"Yimou girls" (Chinese: 谋女郎; pinyin: Móu nǚláng) is a nickname for actresses who made her acting debut and received media attention through starring in a movie directed by Zhang Yimou.

Actresses who received media attention through starring in the movie which directed by Zhang Yimou are often known as "Yimou girls".

In the early Zhang Yimou movies, the actresses Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi attracted attention when they made their acting debut in the Zhang's films. Afterwards, they gained media attention and became international movie stars. The fame of these first two stars led to the title of “Yimou girls” by both the media and the public. Continuing the legacy with Dong Jie and Li Man, the popularity of the nickname rose sharply, although they themselves did not reach the same level of the prior two actresses. In addition, Tang Yan, Wang Jia, Lin Miaoke and others were also named as “Yimou girls” by some media for promotional reasons because they participated in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games which were directed by Zhang Yimou.[1]

Another common feature of the girls is that they were unknown before they appeared in Zhang Yimou's film. Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi and Li Man are students of the Central Academy of Drama. Dong Jie and Zhang Huiwen are dance actresses, Qu Ying is a model, Zhou Dongyu is a high school student, Ni Ni is a college student majoring in broadcasting, Wei Minzhi is of an ordinary rural background.

Cheung Man-yuk was already famous for her frequent collaboration with director Wong Kar-wai before she starred in Zhang Yimou's films in 2002 Hero. Sun Li was known as a famous Television actress before she appeared in Shadow (2018), Guan Xiaotong was already a famous child actress. Qin Hailu was famous for her longest TV and movie career.

List

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Gong Li has starred in many films with Zhang.
 
Zhang Ziyi was offered her first major role by director Zhang Yimou in his film The Road Home (1999), and now she is considered to be one of the Big Four Dan Actresses.
 
Ni Ni made her acting debut in the Zhang Yimou's war film The Flowers of War (2011) and she is considered to be one of the New Four Dan Actresses of the "post-'85s" generation.
 
Zhou Dongyu has appeared in Under the Hawthorn Tree, and now she is one of New Four Dan Actresses of the "post-'90s" generation
Yimou girls
Name First appeared with Yimou in Other films with Yimou
Gong Li Red Sorghum (1987) Codename Cougar (1988), Fight and Love with a Terracotta Warrior (1989) (starring with him), Ju Dou (1990), Raise the Red Lantern(1991), The Story of Qiu Ju(1992), To Live(1994), Shanghai Triad (1995), Curse of the Golden Flower (2006), Coming Home (2014)
Zhang Ziyi The Road Home (1999) Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004)
Dong Jie[2][3] Happy Times (2000)
Wei Minzhi[4] Not One Less (1999)
Li Man[5] Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
Zhou Dongyu Under the Hawthorn Tree (2010)[6] Under the Light (2023)
Ni Ni[7] The Flowers of War (2011)
Zhang Huiwen Coming Home (2014)[8]
Liu Haocun[7] One Second (2020)[9] Cliff Walkers (2021)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "雅典8分钟"美腿宝贝唐嫣 两次被张艺谋选中. Sohu (in Chinese). 25 June 2007. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  2. ^ ""谋女郎"董洁听到结婚就黑脸(图)" ["Mou Girl" Dong Jie gets angry when she hears about getting married (photo)] (in Chinese). CCTV News. 24 April 2008. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  3. ^ ""谋女郎"董洁,也走到了今天" ["Mou Girl" Dong Jie has also come to this day] (in Chinese). Sohu. 27 August 2022. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  4. ^ ""谋女郎"魏敏芝,仅凭一句话当上主角,爆红后却被张艺谋劝退" ["Mou Girl" Wei Minzhi became the protagonist with just one sentence. After becoming famous, she was persuaded to quit by Zhang Yimou] (in Chinese). Sohu. 4 March 2024. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  5. ^ "张艺谋寄语两代"谋女郎",倪妮为刘浩存拭泪情谊真挚" [The most abnormal "Mou's girl" Li Man: I have no feelings about wearing big-breasted clothes] (in Chinese). China News. 9 April 2011. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  6. ^ Chan, Boon (10 February 2011). "Review: Under the hawthorn tree". Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. mypaper. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  7. ^ a b "张艺谋寄语两代"谋女郎",倪妮为刘浩存拭泪情谊真挚". Phoenix New Media. 13 June 2021. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  8. ^ Pamela McClintock (12 February 2014). "Berlin: Sony Classics Nears U.S. Deal for Zhang Yimou's 'Coming Home' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  9. ^ "刘浩存 (豆瓣)". Retrieved 17 March 2019.