. In July 2004, Zhao was embroiled in further controversy when a woman named Zou Xue accused Zhao of assaulting her in a restaurant over a business dispute. Zhao and Zou had been business partners, and opened a bar together in Beijing. Zou claimed that Zhao had instructed her chauffeur to hit Zou after a business dispute. Zou filed a lawsuit demanding compensation as well as a public apology. Zhao denied hitting Zou, but much of the public was not on Zhao's side. However, the incident quickly had a dramatic twist when a media investigation found that Zou's medical report was fake, and was produced by a hospital managed by family members. The court then rejected Zou's lawsuit against Zhao. In addition, people found that Zou was the L'Officiel editor who stepped down due to the "Japanese flag" incident. Many were convinced that the "Japanese flag" incident was a set-up and Zou was somehow involved. Zhao regained some of public support. Zhao completed her second directorial feature ''No Other Love'' in June 2016. On 1 July 2016, the
Communist Youth League The Communist Youth League of China (CYLC), also known as the Young Communist League of China or simply the Communist Youth League (CYL), is a youth movement of the People's Republic of China for youth between the ages of 14 and 28, run by the ...
used its own website and social media to criticize Zhao over the male cast and Taiwanese director-actor
Leon Dai Leon Dai (, born 27 July 1966) is a Taiwanese actor and film director. His film ''Cannot Live Without You'' was Taiwan's submission to the 82nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. The film also won two awards at the 46th Golden Hor ...
's alleged support for Taiwanese independence. Its posting on Weibo called for a boycott of the movie. Following the call, China's nationalists and nationalist unions started to attack Zhao for being a "public enemy" and "traitor" to the nation. The nationalists also branded Zhao as an "American spy", citing that she had taken a photo and shaken hands with
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
at the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves Future Summit in Manhattan, US on 20 November 2014. In early July, both Dai, Zhao and their movie production studios issued apology statements but the nationalists continued to attack them. On 15 July 2016, under online assault, Zhao apologized, and the movie studio also announced its plan to replace Dai. The incident generated much debate online, and some famous Chinese writers, professors and filmmakers, including
Fang Fang Fang Fang (), pen name of Wang Fang (; born 11 May 1955), is a Chinese writer, known for her literary depictions of the working poor. She won the Lu Xun Literary Prize in 2010. Born in Nanjing, she attended Wuhan University in 1978 to study Chin ...
, Sai Ren, Shi Hang, Yan Feng, He Ping, Chen Guoxing, along with
People's Daily The ''People's Daily'' () is the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The newspaper provides direct information on the policies and viewpoints of the CCP. In addition to its main Chinese-language ...
's social media and China Newsweek (present by
China News Service China News Service (CNS; ) is the second largest state news agency in China, after Xinhua News Agency. China News Service was formerly run by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, which was absorbed into the United Front Work Department of the Ch ...
) categorically denounced the online abuse and/or voiced their support for Zhao. In November 2018, the
Shanghai Stock Exchange The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) is a stock exchange based in the city of Shanghai, China. It is one of the three stock exchanges operating independently in mainland China, the others being the Beijing Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exc ...
banned Zhao and her husband from company boards for five years due to a failed bid to buy a 29.1% stake of the mobile company Zhejiang Wanjia by Tibet Longwei, a company they controlled, in 2016. It was stated that they made the bid lacking financial resources and that their bid disrupted the market order. On 27 August 2021, all films and television dramas featuring Zhao disappeared from Chinese video streaming services like ''Tencent Video'' and ''iQiyi'', and her Weibo Super Talk was deleted (while the Weibo accounts of her own and her studio remain normal). No explanation was given by the
Chinese government The Government of the People's Republic of China () is an authoritarian political system in the People's Republic of China under the exclusive political leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It consists of legislative, executive, mili ...
,. On 28 August 2021, Zhao was reported to have left China for France, reportedly being spotted at an airport in
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
that day. In a now-deleted
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
post from 29 August, Zhao claimed she was in Beijing, denying that she was in France. In September 2021 it was reported that Wei was seen in her hometown,
Wuhu Wuhu () is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Anhui province, China. Sitting on the southeast bank of the Yangtze River, Wuhu borders Xuancheng to the southeast, Chizhou and Tongling to the southwest, Hefei city to the northwest, Ma'anshan ...
.

Filmography
* 1994:
A Soul Haunted by Painting ''A Soul Haunted by Painting'' () (also known as ''Soul of a Painter'' and ''Pan Yu Liang (Pan Yuliang), a Woman Painter'') is a 1994 Chinese film starring Gong Li and directed by Huang Shuqin. It is loosely based on the life of Pan Yuliang ...
(Cameo) * 1994: Penitentiary Angel * 1996: East Palace West Palace * 1996:
Sisters in Beijing A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to ...
(TV) * 1996: Yutian Has a Story (TV) * 1997: Da Mo Fang Magic Formula (TV) * 1998: ''
My Fair Princess ''My Fair Princess'', also known as ''Return of the Pearl Princess'' or ''Princess Returning Pearl'' (), is a 1998–1999 Taiwanese television costume drama jointly produced by Yi Ren Communications Co. (怡人傳播公司) in Taiwan and Hunan B ...
'' Season 1 (TV) * 1998:
Records of Kangxi's Travel Incognito ''Records of Kangxi's Travel Incognito'' is a Chinese television series revolves around the Manchu-ruling Qing Empire monarch Kangxi Emperor (Zhang Guoli) and the corruption he faces as he tries to make the government run efficiently. The series wa ...
Season 2 (TV) * 1998: Old House Has Joy (TV) * 1999:
Deja Vu 2000 Deja or Dejah may refer to: * Deja News, an archive of messages posted to Usenet discussion groups and its successor ''deja.com'' * Andreas Deja (born 1957), German animator * Dejah Mulipola (born 1998), American softball player * Dejah Thoris, a ...
* 1999:
My Fair Princess ''My Fair Princess'', also known as ''Return of the Pearl Princess'' or ''Princess Returning Pearl'' (), is a 1998–1999 Taiwanese television costume drama jointly produced by Yi Ren Communications Co. (怡人傳播公司) in Taiwan and Hunan B ...
Season 2 (TV) * 2000: Assassin Swordsman * 2000:
The Duel (2000 film) ''The Duel'' is a 2000 Hong Kong ''wuxia'' comedy film directed by Andrew Lau and starring Andy Lau, Ekin Cheng, Nick Cheung, Kristy Yang, Zhao Wei and Patrick Tam. The film is adapted from ''Juezhan Qianhou'' of Gu Long's '' Lu Xiaofeng'' n ...
* 2000: ''
Treasure Venture ''Treasure Venture'' (侠女闯天关) is a comedy TV series which was produced in mainland China and Taiwan in 2000. It starred Zhao Wei and Nicky Wu. Cast *Zhao Wei starred as Lu Jianping and Du Huixin *Nicky Wu starred as Shui Ruoyan * Lin Ji ...
'' (TV series) * 2001: ''
Shaolin Soccer ''Shaolin Soccer'' (Chinese: ) is a 2001 Hong Kong sports comedy film directed by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the lead role. The film revolves around a former Shaolin monk who reunites his five brothers,"Brothers" here does not mean biologi ...
'' * 2001: ''
Romance in the Rain ''Romance in the Rain'' is a 2001 Chinese television period drama jointly produced by Yi Ren Communications Company (怡人傳播有限公司) in Taiwan and China International Television Corporation (中国国际电视总公司) in mainland China ...
'' (TV) * 2002: '' So Close'' * 2002:
Chinese Odyssey 2002 ''Chinese Odyssey'' is a 2002 Hong Kong mo lei tau musical film written and directed by Jeffrey Lau and produced by Wong Kar-wai. It stars Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, Zhao Wei and Chang Chen. It is a parody of the 1959 Huangmei opera film '' ...
* 2003: ''
Warriors of Heaven and Earth ''Warriors of Heaven and Earth'' () is a 2003 Chinese action adventure film directed by He Ping. The film's notable cinematography captures a wide range of landscapes across China's Xinjiang province. It was China's official entry for the Academy ...
'' * 2003:
My Dream Girl My or MY may refer to: Arts and entertainment * My (radio station), a Malaysian radio station * Little My, a fictional character in the Moomins universe * ''My'' (album), by Edyta Górniak * ''My'' (EP), by Cho Mi-yeon Business * Mar ...
* 2003:
Green Tea (film) ''Green Tea'' () is a 2002 Chinese film. It was adapted from the novel ''Adiliya by the River'' by Jin Renshun. Shot in the summer of 2002, ''Green Tea'' was one of three films directed by Zhang Yuan that year (including the earlier '' I Love Yo ...
* 2003:
Jade Goddess of Mercy ''Jade Goddess of Mercy'' or ''Goddess of Mercy'' () is a 2003 film directed by Ann Hui, starring Zhao Wei and Nicholas Tse. It was adapted from a novel from Chinese writer Hai Yan. The title comes from a necklace featuring Kuan Yin, the "Godde ...
* 2005: '' A Time to Love'' * 2005: ''
Moment in Peking ''Moment in Peking'' is a novel originally written in English by Chinese author Lin Yutang. The novel, Lin's first, covers the turbulent events in China from 1900 to 1938, including the Boxer Uprising, the Republican Revolution of 1911, the W ...
'' (TV) * 2006:
Postmodern Life of My Aunt ''The Postmodern Life of My Aunt'' () is a 2006 Hong Kong serio-comedy film, directed by Ann Hui, starring Siqin Gaowa and Chow Yun-fat. The film also guest-stars Chinese actresses Zhao Wei and Lisa Lu. Its executive producer was Yuan Mei; anoth ...
* 2006:
Fast Track Love Fast Track Love (simplified Chinese: 车神; traditional Chinese: 車神; lit. God of Race Car) is a Chinese drama television series co-produced by mainland China and Taiwan. This is the first car-race series in mainland China. Zhao Wei and Lu Yi ...
(TV) * 2007:
Thank You For Having Loved Me Academy Awards best screenplay nominee Hui-Ling Wang's first television screenplay after ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon''. Cast *Tan Yuwei, played by Zhao Wei *Houzi, played by Zhou Yiwei *Huo Ran, played by Tuo Zonghua *Yin Zhihan, played by ...
(TV) * 2007:
The Longest Night in Shanghai ''The Longest Night in Shanghai'' () is a 2007 film produced by Japan's Movie Eye Entertainment and directed by Chinese director Zhang Yibai. It is a rare collaboration between China and Japan. The film consists of a diverse cast. It stars Chine ...
* 2008: '' Red Cliff'' * 2008: ''
Painted Skin Painted Skin may refer to: * "Painted Skin" (short story), short story from Pu Songling's ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'' * ''Painted Skin'' (1992 film), Hong Kong film directed by King Hu * ''Painted Skin'' (2008 film), Chinese film dir ...
'' * 2009:
Red Cliff (film) ''Red Cliff'' or ''Chibi'' () is a 2008–2009 international co-production, internationally co-produced Epic film, epic war film, based on the Battle of Red Cliffs (208–209 AD) and the events at the end of the Han dynasty and immediately prior ...
(Part 2) * 2009: ''
Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as ...
'' * 2009:
The Founding of a Republic ''The Founding of a Republic'' is a Chinese historical drama produced in 2009 to mark the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and was made to portray the final years of the Chinese Communist Revolution that followed the end of the ...
(Cameo) * 2009: The Epic of a Woman (TV) * 2010: ''
14 Blades ''14 Blades'' (Chinese: 錦衣衛) is a 2010 ''wuxia'' film directed by Daniel Lee and starring Donnie Yen, Zhao Wei, Sammo Hung, Wu Chun, Kate Tsui, Qi Yuwu and Damian Lau. The film was released on 4 February 2010 in China and on 11 February 2 ...
'' * 2012: ''
Love (2012 film) ''Love'' is a 2012 Taiwanese-Chinese romance film directed and cowritten by Doze Niu. It stars Zhao Wei, Shu Qi, Mark Chao, Ethan Juan, Eddie Peng, Amber Kuo, Ivy Chen and Doze Niu. ''Love'' premiered in the Panorama section of the 62nd Berlin In ...
'' * 2012: '' Painted Skin: The Resurrection'' * 2013: '' So Young'' (as director) * 2014: '' Dearest'' * 2015:
12 Golden Ducks ''12 Golden Ducks'' () is a 2015 Hong Kong comedy film directed by Matt Chow and starring Sandra Ng. It was scheduled for release on 19 February 2015. Like the previous 3 prostitution-themed comedy films starring Ng, i.e. ''Golden Chicken'' (200 ...
(Cameo) * 2015: '' Hollywood Adventures'' * 2015: ''
Lost in Hong Kong ''Lost in Hong Kong'' is a 2015 Chinese comedy film directed, co-written and co-produced by Xu Zheng, starring himself along with Bao Bei'er, Zhao Wei, and Du Juan. This is Xu's second directorial feature, after the huge domestic hit ''Lost in Tha ...
'' * 2015: ''
Tiger Mom Tiger parenting is a form of strict parenting, whereby parents are highly invested in ensuring their children's success. Specifically, tiger parents push their children to attain high levels of academic achievement or success in high-status ext ...
'' (TV) * 2016: ''
Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
'' * 2017:
Chinese Restaurant (TV series) ''Chinese Restaurant'' () is a Chinese celebrity reality show broadcast by Hunan Television. The show features five celebrities as they run a chinese restaurant abroad in 20 days with the aim to promote Chinese Food culture. It's Vicky Zhao's fi ...
Season 1 (TV) * 2018:
Chinese Restaurant (TV series) ''Chinese Restaurant'' () is a Chinese celebrity reality show broadcast by Hunan Television. The show features five celebrities as they run a chinese restaurant abroad in 20 days with the aim to promote Chinese Food culture. It's Vicky Zhao's fi ...
Season 2 (TV) * 2019: ''Two Tigers'' * 2021: ''Crazy Fist''

Discography
* 1999: ''
Swallow The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The ...
'' (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 A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...
'' (双) * 2007: '' Angel's Suitcase'' (天使旅行箱) * 2009: ''
We're All Great Directors ''We're All Great Directors'' is an album by Zhao Wei Zhao Wei (; born 12 March 1976), also known as Vicky Zhao or Vicki Zhao, is a Chinese actress, businesswoman, film director, producer and pop singer. She is considered one of the most po ...
'' ()

Ambassadorship
*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 UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...
'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 The United Nations Foundation is a charitable organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that supports the United Nations and its activities. It was established in 1998 with a $1 billion gift to the United Nations by philanthropist Ted Turner, ...
's
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves The Clean Cooking Alliance, formerly the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, is a non-profit organization operating with the support of the United Nations Foundation to promote clean cooking technologies in lower and middle-income countries. A ...
*2016 The Ministry of Public Security of China's Anti-kidnapping *2016
United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
's Goodwill Ambassador *2018 Xining FIRST International Film Festival *2019 Festival Croisements

Endorsements
From 2013 to 2014, Zhao is the spokeswoman of
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is an Android phablet smartphone produced by Samsung Electronics as part of the Samsung Galaxy Note series. The Galaxy Note 3 was unveiled on September 4, 2013, with its worldwide release beginning later in the month. S ...
. From 2012 to 2017, Zhao as the official ambassador of
Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre SA, or simply Jaeger-LeCoultre (), is a Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer founded by Antoine LeCoultre in 1833 and is based in Le Sentier, Switzerland. Since 2000, the company has been a fully owned subsidiary ...
. Since 2018, Zhao selected as official brand ambassador of
Burberry Burberry is a British luxury fashion house established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry headquartered in London, England. It currently designs and distributes ready to wear, including trench coats (for which it is most famous), leather accessories, ...
. Since 2020, Italian luxury brand
Fendi Fendi () is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house producing fur, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, fragrances, eyewear, timepieces and accessories. Founded in Rome in 1925, Fendi is known for its fur, fur accessories, and leather goods. ...
has announced that Zhao will serve as the brand's spokesperson in China.

Awards and nominations

Forbes China Celebrity 100

References

External links

Zhao Wei's official WeiboZhao Wei's blog at Sohu
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zhao, Wei 1976 births Living people 20th-century Chinese actresses 21st-century Chinese actresses 21st-century Chinese businesswomen 21st-century Chinese businesspeople 21st-century Chinese women singers Actresses from Anhui Beijing Film Academy alumni Businesspeople from Anhui Chinese film actresses Chinese television actresses Chinese Mandopop singers Chinese women film directors Chinese women film producers People from Wuhu People's Republic of China Buddhists Singers from Anhui

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