Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1979-10-05
- Born Place: Beijing，China
Also Known As:
高圆圆, Gao Yuanyuan, Gao Yuan-yuan, Yuanyuan Gao, 고원원, 高圓圓, カオ・ユアンユアン, カオ・ユエンユエン, گائو یوآنیوآن
Gao Yuanyuan
Gao Yuanyuan (Chinese: 高圆圆), born October 5, 1979, is a prominent Chinese actress well-known for her work in both mainland China and Hong Kong cinema. She began her career with a minor role in the 1997 comedy "Spicy Love Soup" and rose to fame after starring in the 2000 Qing Zui mint advertisement during the Sydney Olympics broadcast, earning her the nickname "fresh mouth girl." Gao's breakthrough film came with "Shanghai Dreams" (2005), which won the Prix de Jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She gained wider acclaim for her role in "City of Life and Death" (2007-2008), a film about the Nanjing Massacre, which won the top prize at the 2009 San Sebastian Film Festival. Gao has been lauded for her fresh look and natural acting style, even being praised by Jackie Chan who called her incomparable among Hong Kong actresses. She starred in popular films like "Rob-B-Hood" (2006), "Blind Detective" (2013), and more recently played the role of a therapist in "Sons of the Neon Night" (2025). Gao married Chao Mark in 2014, and they have a daughter born in 2019. She remains a consistently popular and respected figure in contemporary Chinese-language cinema and television, known for her elegance, warmth, and versatile acting skills. As of 2025, she continues to star in leading roles and shapes her career with a blend of commercial and art-house projects.
