Wang Baoqiang
You'll marvel why Wang Baoqiang's success story hasn't already been adapted for the big screen.
Wang Baoqiang was born in 1982 in Xingtai, Hebei Province, to a poor peasant family. When he was eight years old, he saw the smash hit Shaolin Temple (Shàoln S) (1982) starring Jet Li when it was shown in his village. This film motivated a young boy who had been bullied by other children to one day become a Chinese kungfu celebrity. Against his family's wishes, he began martial arts training at the legendary Shaolin Temple the same year. Wang Baoqiang had to get up at 5 a.m. in the winter and 4 a.m. in the summer to run half-marathons and climb 45-degree cliffs as part of his training from the age of 8 to 14. He imagined himself as a movie star after completing the program.
Wang Baoqiang had not appeared in a film in 6 years. He decided to travel to Beijing and use his great kungfu talents to try his luck in show business. He was 14 years old and had only 500 RMB in his wallet (about 70 US dollars). Every morning, Wang Baoqiang would line up at the Beijing Film Studio's front gate with other extras hoping to earn acting assignments. He was hired as an extra, although he was only paid 25 RMB per day (about 3 US Dollars). When his savings ran out, he was forced to work as a construction laborer.
At the age of 20, director Li Yang noticed Wang Baoqiang and cast him in the independent film Blind Shaft ( Máng Jng), giving him his first leading role (2003). The film is based on true murder and extortion events that occurred in a Chinese coal mine. Wang Baoqiang was a natural fit for the character of a young miner, winning Best New Performer at the Golden Horse Film Festival in Taiwan, as well as two Best Actor Awards in France and Thailand.
Despite the fact that the film was not a martial arts feature and Wang Baoqiang was not granted the role he desired, this fortunate break led to other opportunities in the Chinese film business for the ambitious actor. When he met legendary director Feng Xiaogang, everything changed: Wang Baoqiang would star in his 2004 new year picture A World Without Thieves (Tin Xià W Zéi), against renowned names in Chinese showbiz as Andy Lau, Rene Liu, Ge You, and Li Bingbing. For his role as Sha Gen, a naive rural youngster, he won significant critical accolades. Wang Baoqiang became famous overnight as a result of the film.
Following the tremendous success of Soldiers Sortie (Shbng TJ) (2006) and My Brother's Name is Shun Liu (W de Xiào Shùn Li) (2007), Wang Baoqiang reinforced his status by acting in two military dramas (2009). The TV series had a huge impact on many parts of Chinese people's lives, and its worth went much beyond that of a television show. Wang Baoqiang, the principal actor, became one of China's most well-known actors, appearing on the front pages of all major publications. His trademark grin appeared on countless magazine covers and other media platforms.
- Born: Wang Yongqiang 29 May 1984 (age 37)Nanhe County, Xingtai, Hebei, China
- Occupation: Actor, director
- Years active: 2000–present
