Zhao Wei (Simplified Chinese: 赵薇; Traditional Chinese: 趙薇; Pinyin: Zhào Wēi; born 12 March 1976 in Wuhu, Anhui, China) is a Chinese film actress and pop singer. Audiences sometimes refer to her by her English name, Vicki Zhao.ProfilePinyin Name: Zhao Wei
English Name: Vicki Zhao
Father: Zhao Jia Hai
Mother: Wei Ji Ying
Nicknames: Wei Wei, Xiao Wei, Xiao Yan Zi (Little Swallow)
Birth Date: 12th March 1976
Birth Place: Anhui, Wuhu, China
Born in: Year of the Dragon
Astrology Sign: Pisces (the fish!)
Blood Type: O
Height: 166cm
Weight: hehe...well, that changes doesn't it?
Primary School: Shi Fan Fu Primary School
High School: Shi Qi (Seventeen) High School
College: Shi Fan College
University: Beijing Film Academy
Personal Attributes: Optimistic, Open, Friendly
Dream: To study abroad!
Favourite Phrase: Chances are for those that are ready!
Languages: Mandarin, Dialects (Anhuinese, Shanghainese), English
Hobbies: Singing, Acting, Playing Piano, Swimming
Loves doing in her spare time: Watching movies, Swimming, Shopping
Previous Pets: Cats, Dogs, Birds, Fish
What she wants in love: Dedicated and True
Age of first crush: 18
Likes and Dislikes
Least favourite Food: nearly none!
Favourite Drink: Tea (Jasmine)
Least favourite Drink: Alcoholic Beverages
Favourite Dishes: Chinese
Favourite Tree: French Oak
Favourite Flower: Jasmine Flower
Proudest when: Acting is successful
Happiest when: Meeting up with family
Favourite Colour: White
Favourite Junk Food: Chocolate!
Favourite Snack: Rice Dumplings
Favourite Sport: Swimming
Favourite Animal: Little Bears
Favourite Season: Autumn
Favourite Country: Italy
Place she most wants to go: Greece and Rome
Best age to be married: 25 above
Best attributes in a husband: Only need love, no need for any special attributes
Part she most wants to act out: An ever-changing character with personality
Favourite Cartoon Character: Snoopy!
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BiographyBorn and raised in Wuhu, Anhui Province, China, Zhao Wei was the second child of Zhao Jiahai and Wei Jiying. Her father, Zhao Jiahai, was an appliance designer. Vicki had one older brother, named Zhao Jian. She graduated from Teachers’ College Elementary School (Shi Fan Fu Xiao) and Teachers’ College High School (17th Secondary School Shi Fan). Originally, Zhao was working towards a career in teaching, like her mother. However, in 1993, a filming crew arrived in Wuhu looking for extras for the film Hua Hun, starring Gong Li. After deciding to pursue an acting career, Zhao looked for opportunities to enroll in a film school. She later discovered a new film arts school in Shanghai, opened by the renowed director Xie Jin. In 1996, Zhao Wei received first class results in her entrance exam to Beijing Film Academy’s Performance Institute. She graduated from there in 2000.
CareerZhao Wei received her first experience behind the camera when she was chosen to act as an extra in Hua Hua, a film starring Gong Li. In 1995, after completing her high school exams, Zhao Wei decided to star in her first television series, Yu Tian You Gu Shi. The same year, she was hired by Xie Jin, the director that opened Xie Jin’s Star Academy, to star in one of his movies, Penitentiary Angel. It was the first time Zhao Wei had a substantial role in any work. Zhao Wei herself did not find her performance fulfilling, but treated it as a valuable experience. “My performance was pretty terrible.†says Zhao Wei, “but if you’ve been in a film by a famous director, no matter how well you did, then other less-famous directors will want to use you.â€
Rise to ProminenceAfter playing minor roles in various series and films, Zhao Wei received her first leading role in a series called Sisters in Beijing. There, she was spotted by famous Taiwanese romance writer Chiung Yao, who was looking for actors. At the time, Chiung Yao commented that Zhao wei was a little chubby but talented. In 1997, Vciki had lost some weight and was offered one of the leading roles in Chiung Yao’s television series Princess Pearl. After Princess Pearl was broadcast and enjoyed surprisingly high ratings, Vicki quickly rose to prominence. In 1999, she became the youngest actress to win the Golden Eagle Awards (Mainland China’s Emmy) for “Best Actressâ€. Following this, she continually to star in a number of successful television series and movies and released a number of well-sold albums.
Following her role Princess Pearl, Zhao Wei became a prominent actress in China. Feeling that she had achieved all she could in television, she went on to star in a few movies in Hong Kong. In 2001, she guest starred in the box office hit Shaolin Soccer alongside Hong Kong actor, director, and producer Stephen Chow. In there, Zhao Wei played an unattractive bun maker, turning away from the cute image she had earned from her role in Princess Pearl. The actress herself expressed disgust at her image in the movie, commenting: “Have you seen it? I looked disgusting in it.†Also in 2001, Zhao Wei worked with Shu Qi, a Taiwanese actress and Hong Kong singer and actress Karen Mok in So Close. The film, directed by Corey Yuen, was well-received. The same year, she filmed another series written by Chiung Yao titled Romance in the Rain.
StardomAfter filming Romance in the Rain, Zhao Wei began focusing on filming movies. In 2003, Zhao Wei starred in four films, each critically acclaimed. Vicki worked with many prestigious directors, such as Ann Hui. In 2004, she won the “Most Popular Actress†award (Best Actress award equivalent) at the 11th Beijing Student Film Festival for her performance in Warriors of Heaven and Earth, even though she only had 25 lines of dialogue in the entire movie.
2005 proved to be a successful year for Zhao after she won the Best Actress award at the Shanghai International Film Festival and tied with Zhang Ziyi for the Huabiao Award, the highest governmental award towards the film industry. Both were for her performance in A Time to Love. Finally, after a four year break from television series, Zhao Wei starred in a remake of Moment in Peking. In conjunction, she was ranked No. 4 on Forbes‘ 2006 List of Top Chinese Celebrities. She remains as one of the most successful actress in the contemporary Chinese acting industry. Once again, Vicki won “Best Actress†for “A Time To Love†at The 8th Changchun China Film Festival in 2006.
In 2005, Zhao Wei took an exam for a Masters’ class in directing at her alma mater, Beijing Film Academy. After passing with flying colors, Zhao Wei returned to Beijing Film Academy in September 2006 as a graduate student in the Directing Department. Currently, she is studying under the instruction of the famed director Tian Zhuangzhuang.
2006, Zhao Wei’s newest television series is titled Thank You for Having Loved Me. After three months of filming during the summer in Shanghai, the series was completed in September 2006. It is scheduled to be broadcast possibly by the end of 2006.
MusicIn 1999, Zhao Wei also entered the music industry and released her first album, Swallow. It included several tunes from the series Princess Pearl. Since then, she has released several other albums. The same year, Magic of Love was released. In 2001, Zhao Weireleased the album The Last Separation, based on her recent breakup with her boyfriend. Zhao Wei’s first three albums sold well in China, selling over 3 million copies, but received a lukewarm response from critics. As part of the soundtrack for Romance in the Rain, Zhao Wei performed several songs written by Chiung Yao. In the actual television series, Zhao Wei’s character, Lu Yiping, also performed many songs.
After taking a three-year break from singing to focus on her acting work, in 2004 Zhao released the album Piao (飄), meaning “moving as time goes by.†Zhao Wei recorded this album in hopes of coping with the rumours about her. Fans and critics alike feel Zhao Wei’s new album shows a more mature and expressive singing technique. Included in the album were hits such as “Jian Jian†and “Continuous Rainy Sunday.†The successful album sold 300,000 copies in ten days. Her most recent album is titled Double (åŒ), which included the popular hits “One Tiny Part†and “Shangguan Yan and I.†It also included “Fa Xian (Realize)â€, based on the theme song of Moment in Peking.
Her music career is highlighted by her wins in the Channel V Chinese Music Award in 2006 for Most Popular Female Artist and Most Popular Music Video for her music video “Shangguan Yan and I†and MTV Asia Favourite Artist from Mainland China.
Media SpotlightAs a result of her fame, Zhao Wei has been a regular subject of tabloids. In 2001, a woman named Zou Xue published a picture of Zhao Wei wearing a dress with a Japanese military flag on the cover of Bazaar Magazine. The Chinese saw it as a sign of disrespecting government policy, as well as the sensibilities of Chinese. The Chinese, still angry over the war with Japan, responded furiously. Zhao Wei’s career began to fizzle. At a concert, she was tackled by a construction worker who said his grandparents had been killed during the war. He smeared her face with feces.
In 2004, a pregnant woman named Zou Xue accused Zhao Wei of beating her. Zou was also the woman who published the picture of Vicki wearing the Japanese dress. Zhao Wei and Zou worked as business partners to open the bar Z1 in Beijing. Zou claimed that Zhao Wei had instructed her chauffeur to hit Zou after a business dispute between the two in July. At the time, Zou was eight months pregnant. In response, Zou filed a lawsuit and asked for a compensation of 2,246.6 yuan, as well as a public apology. Zhao Wei denied hitting Zou and avoided involvement in legal matters, continuing to film her television series Moment in Peking.
After filing a lawsuit against Zhao Wei, Zou welcomed journalists, while Zhao Wei ignored them. Zou also claimed that Zhao Wei often used drugs with her friends at their bar, Z1. In addition, she told the press that Zhao Wei was often vulgar and abusive towards her staff. In response, Zhao Wei’s brother, Zhao Jian, is protesting that Zou purposely published the picture of Zhao Wei in the “Military Flag†dress as an attack against her.
In the May 2006 double issue of People’s magazine, she was named one of People’s “100 Most Beautiful Peopleâ€.
Source: Wikipedia
