Sun Weimin

Sun Weimin (; born 14 July 1955) is a Chinese actor best known for typecasting Zhou Enlai in film and television. He first garnered recognition for his acting in 2013, when his performance in The Story of Zhou Enlai and earned him a Best Actor nomination at the 29th Golden Rooster Awards. In 2018, he starred in the television series My Uncle Zhou Enlai, which propelled him to become one of the most famous actors in China, and he was nominated for Outstanding Actor Award at the 31st Flying Apsaras Awards.

Early life and education Sun was born in Pulandian District of Dalian, Liaoning, on July 14, 1955. He graduated from the Central Academy of Drama.

Acting career Sun's first film role was uncredited appearance in the film Two Fugitive Girls (1992). He then guest starred on The Great Military March Forward film series.

He made his television debut in Seven Battles Seven Victories, playing Zhou Enlai. It is his first time to portray Zhou Enlai.

Sun starred as Lu Xun, reuniting him with co-star Shi Lanya, who played Xu Guangping, in the biographical television series Lu Xun and Xu Guangping (2001).

In 2004, Sun has appeared in supporting roles in two films, The Tide and Soldiers Of Huangpu.

Sun joined the main cast of General Zuo Quan as Zuo Quan, a general in the Red Army during the Chinese Communist Revolution and the Second Sino-Japanese War.

In the 2000s, he has had guest-starring roles in many television series, including The Story of Tibet (2010), The Sun Comes Up in the East (2010), New Fourth Army (2003), The Story of Minister of Public Security Luo Ruiqing (2007), Spring Comes Early in Grassland (2007), Zhou Enlai in Chongqing (2008), and The East is Red 1949 (2009).

In 2012, he earned critical acclaim for his performance as Zhou Enlai in Five-star Red Flag Fluttering 2, for which he received an Outstanding Actor Award at the 29th Flying Apsaras Awards.

Sun became widely known to audiences with The Story of Zhou Enlai, a historical drama film which garnered him a Best Actor nomination at the 29th Golden Rooster Awards.

In 2015, Sun played the role of Zhou Enlai in Zhao Junjie and Zhai Xiaoxing's film Who Is Undercover, for which he received his second Best Actor nomination at the 30th Golden Rooster Awards.

For his role as Lin Deshui in Battle of Xiangjiang River (2017), Sun was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 31st Golden Rooster Awards.

Sun's big break came when Chen Li cast him in My Uncle Zhou Enlai, in which he played Zhou Enlai, a role which brought him much publicity and was nominated for Outstanding Actor Award at the 31st Flying Apsaras Awards. And he won the Best Actor in Television Award at the 12th Chinese American Film Festival.

Filmography Film Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 1992 Two Fugitive Girls 1997 The Great Military March Forward: Pursue and Wipe Out in the South Zhou Enlai The Turning Point 1998 The Great Military March Forward: Engulf the Southwest Century Dream 1999 Fight for Nanjing, Shanghai and Hangzhou 2004 The Tide Soldiers Of Huangpu Liao Zhongkai 2010 Who Manages Ups and Downs Zhuo Enlai 2011 The Road of Exploring He Shuheng Big Setup Zhou Enlai 2012 The Early Summer Love on Gallery Bridge Ah Wang 2013 The Story of Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai 2014 Who Is Undercover 2017 Battle of Xiangjiang River Lin Deshui 2019 The Bugle from Gutian Tailor Lin

Television Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 1995 Seven Battles Seven Victories Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai in Dalian 1998 Comrade Liu Shaoqi Events of the Plum Garden General Zhang Xueliang 2000 The Story of Tibet The Sun Comes Up in the East Liao Zhongkai 2001 Lu Xun and Xu Guangping Lu Xun 2002 Very Civil Yoshioka Yasunao 2003 New Fourth Army Zhou Enlai 2004 In the Same Boat 2005 Mayor Communist Party Secretary Rose Sandao General Zuo Quan Zuo Quan 2007 Later Lawyer The Story of Minister of Public Security Luo Ruiqing Zhou Enlai Spring Comes Early in Grassland 2008 Wind Blast Fan Zhui Helpfulness Party chief of the County Zhou Enlai in Chongqing Zhang Zhizhong 2009 Mr. Wu The East is Red 1949 Zhou Enlai Defend the Yan'an 2010 Zhao Dan Mao Anying Nanjing Decisive Battle 2011 Behind the Smoke of War Five-star Red Flag Fluttering The East 2012 Five-star Red Flag Fluttering 2 2014 Deng Xiaoping at History's Crossroads Legend of the Last Emperor 2016 My Uncle Zhou Enlai

Film and TV Awards Year Nominated work Award Category Result Notes 2011 China Film Society of Performing Art Award 2013 The Story of Zhou Enlai 29th Golden Rooster Awards Best Actor Five-star Red Flag Fluttering 2 29th Flying Apsaras Awards Outstanding Actor 2015 Who Is Undercover 30th Golden Rooster Awards Best Actor 11th Chinese American Film Festival 2016 My Uncle Zhou Enlai 12th Chinese American Film Festival Best Actor in Television 2017 Battle of Xiangjiang River 31st Golden Rooster Awards Best Supporting Actor 15th Ozerov International Military Film Festival Best Supporting Actor 2018 My Uncle Zhou Enlai 31st Flying Apsaras Awards Outstanding Actor 29th China TV Golden Eagle AwardBest Actor