Zhang Songwen

Zhang Songwen (; born 10 May 1976) is a Chinese actor and acting coach. After gaining local recognition for his role in the Cantonese sitcom Cheng Long Guai Xu (Season 1), he struggled as an actor and mainly worked as an acting coach until his breakout success in the television series The Knockout (2023). His other notable credits include Lou Ye's films The Shadow Play (2018), Saturday Fiction (2019), and An Unfinished Film (2024), and television series The Bad Kids (2020), A Lonely Hero's Journey (2024) and Riverside Code at Qingming Festival (2024).

Early life Zhang Songwen was born in Shaoguan, Guangdong, on 10 May 1976. His father was a veteran, while his mother was a doctor. After graduating from Shaoguan Vocational High School, he held various jobs, including working at a printing factory, a food stall, and a beverage factory. At the age of 24, Zhang first heard about Beijing Film Academy through a fellow tour guide and on the same day, he quit his job and moved to Beijing. He enrolled in the vocational class of the Performance Department at the Beijing Film Academy, where he served as class monitor and student union president. A few years after graduation from the vocational class, he was admitted into the BFA's vocational-to-bachelor's program. After graduation, he worked as a teaching assistant at the academy for eight years.

Career Zhang has worked as an acting coach for films and TV series, including the first season of the Cantonese sitcom Cheng Long Guai Xu (2005), where he also played his first leading role, and the film Love on Credit (2011), where he coached the leading actress Lin Chi-ling.

In 2008, Zhang left his teaching position at Beijing Film Academy to establish his own acting studio.

In 2009, Zhang collaborated with director Lou Ye for the first time in Spring Fever (2009). Zhang later starred in the director's The Shadow Play (2018), Saturday Fiction (2019), and An Unfinished Film (2024), all of which received critical acclaim.

In 2017, Zhang appeared in End of Summer (2017), which won the KNN Award at the 22nd Busan International Film Festival.

In 2020, Zhang appeared in the web series The Bad Kids, based on the Zi Jinchen's novel, Bad Kid (坏小孩).

In 2023, Zhang achieved breakout success for his role as a fishmonger-turned-crime-boss in the TV series The Knockout (2023). He followed with Chen Kaige's Korean War film The Volunteers: To the War (2023) and Jonathan Li's crime film Dust to Dust (2023), and starred in four TV series within one year of 2024.

Controversy

Allegations of domestic violence On December 30, 2024, former actress Jiang Chen heavily suggested that Zhang committed domestic violence and infidelity during their relationship, which had begun when she took acting lessons from him thirteen years ago. On January 5, 2025, Jiang confirmed Zhang as the subject of her allegations by releasing a recorded phone call with Li Zifeng, the producer of the film The Sun Rises on Us All, in which Zhang stars. During the call, Jiang rejected the producer's offer of hush money. Li refuted the recording, accusing Jiang of maliciously editing it.

Allegations of tax evasion On January 2, 2025, a paparazzi outlet claimed that Zhang had been questioned by China's tax authorities over suspected tax evasion. On January 7, the China Radio and Television Association Actors Committee stated that online rumors concerning "a well-known actor" contained "large amounts of false information" and that "tax matters should be based on official announcements by the relevant authorities," which was interpreted as an official endorsement for Zhang.

Filmography

Film Year English title Chinese title Role Notes/ 2009 Spring Fever Han Ming 2011 The First President Ye Ju 2012 Love Lifting Chen Chao Guns and Roses Pu Xiaotong The Four Qian Jian The Last Tycoon Bao Yunlong 2013 Ip Man: The Final Fight Ip Chun Fake Fiction Wei Jian 2014 Red Amnesia Policeman 2015 An Inspector Calls Qi Shixing The Way Forward Dr. Li 2017 End of Summer Gu Jianhua 2019 The Shadow Play Tang Yijie Saturday Fiction Ni Zeren 2020 The Best Is Yet to Come Huang Jiang 2021 The Pioneer 革命者 Li Dazhao 2023 The Volunteers: To the War Wu Xiuquan Dust to Dust He Lan

Television series

Literary works Match Heaven (Reader: All Love) The Person who Lights the Lamp in the Heart (Tianya)