Sun Li (, born 26 September 1982), also known as Susan Sun, is a Chinese actress, best known for TV dramas such as Goddess of Mercy (2003), Happiness as Flowers (2005), Shanghai Bund (2007), Empresses in the Palace (2011), The Legend of Mi Yue (2015), and Nothing Gold Can Stay (2017). Her films include Painted Skin (2008), The Breakup Guru (2014), Devil and Angel (2015), and Shadow (2018). In 2018, she became the youngest actress to achieve China's television "Grand Slam", having won Best Actress at the country's three major TV awards: Flying Apsaras Awards, Golden Eagle Awards, and Magnolia Awards.
Career
2001–2010: Early work and breakthrough Sun first entered show business by participating in 2001's Star Search, held by Singapore's MediaCorp. She reached the finals and earned the praise of judge Andy Lau. Following the competition, Sun joined Hairun Media as their first flagship artist.
In 2003, author and TV producer Hai Yan selected her for the female lead in the television series Goddess of Mercy. Sun received overwhelmingly positive feedback from audiences for her portrayal of An Xin, and rose to fame in China as one of the most promising young actresses.
In 2006, Sun won the Best Newcomer award at the 28th Hundred Flowers Awards for her performance in Huo Yuanjia co-starring Jet Li. She then starred alongside Huang Xiaoming in Shanghai Bund (2007), a mainland remake of the 1980 television series The Bund.
Sun starred in Gordon Chan's horror-adventure film Painted Skin (2008), and was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance as a young and inexperienced demon hunter at numerous award ceremonies. The same year, she starred in Gao Xixi's military-romance drama Tian Mi Mi. The series was chosen by the Chinese Radio & Television Association as one of the Top Ten television series of the year.
Sun then starred in Iron Road (2009), the second joint venture created under Canada/China co-production treaty established in the 1960s. She plays a poor Chinese girl in search of her father who works at a railroad in North America, and challenged speaking in English for the film. For her performance, Sun was crowned Best Actress at the 2nd Roma FictionFest and the 25th Gemini Awards. The same year, Sun played the title character in the television series, Auntie Duohe, based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed writer Geling Yan.
2011–2016: Widespread recognition and success In 2011, Sun gained widespread recognition by playing Zhen Huan in the critically acclaimed historical drama, Empresses in the Palace. She was nominated for an International Emmy Award in the Best Actress category for her role. Praised for being one of the best historical dramas in China, the series garnered high ratings throughout its run and also sparked trends in dialogue quotes and plastic surgery. The same year, she reunited with Painted Skin director Gordan Chan in Mural (also known as Painted Skin 2). She also starred in martial arts film The Lost Bladesman alongside Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen.
For her role as an independent mother in Hot Mom! (2013), Sun won the Best Actress award at the 20th Shanghai Television Festival. She also won the Most Popular Actress award at the 10th China Golden Eagle TV Arts Festival.
In 2015, Sun played Queen Dowager Xuan, the first stateswoman in China, in historical drama The Legend of Mi Yue. The series was a commercial success, and recorded the highest ratings of the year. Sun won her second Best Actress trophy at the 22nd Shanghai Television Festival. The same year, Sun challenged her first comedy role in Devil and Angel, directed by her husband Deng Chao.
In 2017, Sun played the lead character in the period drama Nothing Gold Can Stay, based on a real-life story of Zhou Ying, a budding businesswoman who takes on the responsibilities from her dead husband and starts rebuilding their business empire from scratch. For her performance in the role, Sun was awarded the Outstanding Actress award at the Flying Apsaras Awards.
In 2018, Sun starred in Zhang Yimou's historical film, Shadow as the female lead. She was nominated in the Best Actress category at the Golden Horse Awards for her performance.
In 2019, Sun was cast in the drama I Will Find You a Better Home as a star property agent, and was nominated for the Best Actress award at the Shanghai Television Festival.
In 2020, Sun starred in the urban drama An Jia (House of Rebirth). In 2021, the workplace drama The Ideal City, in which he starred, was aired.
Personal life Sun and actor Deng Chao registered their marriage in 2010 and held an official wedding ceremony in 2011 when she was five months pregnant. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
She has a half sister, Sun Yan, who is also an actress, who is 19 years younger than Sun Li.
Social activities
Charity work In 2006, Sun took promotional photos for charity and released the single CD Love Like Air. In May, she became the ambassador for the Angel Sunshine Action. In September, at the invitation of the Lijiang Municipal Government, she served as the Lijiang City Ambassador.
In 2010, Sun participated in the anti-fur charity campaign, shooting a public service advertisement titled "Transform into an Angel, Reject Fur".
On 31 January 2018, China Charity magazine revealed the 2017 China Charity Celebrity List, and Sun ranked 24th.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2006Fearless Yue Ci (Moon) 2008Painted SkinXia Bing 2009Iron RoadLittle Tiger Kung Fu Cyborg Zhou Sumei 2010Just Another Pandora's Box Rose 2011The Lost Bladesman Qilan Mural Shao Yao 2014Just Another MarginJin Ling The Breakup GuruHerself Cameo 2015 Devil and Angel Zha Xiaodao 2018 Shadow Xiao'ai 2020My People My Homeland 我和我的家乡Stewardess 2023 Ping Pong: The Triumph Wang Ying
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2001 Romance in the Rain Dancer 2003 Goddess of Mercy 玉观音 An Xin Yi Shuang Xiu Hua Xie 一双绣花鞋 Lin Ying 2004 A Ray of Sunshine 一米阳光 Yi Aiyuan/Yi Chuanxia Hong Fen Shi Jia 红粉世家 Yao Zhi Crimson Romance 血色浪漫 Zhou Xiaobai 2005 Feng Yu Xi Guan 风雨西关 Xie Tianhui Days and a Bureau 天和局 Zhu Wanqiu Happiness as Flowers 幸福像花儿一样 Du Juan Emerald on the Roof Mo Jiaqi 2007 Shanghai Bund Feng Chengcheng Yi Shi Qing Yuan 一世情缘 Ji Wen 2008 Tian Mi Mi 甜蜜蜜 Ye Qing 2009 Auntie Duohe 小姨多鹤 Duo He 2011 The Legend of Zhen Huan Zhen Huan 2013 Hot Mom! 辣妈正传 Xia Bing 2015 The Legend of Mi Yue Mi Yue 2017 Nothing Gold Can Stay Zhou Ying 2020 I Will Find You a Better Home Fang Sijin Together 在一起 Fang Zhuren 2021 Medal of the Republic Wei Suping The Ideal City 理想之城 Su Xiao 2025 A Better Life Hu Manli
Discography Albums Year Title Notes 2006Love is Like the Air 爱如空气 2008A Little Dream 小小的梦想 2010Beautiful Signal 美俪暗号
Singles Year English titleChinese title Album Notes2003 "Happier Than Me" 比我幸福 Goddess of Mercy OST 2006 "Even If There is No Tomorrow" 就算没有明天 Shanghai Bund OST with Huang Xiaoming 2007 "The Moon Represents My Heart" Tian Mi Mi OST with Deng Chao 2009 "Memory" 记忆 Kungfu Cyborg OST with Alex Fong2010 "Slowly Be Happy" 慢慢快乐 with Mo Yan Lin 2011 "Mural" 画壁 Mural OST with Deng Chao 2013 "A Stable Happiness" 稳稳的幸福 Hot Mom OST with Zhang Yi"How Can You Bear to Hurt Me" 你怎么舍得伤害我 Charity song; with Gigi Leung & Valen Hsu2017 "Can't Forget" 忘不掉 Nothing Gold Can Stay OST
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2004 24th Flying Apsaras Awards Outstanding Actress Goddess of Mercy 22nd China TV Golden Eagle Award Audience's Choice for Actress Most Popular Actress 2005 14th Chunyan Awards Best Actress 2006 28th Hundred Flowers Awards Best Newcomer Fearless 2007 2nd Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild AwardsBest Newcomer 26th Hong Kong Film Awards Best New Performer 13th Shanghai Television Festival Best Actress Shanghai Bund 26th Flying Apsaras Awards Outstanding ActressHappiness as Flowers 2008 2nd Roma FictionFest Best Actress Iron Road 24th China TV Golden Eagle Award Audience's Choice for ActressYi Shi Qing Yuan 2009 27th Flying Apsaras Awards 60th Anniversary Outstanding Contribution Award 28th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Painted Skin 2nd Iron Elephant Film Awards Best Supporting Actress 27th Golden Rooster Awards Best Supporting Actress 2010 30th Hundred Flowers Awards Best Supporting Actress 25th Gemini Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Iron Road 2011 3rd Macau International Movie Festival Best Actress The Lost Bladesman 2012 18th Shanghai Television Festival Best ActressEmpresses in the Palace 3rd Macau International Television Festival Best Actress 4th China TV Drama Awards Best Actress 2013 41st International Emmy Awards Best Actress2014 2nd Asia Rainbow TV Awards Best Actress 20th Shanghai Television Festival Best ActressHot Mom! 13th Huading Awards Best Actress 27th China TV Golden Eagle Award Audience's Choice for Actress Most Popular Actress 2016 22nd Shanghai Television Festival Best ActressThe Legend of Mi Yue 3rd Asia Rainbow TV Awards Best Actress (Ancient Drama) 2018 31st Flying Apsaras Awards Outstanding Actress Nothing Gold Can Stay 24th Shanghai Television FestivalBest Actress29th China TV Golden Eagle AwardBest Actress55th Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards Best Leading ActressShadow 202026th Shanghai Television Festival Best ActressI Will Find You a Better Home 30th China TV Golden Eagle Award Best Actress Audience's Choice for Actress 7th The Actors of China Award CeremonyBest Actress (Sapphire) 2022 33rd Flying Apsaras Awards Outstanding Actress The Ideal City 2023 28th Shanghai Television Festival Best Actress 20264th CMG Annual Chinese TV Drama CeremonyActress of the Year A Better Life
Forbes China Celebrity 100 YearRank 201322nd201430th20156th201713th 201922nd202025th
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