Shu Qi

Lin Li-hui , known professionally as Shu Qi (, born 16 April 1976), is a Taiwanese actress and filmmaker. One of Asia's most successful actors, she won four Hong Kong Film Awards, two Golden Horse Awards, an Asian Film Award, and served on the main competition jury at Berlinale, Cannes and Venice Film Festival. Shu first gained recognition in Viva Erotica. Since then, she has collaborated with director Hou Hsiao-hsien on three films: Millennium Mambo (2001), Three Times (2005), and The Assassin (2015). She also starred in the film series If You Are the One (2008-2025), A Beautiful Life (2011), Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013), and Gone with the Bullets (2014). She made her directorial debut with Girl (2025).

Shu ranked 18th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2013, 23rd in 2014, 32nd in 2015, 48th in 2017, and 90th in 2019.

Early life Born in Xindian township, Taipei County (now New Taipei City), Shu Qi went to Hong Kong at the age of 17 to seek a film career. She began in the softcore pornography modelling industry, appearing in the Chinese edition of Playboy. She eventually came under the management of Hong Kong film producer Manfred Wong, who signed her to several Hong Kong Category III films such as Sex and Zen II (1996).

Career 1996–1999: Early roles

Shu starred in Derek Yee's 1996 film Viva Erotica, about the erotic film industry in Hong Kong, opposite Karen Mok and Leslie Cheung. For her performance, she won both Best Supporting Actress and Best New Performer at the 16th Hong Kong Film Awards in 1997. She also starred in Portland Street Blues (1998) opposite Sandra Ng, and won Best Supporting Actress at the 35th Golden Horse Awards for her performance. She has since appeared in Hong Kong films such as City of Glass (1998), the box office hit Gorgeous (1999), Stanley Kwan's The Island Tales (1999) and Hou Hsiao-hsien's Millennium Mambo (2001), making her transition into mainstream acting.

2002–2009 In 2002, Shu starred in the French film The Transporter, the first installment of the Transporter franchise. This marked her first foray into the American market. Among Shu's earlier notable works were The Foliage (2004), a romance film set in Yunnan during the Cultural Revolution. She won Best Actress at the 13th Shanghai Film Critics Awards for her performance. Shu worked with Hou again in Three Times (2005), which premiered in competition at the 58th Cannes Film Festival and won Shu Best Leading Actress at the 42nd Golden Horse Awards. In 2006, Shu starred in the third installment of the gangster film My Wife Is a Gangster alongside Korean actor Lee Beom-soo.

She then starred alongside Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Takeshi Kaneshiro in the crime drama Confession of Pain (2006). In 2008, she had a small but memorable role in the American romantic comedy New York, I Love You. Shu served as a jury member at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival in 2008, and the 62nd Cannes Film Festival in 2009. The same year, she was honored at the Huabiao Awards as Best Actress for the Taiwan and Hong Kong region for her performance in the romantic comedy film If You Are the One, directed by Feng Xiaogang. The romantic comedy was the highest-grossing Chinese film of the year.

2010–2023 Shu starred in Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013), directed by Stephen Chow and loosely based on the Chinese literary classic Journey to the West. The film overtook Lost in Thailand to become the highest-grossing Chinese movie. Shu reunited with Hou in his first wuxia film, The Assassin (2015), starring as the title character. The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews at the 68th Cannes Film Festival, and Shu won Best Actress at the 10th Asian Film Awards for her performance. The film was selected as the Taiwanese entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards. The same year, she starred in the blockbuster film Mojin: The Lost Legend, adapted from popular adventure novel series Ghost Blows Out the Light.

In 2016, Shu, Feng Shaofeng and Victoria Song starred in the Chinese remake of My Best Friend's Wedding. She was also cast in fantasy comedy The Village of No Return, which premiered at the first day of Spring Festival in 2017. In 2017, Shu starred in Stephen Fung's The Adventurers alongside Jean Reno and Andy Lau. Shu appears in the 2019 science fiction film Shanghai Fortress, adapted from the 2006 novel Once Upon a Time in Shanghai. In 2023, Shu served as a jury member at the 80th Venice International Film Festival.

2024–present In June 2024, Shu was invited to join the Actors Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2025, Shu starred in Bi Gan's epic science fiction drama film Resurrection, which won the Prix Spécial at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. In the same year, Shu made her directorial debut with the film Girl, which had its world premiere in competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

Modeling and other ventures From 2006 to 2009, Shu was selected by Kenzo Takada to be global spokesperson of the third advertising campaign for its successful fragrance Flower by Kenzo. She also worked as a spokesperson for Shiatzy Chen.

Shu has been representing Frederique Constant in Asia as a brand ambassador since 2008. In 2009, she, along with Frederique Constant and Paint-a-Smile Foundation, repainted the murals on the walls of the cardiology department at the Beijing Children's Hospital.

Shu was also Emporio Armani's Asian ambassador for its Fall/Winter 2010 collection. and is also the brand spokesperson for Bulgari in China. Since 2023, she has been announced as global brand ambassador of Bulgari. In February 2023, Shu has been global spokesperson for American high-end fashion house Michael Kors. In March 2023, American luxury beauty brand Tom Ford Beauty announced Shu as their brand ambassador for Fragrance and Make-up for the China and Asia-Pacific regions. In October 2023, Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta announced Shu Qi as global brand ambassador, which she also appeared in an exclusive campaign of the brand. In September 2024, Tom Ford Beauty named Shu as its global ambassador. In January 2025, American luxury beauty brand Estée Lauder named Shu as its global spokesperson for skincare.

Personal life Shu married Hong Kong actor-director Stephen Fung in 2016. The two, who met on the set of the romance drama Bishonen in 1997, remained friends for 20 years, but only dated for four years prior to marriage.

Filmography

Film + Acting roles Year English title Original title Role Notes 1995 Unexpected Challenges 灵欲轨道 Sha Sha 1996 Sex & Zen II 玉蒲團二之玉女心經 Huan Ji Street Angels 紅燈區 Ming Ming Growing Up 人细鬼大之三个Handsup的少年 Qi Qi Till Death Do Us Laugh 怪談協會 Ye Viva Erotica 色情男女 Meng Qiao 1997 Love: Amoeba Style 愛情Amoeba Boy The Fruit is Swelling 蜜桃成熟時1997 Herself Cameo L-O-V-E... Love 超級無敵追女仔 Luo Fei Those Were the Days 精装难兄难弟 Zhao Fangfang My Dad Is a Jerk 對不起，多謝你 Angela Love Is Not a Game, But a Joke 飛一般愛情小說 Ah Shan 1998 The Lucky Guy 行運一條龍 Fang Fang Young and Dangerous 5 98古惑仔之龍爭虎鬥 Deng Meiling Portland Street Blues 古惑仔情義篇之洪興十三妹 Dao Baqi Young and Dangerous: The Prequel 新古惑仔之少年激鬥篇 Ah Fei The Storm Riders 風雲雄霸天下 Chu Chu Love Generation Hong Kong 新戀愛世紀 Joey Bishonen 美少年之戀 Clara Extreme Crisis B計劃 Anita Lee City of Glass 玻璃之城 Yue Wen Another Meltdown 碧血藍天 Chan Pun 1999 When I Look Upon the Stars 天旋地戀 Kiki Gorgeous 玻璃樽 Ah Bu Iron Sister 悍婦崗Sun Tiemei A Man Called Hero 中華英雄 Mu Xiuluo Dragon Heat 龍火 Herself Cameo Metade Fumaca 半支煙 Ah Nan My Loving Trouble 7 我愛777 Julia / 777 2000 Bruce Law Stunts 特技猛龍Herself Documentary My Name is Nobody 賭聖3無名小子 Ku'er The Island Tales 有時跳舞 Mei Ling Hidden Whisper 小百無禁忌 Xiao Bai Born to Be King 勝者為王 Deng Meiling Skyline Cruisers 神偷次世代 June Flyin' Dance 第一次的親密接觸 Qing Wu Fei Yang For Bad Boys Only BadBoy特攻 Guan Zheng 2001 Martial Angels 絕色神偷 Cat Millennium Mambo 千禧曼波 Vicky Visible Secret 幽靈人間 June Love Me, Love My Money 有情飲水飽 Ya Cai Beijing Rocks 北京樂與路 Yang Yin 2002 Home in My Heart 山顶上的钟声 Li Juan The Wesley's Mysterious File 衛斯理藍血人 Bai Su Women From Mars 當男人變成女人 Messenger of Hell So Close 夕陽天使 Chen Ailin Haunted Office Office有鬼 Ah Shan Just One Look 一碌蔗 Mysterious girl on balcony Cameo The Transporter Lai Kwai 2003 Magic & Me千變魔手HerselfDocumentary The Foliage 美人草 Ye Xingyu Looking for Mr. Perfect 奇逢敵手 Xiao Ling 2004 The Eye 2 見鬼2 Joey Cheung 2005 Seoul Raiders 韓城攻略 JJ Home Sweet Home 怪物 May Three Times 最好的時光 Xiu Mei 2006 Confession of Pain 傷城 Xi Feng My Wife Is a Gangster 3 조폭 마누라 3 Lim Yaling 2007 Forest of Death 森冤 Xia Songqi The Electric Princess House 电姬馆 pregnant woman Short film Blood Brothers 天堂口 Lulu 2008 If You Are the One 非誠勿擾 Liang Xiaoxiao 2009 Look for a Star 游龍戲鳳 Xue Milan New York, I Love You Chinese herbalist 2010 City Under Siege 全城戒備 Angel Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen 精武風雲－陳真 Kiki If You Are the One 2 非诚勿扰2 Liang Xiaoxiao 2011 A Beautiful Life 不再讓你孤單 Li Peiru 10+10 十加十 young woman Short film2012 Love 愛 Fang Rouyi The Second Woman 情謎 Huibao / Huixiang Tai Chi 0 太極從零開始 Mother Yang Cameo Tai Chi Hero 太極II：英雄崛起 Cameo CZ12 十二生肖 David's wife Cameo Beautiful University Short film 2013 Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 西遊·降魔篇 Miss Duan 2014 Gone with the Bullets 一步之遥 Wan Yanying 2015 The Assassin 刺客聶隱娘 Nie Yinniang All You Need Is Love 落跑吧愛情 Ye Fenfen Also screenwriter The Last Women Standing 剩者為王 Sheng Ruxi Mojin: The Lost Legend 鬼吹燈之尋龍訣 Shirley Yang 2016 My Best Friend's Wedding 我最好朋友的婚礼 Gu Jia 2017 The Village of No Return 健忘村 Chen Yuxun Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back 西遊伏妖篇 Miss Duan Cameo The Adventurers 俠盜聯盟Ye Hong 2018 The Island 一出好戏 Shanshan 2019 Shanghai Fortress 上海堡壘 Lin Lan 2023 Good Autumn, Mommy寻她 Chen Fengdi If You Are the One 3 非诚勿扰3 Liang Xiaoxiao 2025 Resurrection 狂野时代 The Big Other / Mother / Voiceoverrowspan=5 Flayer 倒戗刺 A Broken Deal 痞子爱人 Hengjie 宅男恋河神 Produced by Hou Hsiao-hsien Bull Brothers 牛兄牛弟 + Filmmaking credits Year Title Director Writer Producer 2025

Television series Year English title Original title Role Notes/ 1999 Up Where We Belong 難得有情人 Gui Ping 2001 The Duke of Mount Deer 小寶與康熙 Little Goldfish Guest Star2004 Feel 100% 百分百感覺 Nikki Cameo Romance of Red Dust 風塵三俠之紅拂女 Hong Fu Nü 2006 Stephen's Diary 老馮日記 Lao Ma's ex-girlfriend Cameo 2025 The Resurrected 回魂計 Wang Hui-chun Netflix original series

Discography

Awards and nominations