Yang Yang’s Profile
- Full Name: Yang Yang
- Native Name: 杨洋
- Nicknames: Bleating
- Birthday: Sep 09, 1991 (33 years old)
- Blood Type: AB
- Height/Weight: 180 cm (5’11”) / 68 kg (150 lbs)
- Gender: Male
- Zodiac Sign: Virgo
- Chinese Zodiac: Sheep
- Debut: 2007
- Birthplace: Shanghai, China
- Ethnicity: Han Chinese
-
Nationality:
Chinese
- Profession: Actor
- Current Agency: Yuekai Entertainment
- Active Years: 2007 – present
- Fandom: Yang Mao / 羊毛
Yang Yang is a Chinese actor, born on September 9, 1991, in Shanghai, China. He works across television, film, and advertising, and began his professional acting career in 2010.
Early Life
From an early age, Yang Yang studied classical Chinese dance at the People’s Liberation Army Academy of Art, known for its strict military-style discipline and rigorous selection process. Growing up in this highly regulated boarding school environment shaped his reserved personality and his strong control over his public image. He graduated in 2007 and briefly served in a military art troupe before transitioning to the civilian entertainment industry.
Career Highlights
Yang Yang made his public debut in 2010, playing Jia Baoyu in the television adaptation of Dream of the Red Chamber, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Li Shaohong. Casting a newcomer in such an iconic role was a bold choice, but it successfully introduced Yang Yang to audiences across China.
In 2015, his popularity began to rise. He played the role of Xu Yi in The Left Ear, a youth drama film directed by Su Youpeng (Alec Su). The movie became one of the few commercially successful youth-oriented films of the time, grossing nearly 500 million RMB. Despite being a supporting role, Yang Yang’s subtle emotional performance received attention.
His breakthrough came in 2016 with the drama Love O2O (adapted from the novel Just One Smile is Very Alluring). The series aired on Dragon TV and streamed on Tencent Video, propelling him to pan-Asian fame. By the end of the year, it had reportedly accumulated over 25 billion views on Tencent Video.
From 2018 to 2023, Yang Yang explored multiple genres—including military action (Glory of Special Forces, 2022) and wuxia fantasy (Who Rules the World, 2022). Although these shows didn’t replicate the massive success of Love O2O, they maintained solid performance on streaming platforms, helping him remain consistently visible in the Chinese television market.
In 2025, Yang Yang continued to captivate audiences with his leading role as Han Li in the xianxia drama The Immortal Ascension, alongside leading actress Jin Chen and featuring actress Zhao Qing. The series was adapted from the immensely popular web novel of the same name. On platforms like Douyin and TikTok, fans quickly recognized Yang Yang’s charismatic presence and emotional depth, with many commenting that he practically “carried the entire series.”
Challenges
In 2017, Yang Yang was criticized for withdrawing from Hunan TV’s military reality show Real Man: Season 2 after only one episode. While his agency cited health reasons, the sudden exit raised questions about his professionalism.
In July 2022, his performance in Who Rules the World drew mixed reactions. Independent critics and Douban users pointed out repetitive facial expressions and a lack of emotional variation. The show’s average rating on Douban at the time hovered below 6.0.
His intensely private lifestyle has also fueled speculation. Though never involved in major scandals, his avoidance of public appearances has sometimes made him seem distant or detached.
Strengths
Yang Yang’s background in classical dance gives him a strong foundation in physical performance—particularly useful in action scenes and stylized movements. His training in non-verbal expression makes him well-suited for roles that require restraint, poise, and subtle emotion.
His acting style emphasizes minimalism, often using controlled eye movement and measured delivery. In roles like Xiao Nai, Lin Dong, or Yu Tu, he maintains character integrity even in behind-the-scenes footage.
Since 2016, he has rarely appeared on variety shows and avoids cross-platform overexposure. His studio strictly manages his public image, keeping him free from gossip or non-professional distractions. Despite low media presence, he retains strong recognition among fans.
Yang Yang has basic English communication ability and has used it in selected fashion campaigns, though it is not central to his artistic work.
Achievements
Yang Yang began receiving awards early in his career. In 2011, his performance as Jia Baoyu earned him the Best Onscreen Couple award at the Golden Eagle TV Art Festival. Between 2015 and 2017, he was frequently recognized at domestic TV awards, particularly for roles in Love O2O and The Four.
As his career progressed, Yang Yang shifted from idol dramas to more large-scale productions. He has received Best Actor nominations at events like the Macau International TV Festival, the New Era TV Festival, and the Golden Crane Awards. While he has not yet secured major acting trophies, he has received recognition for his influence and commercial appeal, such as the Quality Actor Award at the 2023 Quality TV Awards.
Some of his most commercially impactful works include Who Rules the World, Glory of Special Forces, Once Upon a Time (film adaptation of Eternal Love), and Vanguard (2020), where his performance alongside Jackie Chan drew wide attention.
Fun Facts
- At 12, Yang Yang was nicknamed the “school hunk” (校草) at the PLA Academy of Art’s Dance Department.
- Yang Yang was the first artist in China to have his image printed on a China Post postage stamp.
- Yang Yang completed a limbo challenge at only 75 cm.
- Yang Yang was left alone on the street during filming of the reality show Divas Hit the Road.
- In Star Soldier, Yang Yang gave his gas mask to a teammate and nearly fainted.
- Yang Yang carried the Olympic torch for China at the Rio 2016 Games.
- Yang Yang often trends on Weibo with humorous hashtags like “almost fell while working” or “champagne spilled on him”.
- Yang Yang trained in both dance and acting at the PLA Academy of Art and the Central Academy of Drama.
- Yang Yang ranked in the Forbes China Celebrity 100 at No. 5 (2017), No. 27 (2019) and No. 44 (2020).
- Yang Yang won the “Web Drama Best Newcomer” award in 2010 for The Dream of Red Mansions.
- As a child, Yang Yang was afraid of loud firecrackers and only played with small ones during Lunar New Year.
- Yang Yang was once rumored to have a secret Weibo account, which he explained was a system glitch.
- Yang Yang is a fan of the online game Fantasy Westward Journey (梦幻西游).
Photo Gallery
