Jade Xu
Personal information
CitizenshipAmerican[citation needed]
Born (1986-02-09) February 9, 1986 (age 37)
Shanghai, China
Home townLas Vegas, Nevada, United States
Occupation(s)Martial artist, athlete, actress, coach
SpouseDavid Torok
Sport
SportWushu Taolu
Event(s)Changquan, Daoshu, Gunshu
TeamItaly Wushu Team (2003-2009)
Coached byXu Guan Guan
Medal record
Representing  Italy
Women's Wushu Taolu
Olympic Games (unofficial)
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing Daoshu+Gunshu
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Hanoi Daoshu
Gold medal – first place 2007 Beijing Daoshu
Gold medal – first place 2009 Toronto Gunshu
Silver medal – second place 2003 Macau Daoshu
Silver medal – second place 2005 Hanoi Changquan
Silver medal – second place 2009 Toronto Daoshu
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Hanoi Gunshu

Xu Huihui (Chinese: 徐慧慧; pinyin: Xúhuìhuì; born February 9, 1986) is an actress and former competitive wushu taolu athlete who lives in the United States. She is a three-time world champion and is one of the most renowned athletes to represent a European country at the World Wushu Championships. In her acting career, she is best known for portraying Helen Takahama / Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (both 2021).[1][2][3]

Early life

On February 9, 1986, Xu was born in Shanghai, China. Xu's mother was Xu Guan Guan who also served as her coach.[4][5] Xu moved with her family to Italy at the age of nine.[6][5]

Career

Competitive Wushu

At the age of six, Xu started practicing wushu.[5] Competing for Italy, Xu's international debut was at the 2003 World Wushu Championships in Macau, where she won a silver medal in daoshu.[7] Two years later, she was a triple medalist in the 2005 World Wushu Championships in Hanoi, Vietnam, becoming the world champion in daoshu.[8] She was the world champion in the same event two years later at the 2007 World Wushu Championships in Beijing, China.[9] This qualified her for the women's daoshu and gunshu combined event in the 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament where she won the silver medal.[10] Her last major international competition was at the 2009 World Wushu Championships in Toronto, Canada, where she was the world champion in gunshu and also won a silver medal in daoshu.[11]

Acting

After retiring from competitive wushu, Xu transitioned to acting. She first starred as Sister Mahjong in Tai Chi 0 and Tai Chi Hero, and in the title role in the Chinese TV series The Legend of Wing Chun. In 2012, Xu was recruited to perform in Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson: One show,[6] in which she plays one of the four central characters.[5] In 2021, she played a Black Widow named Helen in Marvel Studios' Black Widow and reprised her role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, credited simply as "Widow".[12]

Personal life

Xu is married to David Torok, a fellow wushu competitor.[5] They both reside in the United States.

References

  1. ^ Hood, Cooper (October 29, 2020). "Shang-Chi Stunt Jackets Might Tease Marvel Villain Fin Fang Foom". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  2. ^ "News | jade-xu-official". Jadexu.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  3. ^ Chichizola, Corey (July 20, 2021). "Kevin Feige Live-Tweeted Black Widow, And Dropped Some Cool Behind-The-Scenes Stories". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "Il Kung Fu è donna. Jade Xu" [Kung Fu is a woman. Jade Xu]. kungfulife.net (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  5. ^ a b c d e Steve Bornfeld, "Jade in the USA: Martial arts champ Jade Xu brings her moves to Las Vegas in Michael Jackson ONE Archived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine", Vegas Seven Fall Arts Preview (August 21, 2013).
  6. ^ a b King Of Kung Fu: An interview with rising female star Xu Huihui (Jade) (November 19, 2012).
  7. ^ "7th World Wushu Championships, 2003, Macau, China, Results" (PDF). International Wushu Federation. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  8. ^ "8th World Wushu Championships, 2005, Results" (PDF). International Wushu Federation. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  9. ^ "9th World Wushu Championships, 2007, Beijing, China, Results" (PDF). International Wushu Federation. 2007-11-16. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  10. ^ "C14AP_Two Events Combined Results_Women's Daoshu & Gunshu". The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games. 2008-08-23. Archived from the original on 2008-09-22. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  11. ^ "10th World Wushu Championships, 2009, Toronto, Canada, Results" (PDF). International Wushu Federation. 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  12. ^ Bonomolo, Cameron (September 4, 2021). "Marvel's Shang-Chi Clip Reveals a Black Widow Cameo". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2021.

External links


World champions in women's daoshu
World champions in women's gunshu
Categories