Zhang Zhiyong

Biography

Zhang Zhiyong is a mainland Chinese actor born in 1978 in Hegang, Heilongjiang. He grew up in a mining community and was childhood friends with director Geng Jun. At age ten, he suffered an explosion accident while playing in a mine, resulting in minor injuries to his eyes and fingers. He later attended Qufu Normal School. He began his acting career at age 22 and has frequently appeared in his friend Geng Jun's films since 2002 while maintaining a full-time job. He played "Brother Brave" in the 2013 short film "Hammer and Sickle in Rest" which won Best Short Film at the Golden Horse Awards. He subsequently appeared in several films including "Auspicious Burial," "Easy + Happy," "Winter Comes, Winter Goes," and "Northeast Tiger." In 2024, he portrayed a gay man who is stable in family and career but seeks sexual freedom in Geng Jun's film "Beloved Friend," winning the Best Actor award at the 61st Golden Horse Awards, becoming the first mainland Chinese actor to win the award since China's boycott of the festival in 2019.