Gong Li

Infobox Chinese-language singer and actor


tradchinesename = 鞏俐
simpchinesename = 巩俐
birthdate = birth date and age|1965|12|31
birthplace = Shenyang, China
spouse = Ooi Hoe Soeng (1996-)
hongkongfilmwards = Best Actress
2007 "Curse of the Golden Flower"
goldenroosterawards = Best Actress
1993 "The Story of Qiu Ju"
2000 "Breaking the Silence"
awards = NBR Award for Best Supporting Actress
2005 "Memoirs of a Geisha"
NYFCC Award for Best Supporting Actress
1993 "Farewell My Concubine"
Volpi Cup for Best Actress
1992 "The Story of Qiu Ju"

Gong Li (zh-stp |s=巩俐 |t=鞏俐 |p=Gǒng Lì) (born December 31, 1965) is a Chinese-American two-time Golden Rooster, two-time Hundred Flowers Award, Berlinale Camera, Cannes Festival Trophy, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics Circle Award, and Volpi Cup winning Chinese film actress. She first came into international prominence through close collaboration with Chinese director Zhang Yimou and is credited with helping bring Chinese cinema to Europe and the United States. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE6DC143AF935A25754C0A9629C8B63|author = Kehr, Dave|date=2004-07-16|title=Torn Between a Dreamy Idealist and a Veterinarian|publisher = "The New York Times"|accessdate=2008-01-07]

Biography

Early life

Gong Li was born in Shenyang, Liaoning, China, the fifth child in her family. Her father was a professor of economics and her mother, who was 40 when Gong was born, was a teacher. [ [http://www.charlest.whipple.net/gongside.html Gong Li Sidebar ] ] Gong grew up in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. She wished to be an actress from a young ageFact|date=July 2008. She was accepted to the Beijing Central College of Drama in 1985 and graduated in 1989. [ [http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/Biography.asp?ctr=620460 Gong Li Biography - Barnes & Noble.com ] ] She was a student there when Zhang Yimou chose her in 1987 for the lead role in his first film as a director.Ghahremani, Yasmin; Stanmeyer, Anastacia (1999-09-24), "Nation builders". "Asiaweek". 25 (38):74]

Career

Over the next several years after her 1987 debut in "Red Sorghum", Gong received both local and international acclaim for her roles in several more Zhang Yimou films, becoming his muse.Dargis, Manohla (2004-12-05), "Glamour's New Orientation". "New York Times". 154 (53054):Arts & Leisure 1] She appeared in "Ju Dou" in 1990. Her performance in the Oscar-nominated "Raise the Red Lantern" thrust her into the international spotlight. and "The Story of Qiu Ju", for which she was named Best Actress at the 1992 Venice Film Festival. The roles help solidify her reputation as, according to "Asiaweek", one of the "world's most glamorous movie stars and an elegant throwback to Hollywood's golden era."

In 1993 she received a New York Film Critics Circle award for her role in "Farewell My Concubine". Directed by Chen Kaige, the film was at the time her first major role with a director other than Zhang Yimou. In 2006, "Premiere Magazine" ranked her performance as the 89th greatest performance of all time.

With her ascent and influence, Gong began to criticize the censorship policy in China. Her films "Farewell My Concubine" and "The Story of Qiu Ju" were both initially banned in her native land, reportedly for being thinly-veiled critiques of the government.No byline (2000-02-25), "FIRST LADY OF FILM". "Asiaweek". 26 (7):34] In regards to the sexual material in Ju Dou, one official called the film "a bad influence on the physical and spiritual health of young people."She said (translated) "Under the new wave of directors, films in China are getting more in depth and have more Chinese characteristics than before. But mainland directors face an entirely different system from their counterparts elsewhere. You can't just make whatever films you like."

She retains a very strong popularity in most Asian countries and is prized for both her talents and beauty .Fact|date=October 2007 In addition to acting, she is also an exceptional singer, as demonstrated during her performance in the 1998 film "Shanghai Triad".Fact|date=October 2007 Her international acclaim was demonstrated when she became a recipient of France's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in June 1998. She was also chosen to be the president of the international jury of the 50th annual Berlin Film Festival in 2000.

Gong and Zhang had not worked together since 1995 when, in 2006, they were finally reunited for Zhang's "Curse of the Golden Flower", in which she played the beautiful, and ultimately dying, Golden Phoenix.

Gong was a spokesperson for Shanghai Tang clothing store. [Gault, Ylonda; Fannin, Rebecca A. (1997-07-14), "Hong Kong retail giant Tang ready to pluck Big Apple". "Advertising Age". 68 (28):33]

Gong wrote the introduction to the 2001 book "Chinese Opera". [Dopp, Bonnie Jo (2001-10-15), "Chinese Opera". "Library Journal". 126 (17):78]

Despite her high profile, Gong put off working on Hollywood films for years, due to both her lack of confidence in speaking English and her discontent with the types of roles that had been offered to her [ [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1138891_3,00.html The Women of 'Memoirs of a Geisha' | Memoirs of a Geisha | Movie News | Movies | Entertainment Weekly | 3 ] ] . Her first major English-language role came in 2005 when she starred as the beautiful but vindictive Hatsumomo in "Memoirs of a Geisha". Her performance met generally rave reviews. [Lyttle, John (2006-01-16), "The eastern affront". "New Statesman", 135 (4775):47]

Her other English-language roles to date have been in "Chinese Box" in 1997', 'Miami Vice" in 2006 and "Hannibal Rising" in 2007. In all three films, she learned her English lines phonetically.

Controversy

Gong created a major stir at Peking University in 2000 when the university accepted her to take an undergraduate degree course in social studies. Students of the institution felt her celebrity status allowed her to "jump the queue" when other prospective students are held to much more competitive standards. In her defence, Gong said she simply wanted to "pursue the spirit of learning." [No byline (2000-05-19), "Too Pretty for School?". "Asiaweek". 26 (19):45]

Personal life

Her relationship with Zhang Yimou was both professional and romantic and they created a scandal for being lovers during their long collaboration, despite Zhang having been married at the time. The couple eventually broke up in 1995. In 1996, rumors began circulating that Gong had married Singaporean tobacco tycoon, Ooi Hoe Soeng (黄和祥), allegations she denied until a Singapore tabloid printed a copy of the marriage certificate.No byline (1997-02-10), "Gong Li & Ooi Hoe Seong". "People". 47 (5):112] They eventually had a wedding reception that November at Hong Kong's China Club. [Louie, Elaine (1996-10-29), "Chronicle:Gong Li". "New York Times". 146 (50595):B16] She has a reputation for being elusive and very private about her personal life.
As of 2007, she is said to be able to speak fluent conversational English.Fact|date=May 2008.

Filmography

Other information

*Gong Li was voted the most beautiful person in China. [cite news|first=|last=|title=Gong Li voted China's Most Beautiful Person|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-05/23/content_597722.htm|publisher=China Daily|date=May 23, 2006|accessdate=2007-03-17] [cite web|first=Shen|last=Min|title=Gong Li Voted China's Most Beautiful Star|url=http://english.cri.cn/349/2006/05/22/[e-mail]|publisher=|date=May 22, 2006|accessdate=2007-03-17]
*One of the B-sides of Red Hot Chili Peppers single "Scar Tissue", from the album "Californication", is called Gong Li.

ee also

* Cinema of China

Footnotes

External links

*imdb name|id=0000084|name=Gong Li

Persondata
NAME = Gong, Li
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = 巩俐 (Chinese)
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Chinese actress
DATE OF BIRTH = December 31, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH = Shenyang, China
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =