ACF 442: Happy Birthday, Gong Li!

Gong Li as the Empress in Curse of the Golden Flower
Image copyright 2006 Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc

Gong Li was born December 31st, 1965, in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China and graduated from the Central Drama Academy in Beijing in 1989. While still a student, she was cast as the female lead in the 1987 release Hong gao liang (aka Red Sorghum), the initial directing effort of Zhang Yimou. She starred in a number of his other films, including Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern, over the next several years and reunited with him for Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). Her work in the films of other notable Chinese directors includes Farewell My Concubine by Chen Kaige and Wong Kar Wai's 2046.

Talented and lovely, she has won numerous awards as Best Actress or Female Actor, and has been named as one of the "sexiest movies stars" or "most beautiful" women in various lists.

Unfortunately, her Hollywood films (Memoirs of a Geisha, Miami Vice, Hannibal Rising) thus far have failed to strike Box Office gold. Ms. Gong is due to be seen next in the period piece Shanghai, which has a January 1, 2010 release date. She also is set to star along with Mickey Rourke, Forest Whitaker, and Ray Winstone in Walter Hill's St. Vincent, which currently is in pre-production. Hopefully we'll continue to see her in Western as well as Eastern productions for many years to come.

Gong Li @ IMDb
Gong Li @ WikipedeaGong Li @ Fandango