Gong Li Height, Weight, Age, Body Measurements, Biography & Wiki
Gong Li was still a student at Beijing’s Central Academy of Drama when director Zhang Yimou cast her in his 1987 debut film, Red Sorghum. The film went on to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival — the first Chinese film ever to receive the honor — and launched a partnership between actress and director that would define Chinese cinema’s arrival on the world stage.
Nearly four decades later, Gong Li remains one of the most influential actresses in Chinese film history, credited with helping bring international attention to Chinese cinema throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, while also building a substantial English-language career in Hollywood.
Quick Info
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Gong Li (巩俐) |
| Born | December 31, 1965 (Shenyang, Liaoning, China) |
| Profession | Actress |
| Notable Work | Raise the Red Lantern, Farewell My Concubine, Memoirs of a Geisha |
| Active Since | 1987 |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 7 in (170 cm), per some sources |
| Net Worth | Estimated at $90 million (based on older reporting; may not reflect current figures) |
| Marital Status | Married to Jean-Michel Jarre |
| Notable Trait | First Asian person to head the jury at both the Berlin Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival |
Gong Li Personal Details
- Complete Name: Gong Li (巩俐)
- Date of Birth: December 31, 1965
- Birthplace: Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
- Raised In: Jinan, Shandong Province, China
- Nationality: Singaporean (Chinese-born; became a Singaporean citizen following her marriage to Ooi Hoe Seong)
- Occupation: Actress
- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
- Education: Central Academy of Drama, Beijing (graduated 1989)
Gong Li Family Details
Gong Li was born in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China, and raised in Jinan, Shandong, in an academically oriented household. Her father, Gong Lize, worked as a professor of economics. Her mother’s name is reported inconsistently across sources — cited as either Liu Ying or Zhao Ying — and is also described as a teacher. Gong Li is reported to be the youngest of five children, though the names of her siblings vary inconsistently between sources, so this article does not list them individually.
Gong Li was in a long-term personal and professional relationship with director Zhang Yimou from 1987 to 1995, during which the two collaborated on several of her most acclaimed early films. She later married Singaporean businessman Ooi Hoe Seong in November 1996, in a ceremony at Hong Kong’s China Club; the couple divorced in June 2010. In May 2019, Gong Li married French electronic musician and composer Jean-Michel Jarre. The couple remains married.
- Father: Gong Lize (professor of economics)
- Mother: Reported as either Liu Ying or Zhao Ying (teacher)
- Siblings: Youngest of five children (sibling names inconsistently reported)
- Marital Status: Married to Jean-Michel Jarre (since May 2019); previously married to Ooi Hoe Seong (1996–2010)
- Children: None publicly reported
Gong Li Relationships History
- Zhang Yimou — Film director; the two were in a personal and professional relationship from 1987 to 1995, collaborating on numerous acclaimed films during that period.
- Ooi Hoe Seong — Singaporean tobacco businessman; married in November 1996, divorced in June 2010, as confirmed by Gong’s agent at the time.
- Jean-Michel Jarre — French musician and composer; the couple married in May 2019 and remain together.
Gong Li Height & Physical Profile
Gong Li’s height is reported as approximately 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) by some entertainment profile sources, though not all sources confirm a specific figure, and this measurement should be treated as an estimate rather than an officially verified fact. Her weight is not publicly disclosed.
- Height: Approximately 5 ft 7 in (170 cm), per limited sourcing
- Weight: Not officially confirmed
- Build: Not extensively documented in reliable sources
About Our Sourcing
Gong Li’s core career facts — her collaborations with directors Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, her major award wins, and her marital history — are consistently reported across multiple sources. However, several personal details are reported inconsistently: her mother’s name varies between “Liu Ying” and “Zhao Ying” across different sources, and the names of her four siblings vary so significantly between sources (with what appear to be inconsistent transliterations of Chinese names) that this article does not attempt to list them.
Her height is only reported by a limited number of sources and should be treated as an estimate. Her net worth figure ($90 million) comes from a source last meaningfully updated around 2022, so this article flags that the figure may not reflect more recent developments in her career or finances.
How Tall Is Gong Li Compared to Other Actresses
| Celebrity | Height | Difference vs Gong Li |
|---|---|---|
| Gong Li | ~5’7″ (170 cm), unconfirmed | — |
| Zhang Ziyi | 5’5″ | −2″ shorter |
| Michelle Yeoh | 5’4″ | −3″ shorter |
| Fan Bingbing | 5’6″ | −1″ shorter |
| Nina Li Chi | 5’5″ | −2″ shorter |
Gong Li Career Highlights
Early Career and Red Sorghum
While still a student at Beijing’s Central Academy of Drama, Gong Li was cast by director Zhang Yimou in his debut feature, Red Sorghum (1987). The film won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, becoming the first Chinese film to receive the award and launching Gong Li’s international career while she was still in school.
Collaboration with Zhang Yimou
Gong Li went on to star in a series of acclaimed Zhang Yimou films throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Ju Dou (1990) and Raise the Red Lantern (1991), both of which received Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film. Her performance in The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) earned her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.
Farewell My Concubine and International Recognition
In 1993, Gong Li starred in Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, further establishing her as one of the defining actresses of Chinese cinema’s international breakthrough in the 1990s.
Hollywood Crossover
Gong Li made her English-language film debut playing Hatsumomo in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), earning a National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to appear in additional English-language productions, including Miami Vice (2006) and Hannibal Rising (2007).
Recent Work
Gong Li has continued working across both Chinese and international productions, including a role in Disney’s live-action Mulan (2020) and Lou Ye’s period drama Saturday Fiction (2019). She has also been recognized industry-wide for her role as a jury president at major international film festivals.
Awards & Honours
- Volpi Cup, Best Actress, Venice Film Festival, for The Story of Qiu Ju (1993)
- First Asian person to serve as jury president at both the Berlin International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival
- National Board of Review Award, Best Supporting Actress, for Memoirs of a Geisha (2006)
- Multiple Golden Rooster Awards and Hundred Flowers Awards (China’s top film honors)
- Numerous honors recognizing her role in bringing international attention to Chinese cinema
Gong Li Filmography Highlights
| Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Red Sorghum | Jiu’er | 1987 |
| Ju Dou | Ju Dou | 1990 |
| Raise the Red Lantern | Songlian | 1991 |
| The Story of Qiu Ju | Qiu Ju | 1992 |
| Farewell My Concubine | Juxian | 1993 |
| Memoirs of a Geisha | Hatsumomo | 2005 |
| Miami Vice | Isabella | 2006 |
| Mulan | Xianniang | 2020 |
| Saturday Fiction | Jean Yu | 2019 |
Gong Li Net Worth
Estimated Net Worth: $90 million (based on reporting from around 2022; may not reflect current figures)
Primary Income Sources
- Film salaries across nearly four decades in Chinese and international cinema
- Brand ambassador roles, including as the first Chinese ambassador for L’Oréal Paris, as well as partnerships with Hisense and Piaget
- Festival appearances and jury compensation
- Endorsements tied to her status as one of Chinese cinema’s most recognizable figures
Earnings Context
The most commonly available estimate for Gong Li’s net worth is $90 million, though this figure comes from reporting last substantially updated around 2022 and should be treated with appropriate caution, as more recent verified figures were not found during research for this article. This figure is not independently confirmed by Gong Li or her representatives.
FAQs About Gong Li
How tall is Gong Li
Some sources report her height at approximately 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm), though this figure is not consistently confirmed across major sources.
What is Gong Li’s net worth
The most commonly cited figure is $90 million, though this is based on older reporting and may not reflect her current finances.
Is Gong Li married
Yes. She has been married to French musician Jean-Michel Jarre since May 2019. She was previously married to Singaporean businessman Ooi Hoe Seong from 1996 to 2010.
What is Gong Li best known for
She is best known for her collaborations with director Zhang Yimou, including Raise the Red Lantern and The Story of Qiu Ju, and for her English-language debut in Memoirs of a Geisha.
Where was Gong Li born
She was born in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China, and raised in Jinan, Shandong.
Did Gong Li win any major festival awards
Yes. She won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for The Story of Qiu Ju (1992).
Is Gong Li a Chinese citizen
No. She holds Singaporean citizenship, which she acquired following her first marriage to Ooi Hoe Seong.
Has Gong Li served on film festival juries
Yes. She became the first Asian person to serve as jury president at both the Berlin International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival.
Gong Li: Interesting Facts
- Gong Li was still a student at the Central Academy of Drama when she was cast in her first film, Red Sorghum (1987), which went on to win the Golden Bear in Berlin.
- She became the first Chinese ambassador for L’Oréal Paris.
- She holds Singaporean citizenship rather than Chinese citizenship.
- She is the first Asian person to have served as jury president at both the Berlin and Venice Film Festivals.
- Her collaborations with director Zhang Yimou across multiple films are widely credited with helping bring international attention to Chinese cinema in the late 1980s and 1990s.
