Ge You (born April 19, 1957) is a Chinese actor. One of the most critically acclaimed performers in China, Ge is known for his signature bald head, comic timing, and intelligent, subtle acting. Ge became the first Asian actor to win the Cannes Best Actor Award for his role in Zhang Yimou's To Live (1994). He is also known for TV sitcoms Stories From The Editorial Board (1992) and I Love My Family (1994); films After Separation (1993), Farewell, My Concubine (1993), The Emperor’s Shadow (1996), The Dream Factory (1997), Big Shot's Funeral (2001), Cell Phone (2003), A World Without Thieves (2004), The Banquet (2006), Sacrifice (2010), and the film series If You Are the One (2008–2023).

Career

Ge's father, Ge Cunzhuang, was an actor who appeared in Little Soldier Zhang Ga, Red Flag Composition, Daqing Artillery Team. Ge's mother Shi Wenxin was a script editor at the Beijing Film Studio. Ge's younger sister Ge Jia, who studied philosophy and German literature, is a writer living in America.

After graduating from middle school, Ge went to the suburbs of Beijing to farm pigs. At the age of 25, he joined the Art Troupe of the National Federation of Trade Unions and became a stage actor. In 1984, Ge played a small role in Sheng Xia and His Fiancée.

Ge in 2007

Ge was propelled to fame when he starred in the film The Troubleshooters (1988), adapted from Wang Shuo's popular novel of the same name, for which Ge was nominated for the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actor. In 1992, he starred in the TV sitcom Stories From The Editorial Board. He gained international acclaim for his role in the film To Live (1994), directed by Zhang Yimou and adapted from the novel by Yu Hua. For the film, he became the first Chinese to win the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival. He followed with a series of critically acclaimed films such as Steel Meets Fire (1991), The Spring Festival (1991), which won him the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Supporting Actor, and Farewell My Concubine (1993). Since 1997, he has established a successful collaboration with director Feng Xiaogang.

Personal life

Ge met He Cong, then an art teacher, in 1985. They married in 1988.

Filmography

Film

YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes
1985Sheng Xia He Ta De Wei Hun Fu盛夏和她的未婚夫Wei Xuejin
Mountain's Daughter山的女儿Zhu Guangjin
Army Nurse女儿楼Patient
1986Perfect Matches情投意合Ke Nian
1988The Troubleshooters顽主Yang Zhong
Elope私奔Gou Li
1989Ballad of the Yellow River黄河谣Hei Gutou
Codename Cougar代号美洲豹Zheng Xianping
1990The Ozone Layer Vanishes大气层消失Toushi
Peking Duck Restaurant老店Master Ji
Street Knight马路骑士Boss
Someone Falls in Love with Me有人偏偏爱上我Hairstylist
1991Girl of the Times新潮姑娘
Comic Star喜剧明星Teacher Ge
Steel Meets Fire烈火金刚Xi Shiguan
The Spring Festival过年Ding Yuan15th Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Supporting Actor 3rd Golden Phoenix Awards for Society Award
Woman-Taxi-Woman女人·TAXI·女人Zhang Wenxiu's husband
The Tragedy of Comedian悲喜人生Director
1992After the Final Battle决战之后Wenqiang
Their Marriages父子婚事Da You
Conned Once上一当Liu Shan
Divorce Wars离婚大战Da Ming
1993The Vanished Woman消失的女人Shan Liren
After Separation大撒把Gu Yan13th Golden Rooster Awards for Best Actor
Farewell My Concubine霸王别姬Yuan Shiqing
1994Born Coward天生胆小Director Guan
To Live活着Xu Fugui47th Cannes Film Festival for Best Actor
1996The Emperor's Shadow秦颂Gao Jianli
1997The Dream Factory甲方乙方Yao Yuan21st Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Actor 5th Beijing College Student Film Festival for Most Popular Actor
Keep Cool有话好好说Policeman
Eighteen Springs半生緣Zhu Hongcai
1998Be There or Be Square不见不散Liu Yuan
1999Sorry Baby没完没了Han Dong
Butterfly Smile蝴蝶的微笑Kang Ping
2001Big Shot's Funeral大腕Yoyo25th Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Actor 9th Beijing College Student Film Festival for Most Popular Actor 2nd Chinese Film Media Awards for Best Actor
2003Cala, My Dog!卡拉是条狗Lao Er10th Beijing College Student Film Festival for Most Popular Actor 4th Chinese Film Media Awards for Best Actor
Cell Phone手机Yan Shouyi27th Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Actor 4th Chinese Film Media Awards for Most Popular Actor
2004A World Without Thieves天下无贼Hu Li
2005Suffocation窒息Chen Xiao
2006The Banquet夜宴Emperor Li
2007Shi Pin十品Kou Zhun
Shanghai Red紅美麗Mr. Feng
Na Qie纳妾Old Lee
Crossed Lines命运呼叫转移Lao San
2008Desires of the Heart桃花运Wang Mang
If You Are the One非诚勿扰Qin Fen12th Golden Phoenix Awards for Jury Special Prize
2009Gasp气喘吁吁Li Qiang
The Founding of a Republic建国大业Red Army Fourth Division leaderCameo
2010Sacrifice赵氏孤儿Cheng Ying14th Huabiao Awards for Outstanding Actor 18th Beijing College Student Film Festival for Best Actor
Let the Bullets Fly让子弹飞Tang (Ma Bangde)3rd China Film Director's Guild Awards for Best Actor 11th Chinese Film Media Awards for Best Actor
If You Are the One 2非诚勿扰2Qin Fen
2013Personal Tailor私人订制Yang Zhong
2014Gone with the Bullets一步之遥Xiang Feitian
2016The Wasted Times罗曼蒂克消亡史Mr. Lu9th Macau International Movie Festival for Best Actor
2017Cook Up a Storm决战食神Hong Qi
2018Mad Ebriety断片之险途夺宝Uncle Ya
2019My People, My Country我和我的祖国Zhang BeijingSegment: "Hello Beijing"
Two Tigers两只老虎Zhang Chenggong
2020My People, My Homeland我和我的家乡Zhang BeijingSegment: "Beijing Good People"
2021Schemes in Antiques古董局中局Fu Gui
2023If You are the One 3非诚勿扰3Qin Fen
2024The Hedgehog刺猬Wang Zhantuan
The Hutong Cowboy爆款好人Zhang Beijing

Television series

YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes
1990Fortress Besieged围城Li Meiting
1992Stories From The Editorial Board编辑部的故事Li Dongbao10th China TV Golden Eagle Award for Best Actor
Beiyang Fleet北洋水师He Jing
1994I Love My Family我爱我家Ji Chunsheng
1995Story of Beijing Tanqiu北京深秋的故事
1996A Native of Shanghai in Tokyo上海人在东京Qiu Minghai
1997Kou Laoxi'er寇老西儿Kou Zhun
1999Divorce离婚Old Lee

External links