Yin Tao (Chinese: 殷桃; pinyin: Yīn Táo, born 6 December 1979) is a Chinese actress. In 2017, she became the third Chinese actress to win the "Grand Slam", after winning "Best Actress" at the three biggest Chinese-language television awards including the Feitian Award, the Golden Eagle Award and the Magnolia Award.

Biography

Early life

Born and raised in Chongqing, she attended Chongqing Art School in 1996. Her father was a literary soldier. Yin entered People's Liberation Army Arts College in 1999, majoring in drama, where she graduated in 2003. After graduation, Yin worked in People's Liberation Army Naval Song and Dance Troupe.

Acting career

In 2002, Yin participated in her first stage play while still in college Wait for You in Paradise. Her performance was widely recognized, winning an array of trophies including the Golden Lion Award for Performance, the award for Excellent Performance at the 8th Cao Yu Drama Award, and the Best Leading Actress of the 5th Shanghai Magnolia Award.

Yin's subsequent performances in TV series The Sky of History, and Catching the Wrong Bus brought her into the limelight. She also won the Outstanding Actress Award at the 23rd Golden Eagle Awards for her performance as A-mei in Catching the Wrong Bus.

In 2007, Yin starred in the military romance drama Happiness As Flowers. She received a Flying Apsaras Award nomination for Best Actress.

In 2008, Yin starred in The Woman's Lifetime, and was nominated for the Best Actress Award at the 14th Shanghai Television Festival. She also as the torch bearer in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

In 2009, she starred in two hit television series In a Land Far Faraway and The Prominent Clan. Both shows earned high ratings and won accolades from critics and TV viewers. The same year, Yin co-starred with Anthony Wong in the historical television series The Legend of Yang Guifei. Playing Yang Guifei, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Yin’s natural beauty and consummate acting skill demonstrated in this show pushed her acting career to a new level.

In 2010, she starred in historical drama The Firmament of The Pleiades, which became the first television series from China to be screened on Japan's NHK at prime time. Yin impressed viewers with her refined performance that the Japanese viewers have dubbed her "Chinese Aurora".

In 2011, Yin starred in the historical television series Secret History of Empress Wu, playing the titular role Wu Zetian. The drama received positive reviews.

In 2013, Yin won the Outstanding Actress Award at the 29th Flying Apsaras Awards for her roles in Family on the Go and The Love in Yan'an. That same year, Yin featured in action film Police Story 2013, starring alongside Jackie Chan.

In 2017, Yin won Magnolia Award for Best Actress in a Television Series for her performance in Feather Flies to the Sky. The same year, she was cast alongside Huang Xiaoming in the television series The Years You Were Late.

In 2020, Yin served as one of jury members for the Chinese TV Series of the TV Series category of the Magnolia Awards.

Personal life

In 2004, Yin married Shen Juncheng (沈俊成), general manager of a communication company in Chongqing, and divorced the following year. In 2009, she met a wealthy businessman named Sun Donghai (孙东海) while filming The Legend of Yang Guifei, and the two broke up in 2010. Yin and Li Guangjie[zh] fell in love while filming the drama Romeo and Juliet, but later broke up. In 2015, she was introduced to football player Li Jinyu, and the two broke up in 2017. In March 2019, Yin's friend Huang Xiaolei[zh] introduced her to actor Zhao Da[zh], and they broke up in October 2020.

Filmography

Film

YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes
2004Red Banderole红飘带Shan Shan
2005Intel Younger网络少年Suo Lala
2012Today and Tomorrow今天明天Voice-dubbed
2013Police Story 2013警察故事2013Landlady
2015La Historia Du Un Amor临时演员Lu Yijing
2017Mr. No Problem不成问题的问题Mrs You
2018Goddesses in the Flames of War那些女人Hui
2021Sunny Sisters阳光姐妹淘Zhang Lijun
19211921Wen Suqin
2022Home Coming万里归途Bai Hua

Television series

YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes
1996The 30 Years Old Woman女人三十Ping Ping
1999空了吹Yu Dandan
2002寡妇堤Tong Cao
The Housewife围屋里的女人Dou Miao
2003Red Detachment of Women红色娘子军Wu Qionghua
The Sky of History历史的天空Dongfang Wenying
2004Catching the Wrong Bus搭错车A Mei
2005Part Ten局中局Lu Lanlan
Happiness As Flowers幸福像花儿一样Da Mei
Vertical Attack垂直打击Gu Xiaonan
The True Love of Time真情年代Fan Xiaojie
2006The Woman's Lifetime女人一辈子Tao Xiaotao
狼烟Zhao Chuchu
Last Night Stars新昨夜星辰A Xiang
Broken and Scattered爱了散了Dong Xiaohan
Peach Blossoming桃花灿烂Shui Xiang
2007Police Story警察故事Chang Jia
Big Pearl大珍珠Bai Yongyun
The Story of Medical Team卫生队的故事Yin
2008In a Land Far Faraway在那遥远的地方Yuan Ying
Highland高地Yang Tao
The Prominent Clan望族Wang Yuqiu
The East Is Red 1949东方红1949Gu Zhengfan/ Gu Zhenghan
2009The Legend of Yang Guifei杨贵妃秘史Yang Guifei
Eagles Battalion鹰隼大队Jiang Jingchao
2010The Firmament of The Pleiades苍穹之昴Wife Zhang
2011The Love in Yan'an延安爱情Su Zhen
Secret History of Empress Wu武则天秘史Wu Zetian
The Marriage of My Mother我和老妈一起嫁Zhang Shihe
2012The Fashion Editor时尚女编辑Cheng Xin
Women in the Battlefield战地花开Duan Siqi
Family On the Go温州一家人Zhou A'yu
No. 19 Huangliang Hutong皇粮胡同十九号Guanyue Liangzi
2013The Story of Soldier Students 2大学生士兵的故事2Assistant Yin
Without Thieves无贼Qiao An'na
2014If Happiness Comes假如幸福来临Ye Baihe
2015Exceedingly High Road大道通天Xia Yuanyuan
我为儿孙当北漂Tian Beilei
Legend of the Song大宋传奇之赵匡胤Wang Yuehong
The Blood Chit生死血符
The Cloud's Time of Flying白云飘飘的年代
2016People's Prosecutor人民检察官Xia Jingru
2017Feather Flies To The Sky鸡毛飞上天Luo Yuzhu
2018Frontier of Love爱情的边疆Wen Yiqiu
The Years You Were Late你迟到的许多年Mo Li
2021Fighting Youth正青春Lin Rui
Brilliant Girls爱的理想生活Wen Ruxue
2022As We Wish幸福二重奏Liao Sha
A Lifelong Journey人世间Zhen Juan
2023Viva Femina耀眼的你啊Kang Ziyou
2024As Husband, As Wife小夫妻Che Li
Born to be the One凡人歌Shen Lin

Theater

YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes
2003Wait for You in Paradise我在天堂等你Bai Xuemei
2009The Army Rose雷霆玫瑰Zhao Mei
2010The Yellow Storm四世同堂Guan Zhaodi
2011Flying起飞Qi Lingyan
2014Romeo & Juliet罗密欧与朱丽叶Juliet

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultsRef.
200312th Wenbiao AwardPerformance AwardI Will Wait for You in the HeavenWon
5th Chinese Drama Golden Lion AwardPerformance AwardWon
8th Cao Yu Drama AwardOutstanding Performance AwardWon
15th Shanghai Magnolia Drama Performance Art AwardBest ActressWon
200623rd China TV Golden Eagle AwardAudience's Choice for ActressI Take the Wrong BusWon
200726th Flying Apsaras AwardOutstanding ActressHappiness As FlowersNominated
200814th Shanghai Television FestivalBest ActressThe Woman's LifetimeNominated
200927th Flying Apsaras AwardOutstanding Contribution Award—N/aWon
201329th Flying Apsaras AwardOutstanding ActressThe Love in Yan'an, Family on the GoWon
201723rd Shanghai Television FestivalBest ActressFeather Flies To The SkyWon
20189th China Film Director's Guild AwardsBest ActressMr. No ProblemNominated
31st Flying Apsaras AwardOutstanding ActressFeather Flies To The SkyNominated
29th China TV Golden Eagle AwardBest ActressNominated
20196th The Actors of China Award CeremonyBest Actress (Sapphire Category)The Years You Were LateNominated
1978 Excellence AwardsBest Actress—N/aWon
15th Sichuan Television FestivalBest ActressFeather Flies To The SkyWon
202231st China TV Golden Eagle AwardBest ActressA Lifelong JourneyWon
202328th Shanghai Television FestivalBest ActressNominated
16th Asian Film AwardsBest Supporting ActressHome ComingNominated

External links