Zhang Jiayi (; born 8 April 1970) is a Chinese actor. He rose to fame with his role in Dwelling Narrowness (2009). In 2014, he became the fourth Chinese actor to achieve the television "Grand Slam", having won Best Actor at China’s three most prestigious television awards, the Feitian Award, the Golden Eagle Award and the Magnolia Award.
Early life and education Zhang was born and raised in Xi'an, Shaanxi. Zhang was a student with merit on wrestle when he was in high school. After graduated from high school, he planned to be a professional wrestler. However, on the advice of his uncle, who worked at the Xi’an Film Studio, he decided to take the entrance examination for the Beijing Film Academy and was subsequently admitted. After graduating from the academy in 1991, he was assigned to Xi'an Film Studio.
Career Zhang played his first role as Kang Bosi in film Rubilks-clock in 1990, which is his first film. One year later, he graduated from Beijing Film Academy and changed his name from Zhang Xiaotong to Zhang Jiayi.
In 1995, Zhang played Zhang Jianguo in television series Daobei People which is his first time to appear in small screen.
Zhang in 1999 participated in film Xian's Finest and won Society Award at 7th Golden Phoenix Awards.
Zhang came back to Beijing from Xi'an in 2000. And he played Wu Dengyun in television series Dr. Wu in Pamir which was adapted from a true story and won the First Prize of television series at 21st Flying Apsaras Awards.
In 2004, Zhang played main role Song Chao in television series National Mission cooperated with actress Wang Haiyan.
Zhang gained attention and popularity and rose to fame with his role as Song Siming in television series Dwelling Narrowness in 2009.
Zhang won the Best Actor(Contemporary Drama) at 4th Huading Awards in 2010 due to television series I Am the Proprietor.
In 2011, Zhang won the Best Actor at 17th Magnolia Awards for his performing in television drama Borrow Gun. In hit film Love Is Not Blind, Zhang played as a supporting role.
In 2012, Zhang participated in television drama The Brink as main actor and artistic director. In May, he played as Liu Chenxi in hit television drama Angel Heart which was adapted from writer Liu Liu's novel. In September, he played as a police in television series Story of Police in Yingpan. Zhang won the Best Actor at 8th Huading Awards, 3rd Golden Lotus Awards and 4th China TV Drama Awards for his performing in The Brink. And he won the Best Actor at 29th Flying Apsaras Awards, 27th China TV Golden Eagle Award due to Story of Police in Yingpan. At 8th Huading Awards, he also won 10 Most Popular TV Celebrities of the year award.
Zhang played as main role in Life's Ups and Downs in 2013 and won the Best Actor at 19th Magnolia Awards. In the same year, he participated in film The Founding of a Party and won the Society Award at 14th Golden Phoenix Awards.
In 2014, Zhang played as main role in A Servant of Two Masters and won the Best Actor at 6th China TV Drama Awards. In Forty-nine Days Memorial, a television series which was adapted from writer Geling Yan's novel, Zhang Jiayi's performing won the Best Actor Award at 20th Asian Television Awards. Same year, Zhang participated in Chinese director Zhang Yimou's film Coming Home.
In 2015, Zhang participated in television series White Deer Plain as leading role and artistic director. He also played a guest role in hit drama Game of Hunting. At 1st China Quality Television Drama Ceremony, Zhang won the Most Expressive Actor award.In 2016, Zhang played as main actor in contemporary drama My! Physical Education Teacher. Same year, he participated in Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's film I Am Not Madame Bovary, and was nominated for the Best Actor at 8th China Film Director's Guild Awards.
The drama White Deer Plain was allowed to broadcast in 2017. Due to this television drama, Zhang was nominated for Best Actor at 8th Golden Lotus Awards and 29th China TV Golden Eagle Awards. And he won the Best Actor at 4th Asia Rainbow TV Awards. In this year, he also played a main role in television drama Wonderful Life, and won Best Actor at 24th Huading Awards in 2018 for his performing in this drama.
Personal life
Marriage In 2004, during filming the television series National Mission, Zhang had a romance with actress Wang Haiyan. Three years later, in 2007, Zhang married Wang in his hometown Xi'an. This is his second marriage. On September 19, 2010, their first daughter was born, and was named Zhang Yixin.
Disease In the beginning of 2018, a video about Zhang Jiayi in television series Wonderful Life went viral because of his unique walking posture. In fact, his unique walking posture is one of the symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. The disease limits his actions so that sometimes he is unable to straighten his back. When he was 22, he felt the back pain, but did not pay much attention and still endured the pain to work, which made his illness more serious. According to his speech in CCTV program Voice, he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis when he was 25.
Filmography
Television series +YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes1990Nie Rongzhen聂荣臻Nie Rongzhen1994Ai You Ru He爱又如何Shen Wei1995Daobei People道北人Zhang Jianguo1997The Old House老房子Xu Hao1997Fighting for National Heirloom火线对峙Zhang Xueliang1997Good Man好人难当Liu Donghai1998Stories in Performing School表演系的故事Li Bing1999Graduate Students毕业生Yang Zijiang2000The Life Is Destined前世今生Su Yunfei2001Dr. Wu in Pamir帕米尔医生Wu Dengyun2002Cadre干部Bai Senlin2002Fleeting Time不觉流水年长Sun Baoming2002City of Hope希望之城Zhao Guoliang2002Sunshine Lit the Soul照亮灵魂的阳光Gao Yu2002Representative of Sunshine阳光代表Wu Shutian2002Emphasis Detect立案侦查Ren Jichang2003Heroic Legend萍踪侠影Zhang Fengfu2003Greatest Building in The World天下第一楼Rui Ying2003Behind the Truth真相的背后Zhang Xiaolong2003Suddenly Turn Hostile变脸Qi Mingxuan2004National Mission国家使命Song Chao2004A Mission使命Lin Yin200424 Hour Police Affair24小时警事Chen Yiming2004Detective Ou探长欧光慈Hu Xiaodao2005Remarriage of A Police Woman半路夫妻Jiang Jianping2005Unbreakable生死劫Yuan Muye2005Greatest Matchmaker in the World天下第一媒婆Zheng Wanjun2005Farmers' Representative农民代表Xu Mingyuan2005The Warmth温暖Yan Zhiguo2006Marry for Love为爱结婚Zhu Yanfeng2006Two-gun Li Xiangyang双枪李向阳Li Xiangyang2006Agents on The 5th Group五号特工组Liu Tao2006Worry in Woman女人心事You Wei2006Cause Troubles Tracing肇事追踪Tang Guodong2006The Jins妻室儿女Jin Shunqi2006Jal sarabose好好过日子Chen Siwei2007You Are Authorized to the Maintenance Slience你有权保持沉默Gu Zhongshi2007No Bullet没有子弹Zang Junling2007Ex-wife Comes Home前妻回家Li Xiang2007I Am the Sun我是太阳Pang Ruofei2007Behind Marriage婚姻背后Su Qin2007The Image of A Nation国家形象Zhao Gang2008Studio of Glorious Treasures百年荣宝斋Zhang Youlin2008Great Trade Route大商道He Tianbao2008Secret Train秘密列车Zheng Jucun2008Living大生活Gao Ming2008Military Doctor军医Zhang Shizhang2009Dwelling Narrowness蜗居Song Siming2009The Sacred Mission神圣使命Ma Qiming2009I Am the Proprietor我是业主Fang Dongxu2010Slience沉默Lin Yin2010Xian Hua Duo Duo鲜花朵朵Dong Liangchen2010Family瞧这一家子Liu Licheng2010The Informant告密者Du Shengkui2011Brothers你是我兄弟Ma Xuewu2011Borrow Gun借枪Xiong Kuohai2011Two-gun Li Xiangyang双枪李向阳之再战松岗Li Xiangyang2011Please Forgive Me请你原谅我Zhang Yi2011Xia Hai下海Chen Zhiping2012The Brink悬崖Zhou Yi2012Valley Of The Wolves雪狼谷Hao Guozhen2012Angel Heart心术Liu Chenxi2012Life's Ups and Downs浮沉Wang Guilin2012Story of Police in Yingpan营盘镇警事Fan Dangyu2014Marriage Secret结婚的秘密Guan Haotian2014A Servant of Two Masters一仆二主Yang Shu2014Deng Xiaoping at History's Crossroads历史转折中的邓小平Xi Zhongxun2014True Man爷们儿Li Guosheng2014Forty-nine Days Memorial四十九日·祭Fa Bi2014Hua Hong Hua Huo花红花火Sheng Jiamen2014The Merchants of Qing Dynasty大清盐商Wang Chaozong2015Dare to Love敢爱Ren WoxingCameo2015For Love To妻子不设防Liang TianCameo2015Truth And Trust后海不是海Shi Mo2015The Direction of Happiness幸福双黄线Su Shizhang2015Pretty Wife老婆大人是80后Dong Jinghui2015Tumultuous Times Scholars乱世书香Xu Jianbo2015Young Marshal 少帅Li DaxhaoCameo2016Transition From Liping生死黎平Tang Guoxun2016The Red Flag Thrown into West Wind红旗漫卷西风Cheng MuxianCameo 2017White Deer Plain白鹿原Bai Jiaxuan2017Under Cover卧底归来Fang Qinglong2017Emergency Department Doctors急诊科医生He Jianyi2017Game of Hunting猎场Qu MinjingCameo2017My! Physical Education Teacher我的！体育老师Ma Ke2017A Splendid Life in Beijing生逢灿烂的日子Guo Xiaohai2018Blossoms in Dream花开如梦Meng Yunong2018Collision大叔与少年Yang Jinggang2018Love is Leaving安娜的爱人Lin Fu2018Wonderful Life美好生活Xu Tian2019Novoland: Eagle Flag九州缥缈录Baili Jinghong2019Growing Pain少年派Lin Dawei 2020 Together 在一起 Zhang Hanqing 2020 The Stage 我待生活如初恋 Diao Shunzi 2021 Minning Town 闽宁镇 Ma Hanshui 2021Love is beautiful对你的爱很美Wang Dashan2022战上海
Film +yearEnglish titleChinese titlerolenotes1990Rubilks-clock魔表Kang Bosi1991Nie Qing孽情Shui Gen1991Zao Yu Ji Qing遭遇激情Tang Da Xian1992The Cruel Summer Time残酷夏日Guo Rong1992A Man or A Monkey人猴大裂变Zhen Ping1994Dirt头发乱了Zheng Weidong1994Back to Back, Face to Face背靠背脸对脸Shi JingliCameo1996Ba Ba Bie Pian Wo爸爸，你别骗我The college student1996Ambush埋伏Yang Gao1997Bearing Father to School背起爸爸上学Gao Laoshi1997My Wife, My Boss给太太打工Chen Shaoyu1997Superconductor超导Ge Jingli1997Xian's Finest睡不着Li Suozhang1999People in Macau澳门儿女Li Fanding2000Wei Xian Guan Xi危险关系Li Rui2001Li Qiushi李秋实Wang Zhicheng2001The Dream of A Young Soldier高原如梦Zhi Daoyuan2001Plain Shots平原枪声Zheng Jingzhi2001Sanyan and ErPai: Lian Jin Shu拍案惊奇之炼金术Pan Dasheng2005Eat Hot Tofu Slowly心急吃不了热豆腐Ye Lang2007Feng Zhiyuan冯志远Feng Zhiyuan2008In Love We Trust左右Xiao Lu2009One Night in Supermarket夜·店The robber2010Chongqing Blues日照重庆Liu Cheng2011The Founding of a Party建党伟业Li Daozhao2011Love Is Not Blind失恋33天Da Laowang2012All for Love三个未婚妈妈Liu Erbiao2013Going to Lhasa去拉萨Lu Bocheng2013Angry Kid愤怒的小孩Sun Jianye2013A Touch of Sin天注定Xiaoyu's lover2014Coming Home归来Wang Yisheng2014The Golden Era黄金时代Zhou Jingwen2014The Crossing太平轮Lei Fu2016I Am Not Madame Bovary我不是潘金莲Ma Wenbin2019My People, My Country我和我的祖国 2019At Last 玩命三日
Animation film +yearEnglish titleChinese titlerolenotes2014The Legend of Qin秦时明月之龙腾万里Wei Zhuang
Awards and nominations +YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef. Major awards19997th Golden Phoenix AwardsSociety AwardXian's Finest 201117th Shanghai Television FestivalBest ActorBorrow Gun 201218th Shanghai Television FestivalBest ActorThe Brink 8th Huading AwardsBest Actor 201319th Shanghai Television FestivalBest ActorLife's Ups and Downs 14th Golden Phoenix AwardsSociety AwardThe Founding of a Party 20178th China Film Director's Guild AwardsBest ActorI Am Not Madame Bovary 201824th Shanghai Television FestivalBest ActorWhite Deer Plain 24th Huading AwardsBest ActorWonderful Life 202127th Shanghai Television FestivalBest ActorThe Stage Best Supporting ActorMinning Town Film and television awards20104th Huading AwardsBest Actor(Contemporary Drama)I Am the Proprietor 20128th Huading Awards10 Most Popular TV Celebrities 20123rd Golden Lotus AwardsBest ActorThe Brink 20124th China TV Drama AwardsBest ActorThe Brink 201329th Flying Apsaras AwardsBest ActorStory of Police in Yingpan 201427th China TV Golden Eagle AwardBest ActorStory of Police in Yingpan 201410th China Golden Eagle TV Arts FestivalMost Popular ActorStory of Police in Yingpan 2014iQiyi All-Star Carnival Best Television Actor 20146th China TV Drama AwardsBest ActorA Servant Of Two Masters 20151st China Quality Television Drama CeremonyMost Expressive Actor 201520th Asian Television AwardsBest ActorForty-nine Days Memorial 20178th Golden Lotus AwardsBest ActorWhite Deer Plain 201829th China TV Golden Eagle AwardBest ActorWhite Deer Plain 20194th Asia Rainbow TV AwardsBest ActorWhite Deer Plain 20196th The Actors of China Award Ceremony Best Actor (Sapphire Category)Growing PainGolden Bud - The Fourth Network Film And Television Festival Best Actor 20207th The Actors of China Award CeremonyBest Actor (Sapphire) 202233rd Flying Apsaras AwardsOutstanding ActorThe Stage Others2010New Weekly 2009 China TV RankPerson of the Year 2011Beijing News Oriental Fashion 2011