Wei Zi
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Wei Zi | |
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Born | 1956 (age 67–68) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1988 – present |
Awards | Plum Blossom Awards Best Actor 1988 Stories of Mulberry Village |
Wei Zi (Chinese:
Early life
[edit]Born and raised in Ningxia, he was originally named Wang Wei (Chinese:
Education
[edit]He graduated from the Ningxia College of Art in 1978 and was assigned to the Ningxia Repertory Theatre the same year.
In 1985, he was accepted to the Central Theatre Academy. It was one of the two higher educational institutions of modern theatre in entire China and highly professional coming only second to the Shanghai Theatre Academy.
In January 1989, Wei Zi was admitted to Beijing People's Art Theatre, a first-rate national theatre company of China where he was recognized as a National Class-A Actor (
Career
[edit]Early work
[edit]For his 1988 university graduation, it was required for the students to perform in a play entitled "Stories of Mulberry Village" based on Zhu Xiaoping's three novellas about hardship and struggles in a village in Northern China. Wei played the role of a lunatic farmer and received the highest score for his performance. Later the play went public and unprecedentedly was a huge success. People's Daily described it as "Turning a New Leaf of China's Modern Theatre" and senior authorities such as drama master and Beijing People's Art Theater president Cao Yu and vice-president of the Chinese Film Artists' Association Chen Huangmei who seldom seen in public events attended the performance. Wei was and won the Plum Blossom Award for the best performer in 1988.
Wei's first appearance in front of the camera dates back to 1989 when he acted in the "Ballad of the Yellow River", a film by the famous director Teng Wenji which describes the past lives of the people living along the old course of the Yellow River. It won the Best Director Award in the 14th Montréal World Film Festival [1]. Their cooperation continued in 1996 with "The Conqueror" and "The Story of Xiangxiang" and again in 2005 with another Montréal World Film Festival nominee [2] "Sunrise, Sunset",.
Other activities
[edit]In 1992 he starred in his second movie "The Scientist Jiang Zhuying", a biographical based on the true life of Jiang Zhuying for which he was nominated for a best actor award at the Golden Rooster Awards. The film itself was awarded the Best Feature Film Prize by the Ministry of Radio, Film, and Television [3]. The same year Wei Zi appeared in his first TV drama entitled "Qing Man Zhu Jiang". In 1994 he was nominated again for the best actor award at the Golden Rooster Awards for his notable performance in the movie "Stay in the Village".
In 2000, China Central Television (CCTV) decided to produce a mainland adaptation of one of Jin Yong's Wuxia novels entitled The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. Wei Zi was offered the role of the negative character of the novel Yue Buqun because the director Huang Jianzhong believed that he was the only one who could perform that difficult character very well [4]. At first Wei Zi showed no interest in it since it was a martial arts themed project but agreed to read the script. Upon reading the scenario he noticed the dual characteristics of the hypocrite Yue Buqun who was wearing a gentleman's face while a devil was hidden inside him. Wei Zi found this a challenging role and finally expressed his acceptance of doing it. His successful development of the character was received quite well by both the audience and the critics and paved the way more for his further presence in the TV dramas. "The Great Dunhuang", "The Red Merchant Hu Xue Yan", "Thrill", "Betrayal", "The World's First Restaurant" and "DA Division" are some of his other notable series in the 21st century.
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1989 | Huanghe Yao |
Danggui | |
1993 | The Scientist Jiang Zhuying 蒋筑 |
Jiang Zhuying | |
1994 | Xiangxiang Renews Oil Vender |
He Dawang | |
1994 | Conqueror |
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1994 | The Day the Sun Turned Cold |
Lover | |
1994 | Stay in Village |
Jian Zheng | |
1998 | Green Snake Assassin |
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2005 | Sunrise, Sunset |
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2006 | Winter Waltz |
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2013 | Crimes of Passion |
Television
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Qing Man Zhujiang |
Lin Bicheng | |
1994 | Fei Jia You Nü 费家 |
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1995 | Beijing Shenqiu De Gushi |
also known as Dushi Ping'an Ye ( | |
1997 | Thousand Years |
Pei Yijiang | |
1998 | Shanghai Cangsang |
Tang Tongshu | |
1998 | Fengyu Aomen 风雨澳门 |
Li Jinyun | |
1999 | Bairi Zhuizong |
Wei Bingnan | |
1999 | Meiyou Jiayuan De Linghun |
Zhang Shaojie | |
1999 | Shengsi Jiaoliang |
Yang Yisong | |
2000 | Laughing in the Wind |
Yue Buqun | |
2001 | Betrayal |
Song Yikun | |
2001 | Soft Pitfall |
Zhang Dawei | |
2001 | Feichang Jiechu |
Lei Heping | |
2002 | DA Shi DA师 |
Zhao Ziming | |
2002 | Days of Passion and Spirit |
Wei Yanzhou | |
2002 | The Price of Glory |
Yongzheng Emperor | |
2003 | Wolong Xiao Zhuge 卧龙 |
||
2003 | Hong Qi Pu 红旗谱 |
Feng Guitang | |
2003 | Changping of the War 铁血长平 |
Bai Qi | |
2003 | The World's First Restaurant |
Lu Mengshi | |
2004 | Lihun Zai Hun 离婚 |
also known as Nüren Buhao Re ( | |
2004 | The Red Merchant Hu Xueyan 红顶 |
Hu Xueyan | |
2005 | Blossom of Hibiscus Flowers |
Su Shilong | |
2005 | The Great Dunhuang |
Liang Moyan | |
2005 | Fanhei Shiming |
||
2005 | Undercover Swordsman 剑出 |
Prince of Ning | |
2006 | Weixian Guanxi 危险关系 |
Su Shilong | |
2006 | Chuan Zheng Fengyun |
Shen Baozhen | |
2006 | Xuese Shaji |
||
2006 | Xuese Nianhua |
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2007 | Wang Zhaojun |
Shepherd | |
2007 | Shanghai Wang |
Chang Lixiong | |
2007 | Qinhuai Beige |
Qian Muzhai | |
2007 | Menghui Chun Gu 梦回 |
Master Xie | |
2007 | Xuanfeng Bao 旋风暴 |
Yan Zhanfei | also known as Canghai Yingxiong (沧海 |
2007 | Thrill |
Zhou Zhilong | also known as Zhenfeng Xiangdui (针锋 |
2007 | Juechu Fengsheng 绝处逢生 |
also known as Chun Xia Qiu Dong ( | |
2008 | Lang Yan |
Zhongtian Yingxiu | |
2008 | Tai'an Tang Yu Jing Chuanqi |
Ke Yujing | |
2008 | Qiongtu Molu 穷途 |
Zhang Shaojie | |
2008 | Xiongbing Chuji |
also known as Tejing Xiongfeng ( | |
2008 | Jinqu |
Xu Hangzhou | |
2009 | Tie Lihua 铁梨 |
Zhao Yuangeng | |
2009 | Dixia Dishang |
Xu Yinchu | |
2010 | Jiang Jun |
Guo Jingyu | |
2010 | Shangri-La |
Lecangduoji | |
2011 | Journey to the West |
Jade Emperor | |
2012 | Chinese Traditional Magic |
Shen Wankui | |
2013 | Dagougun |
Dai Tianli |
Notable Stage Performances
[edit]- Stories of Mulberry Village 《
桑 树坪纪事》 (1988) - Tiger Tally 《
虎 符 》
Sources
[edit]- Fei, Faye C; William H. Sun (1994). ""Stories of Mulberry Village" and the End of Modern Chinese Theatre". TDR. 38 (2): 131–137. doi:10.2307/1146336. JSTOR 1146336.
- Xu, Linzheng (2005-08-10). "Late Bloomer Wei Zi: From the First Level Actor to Entrepreneur
巍 子 :从一级演员到个体户" (in Chinese). Sina. Retrieved 2008-03-12. - "Wei Zi
巍 子 " (in Chinese). China Movie Database. Retrieved 2008-03-12. - "Wei Zi
巍 子 " (in Chinese). MdbChina. Archived from the original on 2008-03-06. Retrieved 2008-03-12.