Gao Yuanyuan began her career as a commercial model in 1996 and rose to become an important actress with critical acclaim and popular success. She made her screen debut in Spicy Love Soup (dir. Zhang Yang, 1997) and has since starred in films by internationally renowned directors including Chen Kaige (Caught in the Web, 2012), Lu Chuan (City of Life and Death, 2009), Johnnie To (Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, 2011, Blind Detective, 2013) and Wang Xiaoshuai (Beijing Bicycle, 2001, Shanghai Dreams, 2005) amongst others. Her healthy and fresh image has left deep impression on her audiences and is beloved by many.