Gong Beibi | |
|---|---|
| 龚蓓苾 | |
 Gong in 2017 | |
| Born | Fujian, China |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Other names | Baby |
| Alma mater | Central Academy of Drama |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, Producer |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Agent | Creative Artists Agency |
Beibi Gong (Chinese: 龚蓓苾; pinyin: Gōng Bèibì) (born February 21, 1978 in Fujian, China) is a Chinese film and television actress. Beginning her acting career as a teenager after she was discovered for the lead role in the film You Are Not Sixteen, Gong later studied and graduated from the nationally prestigious Central Academy of Drama. She first gained recognition among audiences in China after starring in several popular TV series and feature films in both mainland China and Hong Kong.[1] Due to her success while still a student, Gong was dubbed in the media at the time as "little Gong Li",[2] who also graduated from the same acting college.
After graduating, Gong continued diversifying her roles with different projects, including starring in and executive producing Bus 44, which gained her critical acclaim in China, Europe, and North America where it premiered and won awards at the Venice Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival.[3]
In 2005, Gong Beibi starred in the feature film Waiting Alone which opened to critical raves at the Tokyo Film Festival. The indie film was released nationwide in September 2005 and became a hit with audiences across China,[4] and one of the best reviewed and most talked about Chinese films the year. Waiting Alone was nominated for several awards including "Best Picture" at the Chinese academy awards (Golden Rooster Awards). Gong Beibi's memorable performance in Waiting Alone, which Variety magazine called "impressive",[5] garnered her a "Most Favorite Actress" nomination at the12th Beijing Student Film Festival.
Gong's 2007 Chinese holiday ensemble comedy Call for Love was a success at the box office, she followed up with a special appearance in action director Benny Chan's Connected the Hong Kong action film remake of Cellular, and continued starring in TV series.
In 2010, Gong co-starred with Aaron Kwok in Oxide Pang's thriller The Detective 2. In 2011, Beibi Gong starred alongside Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and Daniel Wu in Dayyan Eng's dramedy/psychological suspense Inseparable. Inseparable was named one of The Wall Street Journal's Top 10 Most Notable Asian Films of 2011.[6]
Beibi was next seen in several back-to-back TV series in China, most notably The Legend of Qin in 2015, and as the Ice Queen in Ice Fantasy based on Guo Jingming's popular fantasy novel in 2016.
In 2017, Gong won the Jury Award for "Best Actress" at the Beijing Youth Film Festival for her starring role in the indie drama Lack of Love. She was also in the hit TV series Fighter of the Destiny and the Monkey King comedy A Chinese Odyssey: Love You a Million Years playing Princess Ironfan. Behind the camera, she was a co-producer on the summer fantasy comedy indie hit Wished.
In 2018, Gong Beibi starred in the TV series The Flame's Daughter which had over 700 million viewing hits in China and was later on Amazon Prime, as well as, co-starring in the surprise summer blockbuster hit, Dying to Survive, which become one of the biggest box office films in China.[7] Beibi played two different lead characters in Summer Blur, which won awards at Busan Film Festival and the 2021 Berlin Film Festival Generations section.[8]
In 2021, Gong starred in the indie sports drama On Your Mark which did well at the Chinese box office,[9] the film was directed by Malaysian director Chiu Keng Guan.
Beibi Gong was next seen in the TV series remake of The Return of the Condor Heroes playing one of the iconic roles, as well as two other popular TV series in China: Pride & Price and Master of My Own. In 2023, she was in the hit ensemble TV series Meet Yourself[10], playing Liu Yifei's tough yet loving sister.
Gong stars alongside Duan Yihong in the Jia Zhang-Ke produced crime drama Heaven and Hell, releasing in 2024.
Bachelor of Arts in Drama, from Central Drama Academy in Beijing, China. She can speak Mandarin, Minnanyu (Hokkien), and English.