Artist Profile
- Full Name: Zhao Liying
- Native Name: 赵丽颖
- Nicknames: Zanilia Zhao, Zhao Xiaodao, Ying Bao
- Birthday: Oct 16, 1987 (38 years old)
- Height/Weight: 165 cm (5'5") / 45 kg (99 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Libra
- Chinese Zodiac: Rabbit
- Debut: 2006
- Birthplace: Langfang, Hebei, China
- Ethnicity: Han Chinese
- Nationality: Chinese
- Profession: Actress, Singer
- Language: Mandarin (Native)
- Active Years: 2006–present (20 years)
Zhao Liying (born October 16, 1987) is a Chinese actress from Langfang, Hebei Province. She began her career in the entertainment industry in 2006 and is currently managed by Hesong Media. Widely recognized for her roles in television and film, she is considered a prominent figure in contemporary Chinese cinema.
Early life
Zhao Liying was born and raised in Langfang, Hebei. During her youth, she attended the Langfang School of Electronic Information Engineering, majoring in technology. Coming from a middle-class family, she worked as an office assistant for a local company prior to her career in the arts. She did not receive formal acting training but entered the entertainment industry through talent searches and television opportunities.
Career
Zhao Liying began her artistic career in 2006 after winning the Yahoo Search Star Game, an online talent competition organized by director Feng Xiaogang. Subsequently, she signed with Huayi Brothers and officially entered the television industry in 2007.
From 2007 to 2012, Zhao Liying took on various supporting roles in television dramas. She appeared in Golden Marriage (2007), The Firmament of the Pleiades (2009), The Dream of Red Mansions (2010), and most notably, New My Fair Princess (2011) as Qing’er.
In 2013, Zhao Liying starred as Lu Zhen in the historical television series Legend of Lu Zhen, portraying a female official. In the same year, she appeared in the film The Palace, playing the antagonist Liu Li.
In 2014, Zhao Liying starred in the romantic drama Boss & Me, adapted from the novel of the same name.
In 2015, Zhao Liying played the lead role in the television series The Journey of Flower. The production achieved high viewership ratings and became the first Chinese television series to surpass 20 billion online views.
In 2016, Zhao Liying participated in several major projects, including The Mystic Nine, Noble Aspirations, and Rookie Agent Rouge. Among them, Noble Aspirations reached over 23 billion views, bringing the total online viewership of her works to over 110 billion.
In 2017, she expanded into cinema with the film Duckweed and won the Most Popular Actress award at the Beijing College Student Film Festival. That same year, she appeared in Eternal Wave and starred in Princess Agents, which quickly became one of the highest-rated productions at the time.
In 2018, Zhao Liying played the lead role in the fantasy film The Monkey King 3. At the end of the year, she portrayed Sheng Minglan in the television series The Story of Ming Lan. The work achieved high ratings and earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the Magnolia Awards.
In late 2020, she returned to the small screen with the lead role in Legend of Fei. The series was broadcast on Hubei Television and Tencent Video, extending into 2021.
In 2022, Zhao Liying starred in the television series The Story of Xing Fu and Wild Bloom. For her role in Wild Bloom, she was nominated for Best Actress at the Shanghai Television Festival’s Magnolia Awards. In the same year, she was elected Vice President of the Hebei Television and Film Artists Association.
In 2024, Zhao Liying both starred in and served as executive producer for the series The Legend of Shen Li. She also appeared in the film The Burning Star, which premiered in China in October and internationally in November. Earlier in February, she appeared in the comedy film Article 20. At the end of the year, she received the AFA Next Generation Award at the 17th Asian Film Awards.
Her career during this year faced a challenging period as several projects did not meet expectations, including the television series In the World (released May 28), the film We Girls, and a supporting role in She’s Got No Name. In May 2025, Zhao Liying’s career was impacted after she posted the phrase “算你妹” on Weibo in response to dating rumors, leading to media controversies.
Fun Facts
- She has the nickname “Zhao Little Knife” because of her small, sharp-featured face, often compared to a fruit-peeling knife.
- She is called a “mobile water pump” thanks to her ability to cry on cue within just a few seconds.
- In real life, she dresses so simply that she has even been mistaken for a crew member on set.
- She admits she’s not good at cooking and is often teased by fans as “a chef who could burn down the house.”
- On set, she likes to hide snacks in the sleeves of her historical costumes and has been caught by co-stars before.
- In a reality show, she tried practicing yoga and almost fell, creating a clip that went viral.
- Her round face earned her the fan-given nickname “a walking steamed bun.”
- When playing cold, aloof roles, she is often joked about as “a kitten trying to act like a lion.”
- She is famous for giving very short interview answers, sparking the meme trend “Zhao One Word.”
- She once fell asleep in the makeup chair with her wig askew; the photo became the meme “the nation’s tired face.”
- In variety shows, her reactions are sometimes a beat slow, humorously dubbed “real-life lag.”
- She was once seen using a microphone as a hand fan backstage; the image later became a popular fan sticker.
Photo Gallery
