Deng Chao (, born 8 February 1979) is a Chinese actor and director. Deng received recognition for the television series The Young Emperor (2003) and Happiness as Flowers (2005). He later shifted his focus to films, starring in the box office hits Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010), American Dreams in China (2013), The Dead End (2015), for which he won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actor, The Mermaid (2016), Duckweed (2017), and Shadow (2018). He also directed and starred in The Breakup Guru (2014), Devil and Angel (2015) and Looking Up (2019). He was a cast member of variety show Keep Running from 2014 to 2019. He has been a cast member of web show HAHAHAHAHA since 2020.
Early life Deng was born into a second marriage family in Nanchang, Jiangxi, on 8 February 1979. His father was a museum secretary, and his mother was a factory cadre. His father has a son and a daughter, and His mother has a daughter. After they got married, they had Deng Chao. Since 1995, Deng studied in the theater program at the Jiangxi Vocational Academy of Art for three years. In 1998, he entered the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing.
Career 2000–2006: Early work and breakthrough During his junior year at college, Deng was cast in the hit play Cuihua Shang Suancai, a student production presented by the Central Academy of Drama, through which he knew script-writer Yu Baimei, who would be his long-time professional partner. After graduation, he started filming dramas. He rose to fame with the 2003 historical drama The Young Emperor and further gained popularity with director Gao Xixi's military drama romance Happiness as Flowers, co-starring Sun Li.
2007–2012: Increasing recognition Due to his rising popularity, Deng scored a role in Feng Xiaogang's war film Assembly. For the film, Deng won the Best Supporting Actor at the Hundred Flowers Awards, successfully making his crossover to the big screen. The same year, he co-starred in Cao Baoping's romantic thriller The Equation of Love and Death and was awarded the Society award at the Golden Phoenix Awards for his performance.
In 2010, he starred in Tsui Hark's action-mystery film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, playing an albino detective named Bei Dong Lai. He earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Deng next starred in fantasy film Mural (2011), directed by Gordon Chan and adapted from the renowned ghost novel "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio". In 2012, he played Cold Blood in the wuxia film The Four, based on Woon Swee Oan's novel series Si Da Ming Bu (The Four Great Constables).
2013–2015: Directorial works and Keep Running In 2013, Deng starred as one of the three male leads in Peter Chan's film American Dreams in China, about three young men from poor backgrounds who achieved success by establishing an English teaching school. The film was a commercial success and earned positive reviews. Taipei Times called the movie a "a well-executed work of entertainment that preaches about China's growing power" and praised Deng for "delivering a focused performance as an idealist with a defeated ego".
Deng made his directorial debut with The Breakup Guru (2014), a romantic comedy co-created by him and Yu Baimei. Though it faced stiff competition from Hollywood blockbusters, the film grossed 180 million yuan in its opening week and ended up as one of the highest-grossing films in China that year. The same year, he joined Keep Running, a remake of the South Korean variety program Running Man. Keep Running enjoyed explosive popularity in China. That year, Deng was chosen as the Most Valuable Chinese Actor.
Deng then starred in crime film The Dead End directed by acclaimed director Cao Baoping, and was praised by critics for "breathing life into the role with riveting performances", as well as his chemistry with co-star Duan Yihong. He shared the Best Actor award with co-stars Duan and Guo Tao at the 18th Shanghai International Film Festival, and won another Best Actor trophy at the Golden Rooster Awards. Deng teamed up again with Yu Baimei for the comedy film Devil and Angel, following the success of The Breakup Guru. However, unlike its predecessor, the film was voted the Most Disappointing Film of 2015 and received criticism for its poor approach to comedy.
2016–present: Success on the big screen In 2016, Deng starred in Stephen Chow's film The Mermaid, where he plays a playboy businessman who falls in love with a mermaid that had been sent to assassinate him. The film broke numerous box office records, including biggest opening day and biggest single-day gross through its seventh day of release. Due to his success on the big screen, CBN Weekly named him the 3rd most commercially valuable celebrity in China; and the most lucrative actor on China's big screen that year.
In 2017, Deng starred in Han Han's sleeper hit Duckweed, playing a rebellious car racer who thinks that his parents misunderstood him. He next starred in the suspense crime film, The Liquidator, based on the bestselling crime novel series Evil Minds: City Light and directed by acclaimed TV director Xu Jizhou.
In 2018, Deng starred in Zhang Yimou's historical film, Shadow.
In 2019, Deng starred in the family drama film Looking Up, which he co-directed.
On 1 October 2020, the segment "The Way Home" from the drama film "My People, My Homeland", co-directed with Yu Baimei, was released. In the film, he played Qiao Shulin, a distributor of "Shadi Apples." On 24 October, he participated in the China Media Group's literary and artistic gala "Heroic Sons and Daughters – Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers Army's Participation in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea."
In 2021, he served as the initiator of Tencent Video's international youth cultural exchange and boy group development program "CHUANG 2021." On 21 September, he co-hosted the "Bay Area Rising Moon – 2021 Greater Bay Area Mid-Autumn Film and Music Gala" along with Lan Yu, Nicholas Tse, Pang Wei, and others. On 30 December, he served as the host of the Golden Rooster Awards Closing and Awards Ceremony.
On 31 January 2022, he participated in the 2022 China Media Group Spring Festival Gala, performing in the segment "Joyful and Auspicious Year" and singing the song "Sense of the Times." On 30 July, he hosted the closing and awards ceremony of the 36th Hundred Flowers Awards for Popular Films.
On 21 January 2023, he participated in the 2023 China Media Group Spring Festival Gala.
Personal life Deng dated Nie Ning since they were both students at the Jiangxi Vocational Academy of Art. Nie was later admitted to the Central Academy of Drama, a year junior to Deng. They broke up after four years of relationship.
From 2002 to 2005, Deng dated his The Young Emperor co-star Hao Lei.
Deng has been married to actress Sun Li since 2010. They have two children, a son named Deng Han Zhi and a daughter named Deng Han Yi.
On 21 June 2014, he first launched his Sina Weibo account. In December 2015, Madame Tussauds created a wax figure of Deng Chao, and the figure was displayed at the Madame Tussauds museums in Beijing and Wuhan in 2016.
Filmography Film Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 2003 When Love Loses Its Memory 当爱情失去记忆 Li Buxiao 2007 Assembly 集结号 Zhao Erdou 2008 The Equation of Love and Death 李米的猜想 Fang Wen Fit Lover 爱情呼叫转移2 Yuan Jia 2009 The Founding of a Republic 建国大业 Xu Beihong Cameo 2010 Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame 狄仁杰与通天帝国 Bei Donglai 2011 Perfect Baby 巴黎宝贝 Ma Xiaoshun The Founding of a Party 建党伟业 Chen Yi Mural 画壁 Zhu Xiaolian 2012 The Four 四大名捕 Leng Xie 2013American Dreams in China 中国合伙人 Meng Xiaojun The Four II 四大名捕2 Leng Xie 2014 The Breakup Guru 分手大师 Mei Yuangui Also director The Four III 四大名捕3 Leng Xie 2015Jian Bing Man 煎饼侠 Deng Chao Cameo The Dead End 烈日灼心 Xin Xiaofeng Hundred Regiments Offensive 百团大战 Zhang ZizhongCameo Devil and Angel 恶棍天使 Mo Feili Also director and producer 2016The Mermaid 美人鱼 Liu Xuan I Belonged to You 从你的全世界路过 Chen Mo 2017 Duckweed 乘风破浪 Xu Tailang Sky Hunter 空天猎 Soldier Cameo The Liquidator 心理罪：城市之光 Fang Mu 2018 Shadow 影 Zihu / Jingzhou 2019 Looking Up 银河补习班 Ma Haowen Also director Midnight Diner深夜食堂 Ah Xin Cameo 2020 My People, My Homeland 我和我的家乡 Qiao Sulin Segment: "The Way Home" The Sacrifice 金刚川 Gao Fulai 2023 Ping Pong: The Triumph 中国乒乓之绝地反击 Dai Minjia Also director 2024 To Gather Around 胜券在握 Bai Sheng
Television series Year English title Chinese title RoleNotes/ 2001 The Joy of Spring 换了青春 Liang Dawei 2003 The following is the fertile soil of sand 黄沙下面是沃土 Wang Heiyuan The Young Emperor 少年天子Shunzhi Emperor2004 Beijing Holiday 北京假日 Liu Xiaodong 谍战之特殊较量 Zhao Zhiqiang 2005 The Royal Swordsmen 天下第一 Zheng De Happiness as Flowers 幸福像花儿一样 Bai Yang Young Kangxi 少年康熙 Kangxi Emperor 明末风云 Chongzhen Emperor 风流才子翻转天 Kuang Nanhai 2006 爱了散了 Chen Feng Young Justice Bao III 少年包青天3 Bao Zheng New Stars in the Night 新昨夜星辰 Zhou Xinbang 2007 Silent Tears 女人不哭 Zhao Jian 2008 Romantic West St. 浪漫的西街 Hu Dawei 甜蜜蜜 Lei Lei Rich Man Poor Love 钻石王老五的艰难爱情 Meng Hao 2009 Human Love 人间情缘 Li Xiaojun Medic 军医 Lin Bingkun The Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber 倚天屠龙记 Zhang Wuji 2010 You're My Brother 你是我兄弟 Ma Xuejun 2011 Love of Yan'an 延安爱情 Peng Chengdou 2014 Ten Years of Love 相爱十年 Xiao Ran 2017 Master Healing 复合大师 Mei YanguiSpecial appearance
Variety show Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 2014–2018 Keep Running 奔跑吧 Cast member/Leader 2021 Produce Camp 2021 创造营2021 Mentor
Discography YearEnglish title Chinese title Album Notes 2002"Forever Farewell" 永相别 The Young Emperor OST 2005 "Only Need You" 只要有你 Young Justice Bao III OST with Jin Minjia2006 "Tian Mi Mi" 甜蜜蜜Tian Mi Mi OSTwith Sun Li "The Moon Represents My Heart" 月亮代表我的心2008 "Brothers" 兄弟 Assembly OST "I Will Grow Up Today" 今天就长大 Theme song of Jiayou, 2008! 2009 "Hua Xia Hero" 华夏英雄 The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber OST "Bloom" 绽放 Theme song of 18th Golden Rooster Awards2010 "A Bright Moon is Born on the Sea" 海上生明月 Promotional song for the Shanghai World Expo "Promise" 诺言 You're My Brother OST 2011 Xuan Yuan Legend 轩辕传奇 Theme song for Xuan Yuan Legend game Mural 画壁Mural OSTwith Sun Li2012 "Dreams Won't Die" 梦不死 The Four OST 2013 "The Proverb of Love" 爱的箴言 Ten Years of Love OST "The Story of Time" 光阴的故事 American Dreams in China OST with Huang Xiaoming & Tong Dawei 2014 "Hello World" The Breakup Guru OST "The Echoes of the Mountain Valley"山谷里的回声"Sweet Chocolate""Super Hero" 超级英雄Theme song of Keep Running"Brahmas Lullaby" 摇篮曲2015 "The Song of Little Tail" 小尾巴之歌 The Dead End OST "Your Majesty, I Am Wrong" 娘娘我错了Devil and Angel OST "Alphabet Song"字母歌"Love in the World" 有情世间2016"Undefeatable" 无敌 The Mermaid OST"Love Song of Broadcast Station" 电台情歌 I Belonged to You OST2017"Luan Mu's Wood Guitar" 乱炖的木吉他Buddies in India OST"Ride the Winds, Break the Waves" 乘风破浪歌Duckweed OST
Accolades Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 200829th Hundred Flowers AwardsBest Supporting ActorAssembly 200927th Golden Rooster AwardsBest Supporting Actor Golden Phoenix Awards Male Actor in a Motion Picture 201130th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest Supporting ActorDetective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame 201310th Guangzhou Student Film FestivalMost Popular Actor American Dreams in China 201518th Shanghai International Film FestivalBest ActorThe Dead End 52nd Golden Horse Film AwardsBest Actor 20167th China Film Director's Guild AwardsBest Actor 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards Best Actor 201731st Golden Rooster AwardsBest Actor 2018 9th China Film Director's Guild Awards Best Actor Duckweed 55th Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards Best Leading ActorShadow 201925th Huading Awards Best Actor 11th Macau International Movie FestivalBest ActorLooking Up
Forbes China Celebrity 100 YearRank 201485th201527th201712th201918th202097th
References
External links
Deng Chao on Sina Weibo