Chen Xiao
Chinese actor and model (born 1987)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chen Xiao (Chinese: 陈晓, born 5 July 1987) is a Chinese actor. He is known for his roles in TV series Swordsman (2013), Legend of Lu Zhen (2013), The Romance of the Condor Heroes (2014), Nothing Gold Can Stay (2017), A Dream of Splendor (2022), and Legend of the Magnate (2025).[1]
Chen Xiao 陈晓 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chen being interviewed in 2015 | |||||||
| Born | 5 July 1987 | ||||||
| Alma mater | Central Academy of Drama (BFA) | ||||||
| Occupation | Actor | ||||||
| Years active | 2010–present | ||||||
| Agent | Chen Xiao studio | ||||||
| Spouse | |||||||
| Children | 1 | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 陳曉 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 陈晓 | ||||||
| |||||||
Chen ranked 93rd on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2014,[2] and 74th in 2015.[3]
Early life and education
Chen Xiao was born into a family of civil servants in Hefei, Anhui.[4] At the age of 10, he was cast in his first television series Our Class Song (1997). Chen graduated from the Central Academy of Drama in 2009. [5]
Career
2009–2012: Beginnings
In 2009, Chen signed with his first agency Huayi Brothers. He then featured in the film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, directed by Tsui Hark.[6] The same year, he appeared in the television series Spell of the Fragrance produced by Yu Zheng. Chen continued to appear in several television series under Yu Zheng, but only official signed a contract with him after starring in Beauties of the Emperor.[7] Chen started to gain attention as an actor in the 2012 hit palace drama Palace II where his portrayal of the 19th prince attracted positive audience reviews.[8]
2013–2016: Rising popularity
Chen rose to fame with his role of Lin Pingzhi in the 2013 wuxia television series Swordsman, which was adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.[9][10] He then played his first leading role in historical drama Legend of Lu Zhen, where he took on the role of a wise and devoted Emperor. The series was both a domestic and overseas hit, and led to increased recognition for Chen.[10][11][12][13][14]
In 2014, he starred in wuxia romance drama The Romance of the Condor Heroes, playing Yang Guo. Chen's portrayal of the character earned praised by fans of the original novel by Louis Cha, which further raised his popularity.[15] He also featured in wuxia film The Taking of Tiger Mountain directed by Tsui Hark; playing a young and hot-blooded policeman.[16] He was nominated at the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Supporting Actor.[17]
In 2015, Chen co-starred in historical romance drama Love Yunge from the Desert, adapted from the novel Song in the Clouds by Tong Hua. Despite the mixed reviews and criticism for the series, Chen received acclaim for his performance as a clumsy assassin.[18]
In 2016, Chen starred in the coming-of-age web series Who Sleeps My Bro, which gained a large following online and became a cult classic.[19][20] The same year, he starred in wuxia drama The Three Heroes and Five Gallants, based on the novel of the same name by Shi Yukun; playing Bai Yutang.[21] Chen was nominated for the Best Actor award in the ancient drama category at the Huading Awards.[22]
2017–present: Acclaim
In 2017, Chen starred alongside Sun Li in the historical drama Nothing Gold Can Stay, which earned high ratings of 3%.[23] Chen received acclaim for his performance and experienced a resurgence of popularity.[24] In 2019, Chen starred alongside Joe Chen in the historical television series Queen Dugu, playing the role of the Emperor Wen of Sui.[25] The same year, he starred in road-trip suspense drama Love Journey directed and written by Mao Weining.[26] Chen played an undercover cop who appears frivolous but is serious and passionate about his job, and received positive reviews for his performance.[27] He then starred in romance suspense film Lost in Love directed by Huo Jianqi,[28] as well as military drama The King of Land Battle.[29] In 2022, he starred in the hit show A Dream of Splendor, along with Liu Yifei. In 2025, he starred in the TV series Legend of the Magnate, adapted on the historical novel of the same name by Zhao Zhiyu.
Personal life
Chen Xiao married his The Romance of the Condor Heroes co-star Michelle Chen in 2016.[4][30] Their son was born in the same year.[31] On 18 February 2025, they announced that they had divorced.[32]
Filmography
Film
| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame | 狄仁傑之通天帝國 | Lu Li | Guest appearance |
| 2013 | The Palace | 宮鎖沉香 | Yinxiang | [33] |
| 2014 | The Taking of Tiger Mountain | 智取威虎山 | Gao Bo | Special appearance |
| 2015 | Bride Wars | 新娘大作战 | Kai Wen | [34] |
| 2016 | Who Sleeps My Bro | 睡在我上铺的兄弟 | Lin Xiangyu | [35] |
| 2017 | The Mysterious Family | 神秘家族 | Shu Shu | [36] |
| The Founding of an Army | 建军大业 | Ren Bishi | [37] | |
| 2019 | Lost in Love | 如影随心 | Lu Song | |
| 2021 | Handsome Man | 嗨！美男子 | ||
| A'mai Joins the Army | 阿麦从军 |
Television series
| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Network | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Our Class Song | 我们班的歌 | Sun Dong | ||
| 2010 | Happy Mother-in-Law, Pretty Daughter-in-Law | 欢喜婆婆俏媳妇 | Guo Xiaotian | Shenzhen TV | [38] |
| Spell of the Fragrance | 國色天香 | He Kun | Hunan TV | ||
| 2011 | Confucius | 孔子 | Song Chao | Shandong TV | |
| Hidden Intention | 被遺棄的秘密 | Zhang Daiwei | Hunan TV | Cameo | |
| 2012 | Palace II | 宮鎖珠簾 | Yunxi | ||
| Beauties of the Emperor | 王的女人 | Luo Feng | Zhejiang TV | ||
| The Bounty Hunter | 賞金獵人 | Bai Shaoqun | Hunan TV | [39] | |
| The Qin Empire II: Alliance | 大秦帝國之縱橫 | Mi Yan | CCTV | Cameo | |
| 2013 | Swordsman | 笑傲江湖 | Lin Pingzhi | Hunan TV | |
| Legend of Lu Zhen | 陸貞傳奇 | Gao Zhan | |||
| Longmen Express | 龍門鏢局 | Miao Xingren | Anhui TV | Cameo[40] | |
| East Mountain School | 東山學堂 | Xiao Yang | CCTV | ||
| Ex | 我的极品是前任 | Sohu TV | Cameo[41] | ||
| 2014 | Palace 3: The Lost Daughter | 宮鎖連城 | Saman | Hunan TV | Cameo[42] |
| The Romance of the Condor Heroes | 神鵰俠侶 | Yang Guo / Yang Kang | |||
| 2015 | Love Yunge from the Desert | 大漢情緣之雲中歌 | Liu Xun | ||
| Wonder Lady | 极品女士 | Shasha's friend | Sohu TV | Cameo[43] | |
| 2016 | Who Sleeps My Bro | 睡在我上铺的兄弟 | Lin Xiangyu | LeTV | |
| The Three Heroes and Five Gallants | 五鼠鬧東京 | Bai Yutang | Anhui TV | ||
| 2017 | Love & Life & Lie | 遇见爱情的利先生 | Li Yaonan | Zhejiang TV | [44] |
| The Qin Empire III | 大秦帝国之崛起 | Mi Yan | CCTV | ||
| Above the Clouds | 云巅之上 | Tang Fei | iQiyi | [45] | |
| Nothing Gold Can Stay | 那年花开月正圆 | Shen Xingyi | Dragon TV, Jiangsu TV | ||
| Wild Rose | 红蔷薇 | Xiao Junhao | Jiangsu TV | [46] | |
| 2019 | Queen Dugu | 独孤皇后 | Yang Jian | iQiyi, Youku, Tencent | |
| Love Journey | 一场遇见爱情的旅行 | Jin Xiaotian | Jiangsu TV, Zhejiang TV | ||
| The King of Land Battle | 陆战之王 | Zhang Nengliang | Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV | ||
| 2020 | Healer of Children | 了不起的儿科医生 | Deng Zi Ang | Beijing TV, Shenzhen TV | [47] |
| 2021 | Shuke and Peach Blossom | 舒克与桃花 | Shu Ke | Mango TV | |
| Faith Makes Great | 理想照耀中国 | He Jingping | Hunan TV | ||
| Refinement of Faith | 百炼成钢 | Qu Qiubai | Hunan TV | ||
| People's Property | 突围 | Qin Xiaochong | Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV | ||
| 2022 | Simmer Down | 好好说话 | Yang Guang | Hunan TV | [48] |
| A Dream Of Splendor | 梦华录 | Gu Qianfan | Tencent Video | ||
| Being a Hero | 冰雨火 | Wu Zhenfeng | Hunan TV | [49] | |
| 2023 | Thirteen Years of Dust | 尘封十三载 | Lu Xingzhi | iQiyi | |
| The Road of Life | 人生之路 | Gao Jialin | CCTV, iQiyi | ||
| The Ingenious One | 云襄传 | Yun Xiang | IQIYI | ||
| Incomparable Beauty | 无与伦比的美丽 | Xu Yao | Jiangsu TV, Dragon TV, Mango TV | ||
| 2024 | Simple Days | 小日子 | Zhu Jingcao | Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV, Tencent | |
| Mr. Dilicious, Miss Match | 火柴小姐的美味先生 | Mo Yu | ZTV | Filmed in 2016 | |
| 2025 | Legend of the Magnate | 大生意人 | Gu Pingyua | CCTV, iQiyi | |
| TBA | Things Being Hidden | 隐瞒之事 | TBA | Youku |
Short film
Music video
Theater
| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Red Rose and White Rose | 红玫瑰白玫瑰 | Tong Zhenbao | |
| The Puppet Master | 玩偶之家 | |||
| Lodging on Lotus Hill for a Snowy Night | 风雪夜归人 | Wei Liansheng | ||
| Lust, Caution | 色·戒 | Mr. Yi | ||
| 2008 | Prometheus Bound | 被缚的普罗米修斯 | Prometheus |
Discography
| Year | Album | English title | Chinese title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Legend of Lu Zhen OST | "Mood" | 心情 | with Zhao Liying |
| 2013 | N/a | "Sheng Wang" | 圣王 | Promotional song for Sheng Wang CF |
| 2014 | Romance of the Condor Heroes OST | "You and Me" | 你我 | with Michelle Chen[54] |
| "Sixteen Years" | 十六年 | with Liu Xin[55] | ||
| 2015 | N/a | "Love Like First Sight" | 爱如初见 | Promotional song for Romance of the Condor Heroes CF with Michelle Chen |
| Bride Wars OST | "Today You Will Marry Me" | 今天你要嫁给我 | with Angelababy, Ni Ni & Zhu Yawen[56] | |
| 2017 | Above the Clouds OST | "Comedy before Sadness" | 悲前喜剧 | [57] |
Bibliography
| Year | English title | Chinese title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 晨晓——眉眼之间 | [58] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Chinese Campus Art Glory Festival | Most Popular Idol Actor | N/a | Won | [59] |
| 2013 | 2nd Asian Idol Awards | Most Promising Actor | N/a | Won | [60] |
| BQ Celebrity Score Awards | Popular Idol Award | N/a | Won | [61] | |
| Youku Young Choice Awards | Most Popular Actor (Mainland China) | N/a | Won | [citation needed] | |
| 5th China TV Drama Awards | Most Marketable Young Actor | Legend of Lu Zhen | Won | [62] | |
| 2014 | Weibo Award Ceremony | Weibo Popularity Award | Won | [63] | |
| 2016 | Weibo God | N/a | Won | [64] | |
| 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Taking of Tiger Mountain | Nominated | [17] | |
| 2017 | 22nd Huading Awards | Best Actor (Ancient Drama) | The Three Heroes and Five Gallants | Nominated | [22] |
| Asian Influence Awards Ceremony | Best Actor | N/a | Won | [65] | |
| 14th Esquire Man At His Best Awards | Outstanding Mainland Artist | N/a | Won | [66] | |
| 2018 | 24th Huading Awards | Best Actor (Period Drama) | Wild Rose | Nominated | [67] |
| 3rd China Television Drama Quality Ceremony | Most Popular Actor (Web) | Nothing Gold Can Stay | Won | [citation needed] | |
| Audience's Favorite Quality Star | Won | ||||
| 2019 | 26th Beijing College Student Film Festival | Favorite Actor | Lost in Love | Won | [68] |
| 6th The Actors of China Award Ceremony | Best Actor (Emerald Category) | Love Journey | Nominated | [69] | |
| Golden Bud - The Fourth Network Film And Television Festival | Best Actor | Love Journey, The King of Land Battle | Nominated | [70] | |
| 2020 | 7th The Actors of China Award Ceremony | Best Actor (Emerald) | N/a | Nominated | [71] |