Yang Zi (actress)

Yang as little Consort Donggo in Xiaozhuang Epic in 2002

In 1999, Yang made her acting debut playing Zhou Qiong in Ru Ci Chu Shan, which was broadcast in 2002.[9] In 2002, Yang had a minor role as little Consort Donggo in Xiaozhuang Epic.[13] In May 2004, Yang made her big-screen debut in the youth romance film Girl's Diary, playing Ran Dongyang, an elementary school student. She received a Best Child Actor nomination at the Tongniu Film Awards for her performance in the film.[14]

In 2005, Yang rose to prominence playing Xia Xue in the popular Mainland Chinese sitcom Home with Kids. The series reached number one in ratings when it aired in China, and won the Outstanding Television Series (for children) award at the Flying Apsaras Awards and the Golden Eagle Awards. Yang became a household name in China since then. In March, she played little Bing Yue in historical costume drama Young Kangxi.[15] In 2006, she reprised her role as Xia Xue in the sequel Home with Kids 2, though not in the subsequent installments.[16]

In June 2008, Yang released her first solo album titled Home with Snow, which is named after her character's name in Home with Kids.[17] In January 2009, Yang performed the voice dub as Ma Xiaotiao for comedy animation series Mo's Mischief: Teacher's Pet, adapted from Yang Hongying's children's literature series of the same name.[18] In July, Yang played her first leading role in the youth romance drama Girl Rushes Forward.[19] The same year, she starred in the youth romance film Boy and Girl.[20]

In January 2010, Yang starred in friendship youth drama Boy's Diary.[21] In July, she starred in Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West playing a small role. Then Yang was admitted to the School of Performing Arts, Beijing Film Academy.[12] In February 2011, she starred in family drama Love Comes Knocking on the Door, based on the novel Stepmother by Geling Yan. Her role as a rebellious teenager allowed her to successfully shed her image of a "child star".[22][23] In May 2012, Yang starred in the medical drama Angel Heart, portraying a kindhearted nurse.[24] In August, she starred in the horror mystery film Insisrence,[25] and won the Best Newcomer Award at the 14th Golden Phoenix Awards.[26]

In February 2013, Yang played the lead role in the period comedy drama King Rouge.[27] In April, she starred in the family drama Dad Comes Home.[28] In August, she starred in the romance drama Flowers in Fog, written by acclaimed writer Chiung Yao.[29]

In March 2014, Yang starred in her first war drama Battle of Changsha, directed by Magnolia Award-winner Kong Sheng, set against the backdrop of the Battle of Changsha in 1939 during World War II, playing Hu Xiangxiang, a nurse in the field hospital with different temperaments from the bright and lively girlhood to the aftermath of being a wife and a mother. The series was a critical success and was voted Best Drama of 2014 in major streaming website Douban after being broadcast on CCTV-8 beginning mid-July 2014.[30] In May , Yang joined the second season of youth inspirational reality show We Are Young as a regular cast member.[31] The same year, she graduated from Beijing Film Academy.[1]

Yang (second from left) during the Shanghai press conference of Yangko Dance on 22nd October,2015

In January 2015, Yang Starred in the modern military drama Say No For Youth, playing an enthusiastic and straightforward military academy student.[32] In April, she joined Dragon TV's star travel-reality show Sisters Over Flowers as a regular cast member.[33] In August, she starred in the youth romance film Where Are All The Time.[34] In October, Yang starred in period drama Yangko Dance.[35] The series has reached a total of 6 billion online view and within 21 days of its broadcast, it became the Provincial Television Prime Ratings Champion in Jiangsu and Tianjin Satellite TV, maintaining top 5 positions till the end of its broadcast.[36] Yang's portrayal of the kindhearted and patriotic young lady received positive reviews. The same month, she co-starred in the horror mystery web series The Ferryman.[37]

In April 2016, she starred in the metropolitan romance drama Ode to Joy, which depicts the stories of five young women who comes from different social and educational backgrounds, but share a common goal. The series received critical acclaim and commercial success, and Yang gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Qiu Yingying, a simple-minded girl from a small town.[38] Yang was nominated for the Best Actress award at the China TV Golden Eagle Award,[39] and the Best Supporting Actress award at the 23rd Shanghai Television Festival for her performance.[40] In June, she starred in urban romance drama Perfect Wedding, where she played the role of a wedding planner.[41] In July, she portrayed Lu Xueqi, one of the two female protagonists in Noble Aspirations, the television series adaption of the Xianxia novel Zhu Xian.[42] The drama was a commercial success and accumulated 23 billion views online, the highest record held by a Chinese drama at that time.[43][44] Yang gained wider popularity as a result and was nominated at the 22nd Huading Awards as Best Actress in the ancient drama category for her performance.[45] In August, she co-starred in Crying Out in Love, a film based on the romance novel Socrates in Love by Japanese novelist Kyoichi Katayama.[46] In September, Yang was picked as one of the Four Dan Actresses of the post-90s generation along with Zheng Shuang, Zhou Dongyu and Guan Xiaotong by a survey conducted by Southern Metropolis Daily among 173 million netizens and 110 professional media and industry insiders.[47] In December, she returned in the second season of Noble Aspirations as Lu Xueqi.[48]

On 27 January 2017, Yang appeared on the stage of CCTV New Year's Gala for the first time and performed the opening song "Beautiful Youths of China" with her sisters from Ode to Joy and TFBoys. In May, she starred in the historical romance comedy drama Legend of Dragon Pearl.[49] Yang reprised her role as Qiu Yingying in the second installment of Ode to Joy.[50]

Yang performing at the New Year Eve Concert on 31st December,2018

On February 15, 2018, Yang attended the CCTV Spring Festival Gala and performed a comedy sketch "Serving You" with Lin Yongjian, Li Mingqi and Dai Chunrong. In April, she had a guest role in the urban drama Women in Beijing. She then joined the second season of Chinese youth variety show Give Me Five, as a regular cast member.[51] In July, she starred in The Destiny of White Snake, a fantasy romance drama based on the renowned Chinese folktale.[52] Yang's portrayal of the innocent and naive snake spirit; as well as her voice-dub for the character, received positive reviews.[53] In August, Yang starred in the fantasy romance drama Ashes of Love, playing an innocent and lively fairy maiden.[54] The series was a commercial success, topping both television and web ratings; and received positive reviews.[55] Yang received acclaim for her acting and experienced a new high in popularity.[56] Forbes China listed Yang under their 30 Under 30 Asia 2017 list which consisted of 30 influential people under 30 years old who have had a substantial effect in their fields.[57] On November 26, she joined Sina Entertainment's year-end special project short film "The Most Beautiful Performance".[58]

On February 4, 2019, Yang performed a comedy sketch called "Platform" at the CCTV New Year's Gala with other artists. On May 28, Yang unveiled her wax figure at Madame Tussauds Beijing through an unveiling ceremony.[59][60] In July, she starred in the romantic comedy drama Go Go Squid!, playing a talented computer major who is also a popular online singer.[61] The drama topped television ratings and had been streamed more than 9.6 billion times in its timeslot and was praised for its transmitting positive and uplifting messages such as the pursuit of dreams as well as patriotism.[62][63] The success of Go Go Squid reaffirmed Yang's popularity.[64] She won the Best Actress award in modern drama category at the 26th Huading Awards for her performance.[65] She also sang the ending theme song of the drama titled "Milk Bread", which reached number 2 on Billboard China Social Chart.[66] She then joined the third season of cooking reality show Chinese Restaurant 3 as a regular cast member.[67] In August, Yang featured in the disaster film The Bravest as the wife of a firefighter,[68] and won the Most Popular Supporting Actress award at the 16th Guangzhou Student Film Festival.[69] She was also nominated as Best Supporting Actress at the 35th Hundred Flowers Awards for her performance.[70] The same month, she starred in the crime suspense film Bodies at Rest playing a forensics scientist.[71] She then starred in the romance environmental drama My Mowgli Boy where she played a marketing executive.[72] Yang was awarded the iQiyi Scream Goddess at the iQiyi All-Star Carnival,[73] and Weibo Queen at the Weibo Awards Ceremony.[74]

Yang at the 70th Anniversary Celebration of Beijing Film Academy on 17th October, 2020

On January 24, 2020, Yang performed "Meeting in 20 Years Again" alongside Angela Chang and Roy Wang at the CCTV New Year's Gala.[75] In October, she featured in nationalistic film My People, My Homeland,[76] and sang the promotional OST "My Homeland" for the film.[77] In November, she starred in Hear Her, the first monologue series in China about women's rights. Hear Her is based on the format of BBC Studio's short-film series Snatches: Moments from Women's Lives, produced and directed by famous Chinese actress Zhao Wei.[78] Her themed episode is called "Wish for Love". In December, Yang performed the voice dub as Ying Wuxie for costume fantasy film Soul Snatcher.[79] She has appeared on the Forbes Asia 100 Digital Star list, comprising 100 artists from across the Asia-Pacific region who have been able to stay active, raise awareness and inspire optimism despite the cancellation of physical events during the COVID-19 pandemic.[80]

In February, 2021, Yang had a guest role in Go Go Squid 2 Dt.Appledog's Time, the sequel to her hit drama Go Go Squid!.[81] The same month, she was awarded Weibo Queen for the second time at the Weibo Awards Ceremony.[82] In In May, she participated in the detective reality show The Detective's Adventure.[83] On July 1, Yang participated in the "Great Journey" to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, performing a large-scale epic theatrical performance titled "Breaking Dawn" with several other artists. On November 15, Yang announced the expiration of her contract with H&R Century Pictures Co., Ltd on her personal social media account.[84] The next day, November 16, she set up her own personal studio.[85] She is set to star in the romance drama The Oath of Love, playing a cellist,[86] and the historical mystery drama The Golden Hairpin playing a detective.[87] She is also set to star in the xianxia drama Immortal Samsara and the crime film Drug Hunting playing an anti drug policewoman.

Yang has become one of the most in demand brand ambassadors in China.[88] Her endorsement range is from food and beverage,[89] daily necessities,[90] fashions and jewellery,[91] skincare, cosmetics and hygiene,[92] to mobile applications, games and technological product.[93] She endorses more than 15 brands including Chopard, Origins (cosmetics), Nivea and Lay's potato chips.[91][94] On February 6, 2021, Yang was announced as Tencent Video VIP spokesperson.[95] On December 8, Yang was announced as China CITIC Bank Credit card spokesperson.[96]

She was named the promotional ambassador for the Beijing Television Spring Festival Gala 2020.[97]