Biography
Who is Zhao Tao?
Early life and education
Zhao Tao was born on January 28, 1977, in Taiyuan, China. As a child, she studied classical Chinese dance. She later enrolled in the folk dance department at the Beijing Dance Academy in 1996.
After finishing her studies at the academy, she returned to her hometown to work as a dance teacher at Taiyuan Normal College. While teaching there, she was discovered by director Jia Zhangke during the casting process for his upcoming feature film.
Acting career highlights
Zhao made her film debut and started her career in 1999. She is best known for her frequent collaborations with director Jia Zhangke, appearing in well-known films such as Platform in 2000 and Still Life in 2006.
She starred in the Italian film Shun Li and the Poet in 2011, directed by Andrea Segre. For her bilingual role in this movie, she won the David di Donatello Award for Best Actress, becoming the first Asian actress to win a prize at the Italian ceremony.
Her career continued with major performances in Mountains May Depart in 2015 and Ash Is Purest White in 2018, both of which earned her Golden Horse Award nominations. The New York Times placed her eighth on its list of the greatest actors of the century in 2020.
Personal life and marriage
Zhao Tao married director Jia Zhangke on January 7, 2012. Her husband is a well-known filmmaker who cast her in her very first acting role.
Aside from her work in Chinese cinema, she has also taken on projects in Europe. Throughout her career, she has appeared in ten feature films and several short films.
Birthday and age
Zhao Tao was born on January 28, 1977, which makes Zhao 49 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Zhao shares the date with 58 other famous people.
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