Zhao Tao

For the Chinese male swimmer, see Zhao Tao (swimmer).

Zhao Tao (born 28 January 1977) is a famous Chinese actress. She works in China and Europe, has over 10 films to her credit since starting her career in 1999 and is the muse of director Jia Zhangke. Zhao first came into international prominence through close collaboration with Chinese director Jia Zhangke and is credited with helping to bring Chinese cinema to Europe, especially Italy. As Shun Li in Shun Li and the Poet, her best starring role to date, she became the first Asian actress to win a prize at David di Donatello.

Biography

She was born January 28, 1977, in Taiyuan, Shanxi, which is also the hometown of the heroine in Still Life. As a child, she studied classical Chinese dance. In 1996, she enrolled in the folk dance department at Beijing Dance Academy. After graduation, she became a dance teacher in Taiyuan Normal College, where she was spotted by Jia during casting for Platform. Since then they work frequently together.

In 2011 she starred in the Italian movie Shun Li and the Poet by Andrea Segre, the movie was screened in the Venice Days section of the 68th Venice International Film Festival. Zhao won the David di Donatello Award, the Italian Oscar, for Best Actress for her bilingual role.

Personal life

On January 7, 2012 she married director Jia Zhangke.

Complete Filmography

Year	English Title	Chinese Title	Role	Notes
2000	Platform	站台	Yin Ruijuan	Ensemble
2002	Unknown Pleasures	任逍遥	Qiao Qiao	Lead
2004	The World	世界	Tao	Lead
2006	Still Life	三峡好人	Shen Hong	Lead
2007	Our Ten Years	Women 德石年	-	Lead
2008	24 City	二十四城记	Su Na	Ensemble
2008	Dada's Dance	Dada	-	Ensemble
2008	Cry Me a River	河上的愛情	Zhou Qi	Lead
2009	Remembrance	念石	-	Lead
2010	Ten Thousand Waves	-	Blue Goddess	Ensemble
2011	Shun Li and the Poet	-	Shun Li	Lead
2013	A Touch of Sin	天注定	Xiao Yu	Ensemble
2015	Mountains May Depart	山河故人

External links

• Conversation with Zhao Tao and Jia Zhangke at Asia Society
• Zhao Tao at IMDb
• "Zhao Tao: Step on the Bright Road to Cannes"