After Zhang Yimo and Gong Li's relationship ended during production of Shanghai Triad, his next film, The Road Home (1999) introduced a new actress, Zhang Ziyi as protagonist in his film, making her become an "international" star. Later on, Zhang Yimou begins to use the commercial as a way to audition. And Zhang Ziyi is featured for his upcoming film, such as hero and House of Flying Daggers.

Zhang Ziyi, Actress

· Born: 9 February 
· Birthplace: Beijing, China
· Best Known As: Listed in People Magazine's '50 Most Beautiful People' List in 2005.

Ms. Zhang joined the Beijing Dance Academy and entered China's prestigious Central Academy of Drama. She was offered her first role in world renowned director Zhang Yimou's The Road Home, which won the Silver Bear award in the 2000 Berlin Film Festival.
Ms. Zhang further rose to fame due to her role in the phenomenally successful Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for which she won the Independent Spirit's Best Supporting Actress Award and the Toronto Film Critics' Best Actres Award. She went on to star in "Hero" which was a huge success in the English speaking world and an Oscar and Golden Globe contender. The martial arts genre with House earned her a Best Actress nomination from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. For her next modern-day drama "2046", directed by Wong Kar-Wei, starring many of Asia's best-known actresses, Ms. Zhang won the Hong Kong Film Critics' Best Actress Award and the Hong Kong Film Academy's Best Actress Award.

Showing her whimsical musical tap-dancing side, Ms. Zhang starred in "Princess Raccoon" directed by 82-year-old Japanese legend Seijun Suzuki who was honored at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.

She plays the leading role of Sayuri in the adaptation of the international bestseller Memoirs, with Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li, and Ken Watanabe, produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Rob Marshall.