Zhang Yu

Zhang Yu (originally named Zhang Xin) was born on September 25, 1982, in Duyun City, Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China. He is a male actor from mainland China. Zhang graduated from the School of Arts at Guizhou University and joined the Guizhou Provincial Drama Troupe in 2005. In 2008, he gained recognition for his role in the play "Beautiful Hillside," which toured the province. That same year, he left the drama troupe to seek more acting opportunities in Beijing.
Zhang officially entered the film and television industry in 2011, starring in the film "One Step Away" (also known as "How Long Does Happiness Last at 59 Centimeters"). In 2018, he played the role of "Huang Mao," a leukemia patient, in the film "Dying to Survive," which brought him widespread attention. In 2019, he won the Best Supporting Actor award at the 13th Asian Film Awards for this role and received nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the 55th Golden Horse Awards and the 32nd Golden Rooster Awards. He also won the Best Newcomer award at the 26th Beijing College Student Film Festival.
In the following years, Zhang appeared in several films, including "Are You Lonesome Tonight？" and "Manchuria Tiger" in 2021, as well as "Nice View" in 2022. That same year, he starred in Zhang Yimou's film "Sniper," playing the top sniper Liu Wenwu, which earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the 17th Changchun Film Festival.
On October 14, 2023, Zhang starred in the film "Records without Words," which premiered at the Pingyao International Film Festival, winning him the Best Actor award. On April 17, 2024, the cast for the lead role in the film "She's Got No Name" was officially announced.
Throughout his acting career, Zhang has been committed to promoting independent films, despite some of his works not being officially released in mainland China. His performance in "An Elephant Sitting Still," which he starred in at the 12th Xining First Youth Film Festival, received positive reviews. Zhang's filmography includes titles such as "The Cockfighters," "Ciao Ciao," "娛樂是個圈 (Entertainment Is a Circle)," and "@伴娘 (@Bridesmaid)." He is praised for his precise character portrayals and unique performance style, with the potential to create even more outstanding works in the future.