Biography for
Wei Zhao More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

12 March 1976, Wuhu, Anhui province, China

Birth Name

Zhao Wei

Nickname

Vicki
Wei wei
Athene
Noodles
Xiao Wei

Height

5' 5¼" (1.66 m)

Mini Biography

In 1999, Vicki Zhao won Golden Eagle Awards Best Leading Actress which is China highest Television awards. In 2002, she nominated Best Supporting Actress in the 39th Golden Horse Award. In 2004, she nominated Best Actress and won Favorite Actress in the 11th Beijing College Student Film Festival. She nominated Best Actress and won Favorite Actress in the 4th Chinese Media Film Awards; in the same year,she nominated Best Actress in th 27th Hundred Flowers Awards. In 2005,Zhao Wei won the 8th Shanghai International Film Festival "Best Actress Award."Then she won the 10th China Film Performance Academic Society Prize(aka Golden Phoenix Award)--in August.Then Zhao Wei won the 11th China highest government award-China Movie Awards(aka Huabiao Awards) Outstanding Actress.Today, Zhao Wei is one of the Chinese directors' favorite actresses. For instance, He Ping, Ann Hui,John Woo, Wong Kar-wai and Jiang Wen.

She also is a pop singer. In 1999-2001, her 4 albums sold more than 3,700,000 records in Asia, but critics thought those record were just so so. In November 2004, her newest album "Piao(Afloat)" sold more than 300,000 in 10 days in mainland China, and most of the critics praised her. In 2005, she won Op Chinese Music Chart Awards "Favorite Female Singer (mainland)" and nominated "Best Female Singer" , Sprite Music Awards "Most Versatile Entertainmenter Award"and Music Radio China's Top Chart Awards "Most Popular Mainland Female Singer".In 2006,Zhao won the 12th ERS Golden Songs Awards "Favorite Female Singer" and "Top 10 Golden Melody".Nominated Pepsi Chart Music Awards "Best Female Singer".

Was ranked 2nd of the 100 Sexiest Women by FHM Singapore (2002). Was ranked 15th of the 100 Sexiest Women by FHM Singapore (2003). Was ranked 2nd of the 100 Sexiest Women by FHM Singapore (2004). Was ranked 10th of the 100 Sexiest Women by FHM Thailand (2003). Was ranked 3rd of the 100 Sexiest Women by FHM Thailand (2004).Was ranked 50th of the 100 Sexiest Women by FHM Malaysia (2005).

Forbes magazine's China edition ranked her the third most popular celebrity[2003]. Forbes magazine's China edition ranked her the forth most popular celebrity [2004].Forbes magazine's China edition ranked the forth most popular celebrity again[2005].Forbes magazine's China edition ranked the seventh most popular celebrity again [2007].

IMDb Mini Biography By: Rose-Warrior

Trivia

Shot to fame with the role of the playful and cheeky character of Little Shallow/Princess Pearl in the Qiong Yao book-turned-TV serial Huang Zhu Ge Ge (The Return of Princess Pearl).

Has collaborated several times with Aunty Qiong Yao. Played the main character in Qiong Yao's book-turned-TV serials, such as Huang Zhu Ge Ge I, Huang Zhu Ge Ge II, Lao Fang You Xi/Biao Mei Ji Xiang, and Qing Sheng Sheng Yu Meng Meng.

Was banned (and ostracized) in China after being photographed wearing a dress made from a Japanese Battleflag. Swiftly, after her several times apology (television, newspaper, Internet and radio), Chinese public forgave her.

She bounced back into the limelight as the official ambassador for a high-profile endorsement deal for slimming centre Marie France in China.

Won 2002 Hong Kong TVB Top 10 Television Artist Awards for her performance in the popular tv drama "Qing shen shen yu meng meng" (2001).

Won 2006 Tvz.cn Top 10 Outstanding Television Awards for her performance in 2005 China champion tv drama "Moment in Peking" (2005).

Former spokesperson for Red Earth during 2001-2002.

Former spokesperson for Marie France during 2003-2004.

Graduated from the Beijing Film Academy

Family includes: Wei Qiying (mom), Zhao Jiahai (dad), Zhao Jian (older brother) & Chen Rong(Sisiter in law)

Won 2003 MTV Style Awards "Most Style Actress".

Won 2003 Lycra Channel Young Fashion Awards "China mainland Trendy Actress".

Won 2004 MTV Style Awards "Female Artist of the Year".

Won 2005 Lycra Channel Young Fashion Awards "China mainland Trendy Actress".

Won 2005 Lycra Channel Young Fashion Awards "China mainland Trendy Female Singer".

Listed in People Magazine's '100 Most Beautiful People' List in 2006.

Won 2006 MTV Asia Awards "Favorite Artist Mainland China" Award

Won 2006 Top Chinese TV Drama Awards Favorite Actress Mainland China Award for her performance in the champion TV drama "Moment in Peking"(2005).

She studied Tibet dancing for 3 years. And her performance has showed on local TV in 1994.

Her favorite foreign actresses are Isabelle Huppert and Juliette Binoche.

Her favorite Chinese actress is Maggie Cheung.

Was the official amabassader for China National Farmer Sports Meeting in 2003.

Spokesperson for China goverment charity project - "Hope Project" from 2002-2005.

She passed 2006 China national wide postgraduate entrance examination. She has enrolled for postgraduate study at the Beijing Film Academy and will get the master degree in 2009.

Her postgraduate study professor is China famous director Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Host of CCTV 2000 Spring Festival Ceremony.

Former Ambassador of UN's "Orphan and Vulnerable Children, Children Affected by AIDS Awareness".

Won 1999 Hong Kong Metro Radio Station Most Popular Singer Award.

Won 13th Channel [V] Chinese Music Awards Favorite Female Singer, Best Music Video, and Nomiated Best Female Singer for album "Double".

Won 2005 (the 5th) Top Chinese Music Chart Awards Favorite Mainland Female Singer, 2 Top Ten Golden Melody of the Year & Nominated Best Female Singer and Best Album for album "Afloat". Nominated 2006 (the 6th) Top Chinese Music Chart Awards Best Female Singer and Best Album for "Double".

Won 2005 Asian Pacific Music Awards Top Ten Golden Melody of the Year, and Nominated Best Female Singer, Favorite Female Singer, Best Album, Best Selling Record.

Amabassador of China Welfare Fun For The Handicapped since 2006.

She is the first Mainland China actress to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds Shanghai.

Spokesperson for Marie France until 2008.

Member of China Star Tennis Team since 2008.

Spokesperson of China Open since 2008.

Won 2008 Top Chinese Music Chart Awards Best Female Singer for "Angle's Suitcase".

On May 29, 2008, was the First Torchbearer of Wuhu (No. 29 city) of the 29th Olympic Games, her hometown. After torch relay, she claimed that she donated 500,000 yuan to build school for Sichuan children.

Won 2008 China Music Radio Awards Best Album and Best All-round Artist.

China Official Amabassador of the 7th (2009) China Flower Expo.

Won 2007 MTV Style Awards "Most Stylish Mainland female singer".

Won 2007 Lycra Channel Young Fashion Awards "China Mainland Trendy Actress".

Promoter of Red Cross Society of China since 2008.

Won 2008 Sohu.com 10 Years Anniversary-Motion Picture Awards "Audience Favorite Actress of the Decade".

Won the 4th (2008) Top Chinese TV Drama Awards "Top 30 Most Infulence People of the 30 Years (1978-2008)".

Selected as China Mobile users' "Favorite Actress in a Motion Picture of 2008".

Personal Quotes

"It's more important that I'm liked because of my work, I don't care if people think I'm sexy or if they like or don't like me in person. Like right now when I'm talking to you on a personal level, I'm not worried about what kind of impression I leave on you." (when asked to weigh herself on the sexy stakes.)

"As an actress, it is vital for one to believe dreams are reality, because each film is a dream."

"I like the bald alien look best, what about you?" - on her ugly image in Shaolin Soccer.

"I'd gotten so used to it, doing TV shows, that I'd started to ignore it. But on Shaolin Soccer it was like the camera was a new boyfriend. I felt shy around it. I really wanted to show it my emotions, but I wasn't sure if I was expressing my feelings correctly or not. It was like falling in love. And I still feel like I'm in that phase: falling in love with the camera. I still can't treat it like a husband who's been around for 10 years. If I start to feel that way. Then I'll become a director!" - on interacting with the camera during filming.

"Perhaps my most outstanding personal trait is my lack of outstanding personal traits. The characters I play have much more personality than I do. So maybe it's easier for me to slip into the various characters. Also, the parts I play are all very different. So in that sense my absence of persona is an advantage. But maybe one day I'll develop a strong personality and it'll give me a whole new kind of career." - taking a stab at defining herself.

"Life is made up of a large tragedy and many tiny moments of joy. What I can do is slowly accumulate these tiny moments of joy, and use them to face tragedy." - on the pressures placed on her being in the entertainment industry.

"I feel that artistic directors are very serious about their work, they have more experience, and their expectations will be very high. About receiving an award, I don't dare to have extravagant hopes. I am an actress that has never received an award before, he is a director that often receives awards, and my only hope is that I won't affect him." - on working with artistic director Huo Jian in Qing Ren Jie (2005).

"Life is made up of a large tragedy and many tiny moments of joy."

"I want to be a good actress. And I'm sure that I'm a good actress."

"I really feel that optimism and openness are sweets that God gives to you. Even though one day you will finish eating them, but at least you'll know what sweet tastes like."

Salary

Chi bi (2008)	1,500,000 Hong Kong Dollars
"Jing hua yan yun" (2005)	130,000 yuan per episode

Where Are They Now

(August 2005) Zhuhai, China Filming her new TV drama, directed by Hong Kong director Tat-Chi Yau.

(December 2005) Shanghai,China Filming The Anti's Postmodern Life which directed by Hong Kong famous female director Ann Hui(Woman Forty).And the leading actor is Chow Yun Fat.

(April 2006) Shanghai Filming Japan film "The Longest Night in Shanghai".

(August 2007) Hebei Province, China Filming John Woo's epic movie "Red Cliff".

(January 2008) Hengdian, Zhejiang province, China, filming "Painted Skin".

(June 2008) Wuhu, Anhui Province, China - filming TV-series "An Epic of a Woman"

(March 2009) Hebei province, China - filming live-action film "Mulan", she play the title role "Hua Mulan".

(April 2009) Gansu province, China. Filming battle-senses of picture "Mulan" in desert.

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