Tong Dawei

Tong Dawei (born 3 February 1979) is a Chinese actor and singer. Tong is best known for starring in the TV series Jade Guan-yin and Struggle, and the film Lost in Beijing.

In 2004, Tong won the Favorite Actor award of Golden Eagle Awards by playing Yang Rui in Jade Guan-yin. In 2007, he was nominated for Best New Actor in the Busan Film Critics Awards for the film Lost in Beijing.

In 2008, Tong starred in the film Red Cliff: Part II directed by John Woo. In 2011, he starred in director Zhang Yimou's The Flowers of War, alongside Oscar-winner Christian Bale.

Early life and career

Tong Dawei was born in 1979 in Fushun, Liaoning Province. His parents were both part of the police force and as a young child, Tong also wished to join the police force. But at six years old, his father was injured and fell into a coma. After graduating from high school, Tong joined the Shanghai Theater Academy in 1997 and graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting. During his studies, Tong joined his first TV series Brother’s wife, playing the role Yun Dong. Before graduating from the Academy, Tong would be a part of many TV series including Green Wedding and Life of a Century. In 2001, with his graduation from Shanghai Theater Academy his first film, One Thousand Thieves was released.

In 2002, one year after graduation, Tong first gained mainstream popularity in the movie I Love You. He starred, Wang Yi, a character in an unhealthy marriage dealing with the struggles of love. Directed by internationally acclaimed director Zhang Yuan, the movie premiered in many international film festivals including Sundance. In China, the film was a huge success, grossing 10.2 million Yuan (1.2 million dollars) at the box office and becoming Yuan’s highest grossing film yet.

At the same time, Tong also starred in the TV show in Jade Guan Yin. Adapted from a novel, the show gained popularity for being an exciting adventure about crime, and was a huge hit with Mainland Chinese audiences. Unfortunately, Tong’s subsequent TV shows between 2003 and 2006 failed to find a target audience.

Tong’s popularity rose back to mainstream in 2007 with his most successful TV show yet; Struggle. Based on the popular novel by Shi Kang, Struggle gained unexpected acclaim due to its cast. Taking place in most 1980s modern China, the show was seen as a breakthrough in Chinese TV production as it broke from the usual Chinese TV series focusing in traditional legends and series. Tong’s character, Lu Tao, reflected the rise in a new social class in modern China. In the same year, Tong’s controversial film, Lost in Beijing, gained international fame for being banned in China for its honesty portrayals of class struggles and sexuality. Directed by awarding winning director Li Yu, the film starred a top Chinese cast including Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, and Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka-Fai. The film held its international premiere in Berlin film festival, where it gained strong reviews and acclaim. Like many films dealing with problems in modern Chinese society, the film was officially banned in China in 2008.

In 2008, Tong starred in John Woo’s epic Red Cliff II. At time of production, the film had the highest budget ever released for an Asian film at 80 million USD. Based on the historical battle occurring during the Han Dynasty, the movie filmed huge expansive battles unlike anything seen before in China. The movie was seen by many critics as Director John Woo’s return to form. Also in 2008, Tong joined the Chinese ensemble in the movie The Founding of a Republic, a movie marking the 60th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. The film was well received with Chinese audiences and critics, earning 62.5 million USD in box office. At the same time, Tong continued collaborating with prominent leaders of the Chinese entertainment industry, and played vital roles in different Chinese TV series.

In 2010, Tong collaborated with award winning director Zhang Yimou for the film The Flowers of War. Dealing with the sensitive issue of the Rape of Nanjing, Tong plays Major Lee, a man on a mission to save his lost friend. The movie was released in December 2011, and was China’s entry for the Best Foreign Film in the 84th Academy Awards.

Personal life

On 17 April 2008, Tong married Guan Yue (born 1979), a movie and TV series actress. The wedding was held in the Hotel Sofitel Wanda, Beijing. On 26 August 2008, Guan Yue gave birth to their daughter.

Musical career

Tong released a vocal album titled Da Shi Jie Xiao Zuo Wei (Being Little in A Big World) in 2007.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

List of awards and award nominations

References and external links

• Tong Dawei at the Internet Movie Database
• Baidu Baike (Chinese)
• Tong Dawei on chinesemov.com