Ge You

Number two among one of the best famous actors in China is Ge You. He is not only the first Asian actor to win the Best Actor prize at the Golden Rooster Awards, China's most prestigious film awards, but also the first Asian actor to win Best Actor at Cannes. Ge You was born in Beijing in 1957 to two actors who worked in the film industry. His acting career, on the other hand, did not begin smoothly. During China's Cultural Revolution, Ge You had to move to the suburbs of Beijing to farm pigs after graduating from middle school. He was finally accepted into the Art Troupe of China's National Federation of Trade Unions with the skit Feeding Pigs (Wèi Zh) at the interview after failing multiple times to get into an art school. He subsequently went on to become a theatre actor, spending the next few years on stage in little roles.

Ge You rose to prominence in 1991 after starring in the Chinese drama The Spring Festival (Gu Nián), for which he won the Hundred Flower Award for Best Supporting Actor. With the blockbuster TV series Stories From the Newsroom (Binj Bù de Gùsh) (1992), China's first western-style sitcom, he made his screen debut. Ge You got his first best actor award at an international festival in 1994 for his role in the film To Live (Huó zhe), which was based on Yu Hua's novel of the same name. He was the first Asian actor to receive the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival. This was followed by The Dream Factory (Ji Fng Y Fng) (1997), one of mainland China's first significant and successful "Hesui Pian" (Chinese New Year's end celebration films). Feng Xiaogang, the well-known Chinese "Hesui Pian" filmmaker and box-office king, couldn't get enough of Ge You! They worked together on a number of commercially successful films, including Be There or Be Square (B jiàn b sàn), Sorry Baby (méi Wán Méi Lio), Big Shot's Funeral (Dà Wàn), Cell Phone (Shuj), A World Without Thieves (Tin Xià W Zéi), If You Are the One (Fi Chéng Wù Ro), and others.

Despite his unattractive appearance, Ge You has captured the hearts of many audiences with his satirical performances and tempered comedic approach. Ge You is a giant on the Chinese cinema, having appeared in over 60 films and 10 television shows and winning countless honors.

• Born: April 19, 1957 (age 65)Beijing, China
• Years active: 1985–present