10 Most Successful C-Drama Actresses in the 1990s and 2000s Generation

These Chinese actresses born in the 1990s and 2000s have successful careers in the highly competitive Chinese entertainment industry. 

We define "success" as an outcome of having popular and successful acting projects, combining movies and TV/Web series. 

However, we credit actresses with successful film careers because it is where they are ranked high by Chinese industry experts. 

Zhou Dongyu

For example, the most successful young actress in China today according to industry experts is Zhou Dongyu due to her numerous blockbuster films, acting awards and citations from major award-giving bodies, and industry influence, even though she does not have TV/Web series that become popular overseas.

10 Most Successful C-Drama Actresses in the 1990s and 2000s Gen:

1. Zhou Dongyu

She is China's most successful and influential actress among the 1990s generation, having numerous blockbusters and critically acclaimed films. 

Zhou Dongyu

She is focusing her career on movies, thus, she rarely starred in TV/Web series. She is one of China's "Four Dan Actresses", (1990s gen batch), alongside Yang Zi, Guan Xiaotong, and Zheng Shuang. It's the title given to Chinese actresses with blockbuster movies. 

Zhou Dongyu was born on January 31, 1992, and obtained a Performing Arts degree from the Beijing Film Academy. She was discovered by legendary Chinese filmmaker, Zhang Yimou, who made her star in the film he directed, "Under The Hawthorne Tree", in 2010, opposite actor, Shawn Dou.

Zhou Dongyu rose to instant fame for her role in Under The Hawthorne Tree and won several awards, including Best Actress at the 56th Valladolid International Film Spain Festival, Outstanding New Actress at the 14th Huabiao Award, and Best New Performer at the 20th Shanghai Film Critics Awards.

In 2019, she starred in Better Days alongside C-pop sensation, Jackson Yee. The film was shortlisted for Best International Film at the Oscar Awards, and Zhou Dongyu won several Best Actress awards: Hong Kong Film Awards, Golden Rooster, Hundred Flowers, Far East Film Festival, and Osaka Asian Film Festival.

Best Movies in the main role:

• Under The Hawthorne Tree (2010) with Shawn Dou
• Soulmate (2016) with Toby Lee and Sandra Ma
• Us and Them (2018) with Jing Boran
• Better Days (2019) with Jackson Yee and Zhou Ye
• Embrace Again (2021) with Wang Yibo and Yu Shi
• Ode To Spring (2022) multiple main leads including Zhao Jinmai
• The Breaking Ice (2023) with Liu Haoran and Qu Chuxiao

Popular TV/Web series in the main role:

• Sparrow (2016) with Zhang Ruoyun and Li Yifeng
• Behind The Scenes (2019) with Luo Jin
• Ancient Love Poetry (2021) with Xu Kai

2. Zhang Zifeng

Like Zhou Dongyu, Zhang Zifeng is focusing her acting in movies rather than in Television/Web. In 2019, she was named one of the "Four Dan Actresses" in China, alongside Vicky Chen, Guan Xiaotong, and Sophie Zhang. 

She's widely considered one of China's best young actresses of this generation. Even at her very young age, Known by her English name Wendy, Zhang Zifeng is already a multi-awarded actress, which no Chinese actress in the post-1995 generation ever achieved.

She was born on August 27, 2001, and currently studying Performing Arts at the Beijing Film Academy. She debuted in acting as a child actress in the movie, Aftershock. 

 In 2012 she won Best Newcomer at the 31st Hundred Flowers Awards, which made her the youngest ever Hundred Flowers Award winner. 

In 2017, she won Best Supporting Actress at the 22nd Huading Awards, also becoming its youngest ever recipient. In 2018, she received her first nomination as Best Supporting Actress at the 55th Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards.

In 2023, she won Best Actress at the Huabiao Awards for her movie, Sister, making her the youngest actress ever to win at the Huabiao Awards, which is one of China's three major award-giving bodies for film excellence alongside Hundred Flowers and Golden Rooster.

Best films in the main role:

• Go Brother (2018) with Peng Yuchang and Zhao Jinmai
• Adoring (2019) with Wu Lei
• Begin Again (2019) with Bai Baihe and Wei Daxun
• Sister (2021) with child actor Darren Kim
• Upcoming Summer (2021) with Wu Lei
• The Great War (2023) with Arthur Chen

Best series in the main role:

• Dad Home (2014)
• Boy Hood (2017) with the TF Boys
• Inference Notes (2017) with Neo Hou
• The Heart of Genius (2022) with Zhang Xincheng
• Homesick (2022)

3. Yang Zi

Also known as Andy, Yang Zi debuted as a child actress in 2001. She rose to popularity in 2005 when she starred in a children's series, Home With Kids, appearing in two seasons.

Yang Zi

Yang Zi was born on November 6, 1992, and earned a Performing Arts degree from the Beijing Film Academy. In 2016, she was named one of China's "Four Dan Actresses", alongside Zheng Shuang, Zhou Dongyu, and Guan Xiaotong.

Yang Zi at the Weibo Night Awards 2023

Best films in the main role:

• Insistence (2012)
• Crying Out in Love (2016) with Ou Hao and Zhang Huiwen
• King Tea Storm (2018)
• Bodies at Rest (2019)

Popular series in the main role:

• Home with Kids (2005)
• Battle of Changsha (2014)
• Ode To Joy (2016) multiple cast
• Noble Aspirations (2016) with Li Yifeng, Zhao Liying, and Cheng Yi
• The Destiny of White Snake (2018) with Ren Jialun
• Ashes of Love (2018) with Deng Lun
• Go Go Squid (2019) with Li Xian
• The Oath of Love (2022) with Xiao Zhan
• Immortal Samsara (2022) with Cheng Yi
• Lost You Forever (2023)

 4. Dilraba Dilmurat

She was born on June 3, 1992, in Urumqi, Xinjiang Autonomous Region in China. Dilraba Dilmurat is known by her Chinese name, Dilireba. She is of Uyghur ethnicity. 

She debuted in acting with a main role in Anarhan in 2013. After earning a degree in Drama at the Shanghai Theater Academy in 2014, she signed in with Jaywalk Studio, where she remained their contract star until now. 

Dilraba Dilmurat

She rose to popularity in 2015 when she starred in Diamond Lover, alongside Tiffany Tang, Luo Jin, and K-drama actor, Rain. She won Best New Actress for her role as Gao Wen at the 7th China TV Awards.

Dilraba's breakthrough performance was in Pretty Li Huizhen (2017), a Chinese remake of the Korean rom-com, She Was Pretty. Dilraba won Best Actress at the Golden Eagle Awards and was also the Golden Eagle Goddess of that year.

Dilraba Dilmurat

Films in the main role:

• Mr. Pride vs Miss Prejudice (2017) with Gao Weiguang and Zhang Yunlong
• Namiya (2017) with Jacky Chan and Wang Junkai

Popular series in the main role:

• Pretty Li Huizhen (2017) with Peter Sheng
• The King's Woman (2017) with Vin Zhang
• The Flame's Daughter (2018) with Vic Chou
• Sweet Dreams (2018) with Deng Lun
• Eternal Love of Dream (2020) with Gao Weiguang
• The Long Ballad (2021) with Wu Lei
• You Are My Glory (2021) with Yang Yang
• The Blue Whisper (2022) with Ren Jialun
• Prosecution Elite (2023) with Tong Dawei
• The Legend of Anle (2023) with Gong Jun

5. Guan Xiaotong - She was born on September 17, 1997, She studied Performing Arts at the Beijing Film Academy. She debuted in acting as a child actress in the movie, Nuan (2003). In the following year, she also debuted in a television series, True Love Forever. 

Guan Xiaotong

She played her first main role in the family drama, Catching the Wrong Bus (2016). Known by her English name, Gabrielle, Guan Xiaotong is considered one of the 95 generation's Four Dan Actresses, with Zhang Zifeng, Vicky Chen, and Sophie Zhang, for having numerous box office hits (movies).

Best films in the main role:

• A Paper Marriage (2018)
• The Silk Road Little Xia (2019)
• Oversize Love (2020) with Johnny Huang
• The Curse of Turandot (2021)

Popular series in the main role:

• Catching The Wrong Bus (2016)
• To Be a Better Man (2016)
• Novoland: The Castle in the Sky (2016)
• Sweet Combat (2018)
• Twenty Your Life On (2020)
• A Girl Like Me (2021)
• Once and Forever (2023)
• Mr. and Mrs. Chen (2023)

6. Li Qin 

Known by her English name, Sweet Li, Li Qin was born on September 27, 1990. At an early age, she expressed interest in music opera, and by the time she was 11, she began studying Chinese traditional opera.

Li Qin

Li Qin graduated in Music majoring in Kunqu, a Chinese traditional music opera, at the Affiliated Chinese Opera School of Shanghai Theatre Academy in 2008.

She debuted in acting in the costume drama, The Dream of Red Mansions (2010) playing the young Xue Bao Chai. She went on to star in her first main role in the revolutionary drama, "1921", in 2011. The same year she debuted on the big screen via, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible.

Popular movies in the main role:

• Distressed Thief (2011)
• Beginning of the Great Revival (2011)
• Jade Dynasty (2019) with Xiao Zhan
• Warm Hug (2020)

Popular series in the main role:

• Stand by Me (2012)
• Return of the Heiress (2013)
• Flower Pinella (2013)
• Only If I Love You (2014)
• My Amazing Bride (2015)
• Sunflower Love (2015)
• Joy of Life (2019)
• The Song of Glory (2020)
• The Wolf (2020)
• My Dear Guardian (2021) with Johnny Huang
• Tears in Heaven (2021) with Shawn Dou
• Thousand Years for You (2022) with Ren Jialun
• Miles To Go (2023) with Chen Xiao
• The Youth Memories (2023) with Xiao Zhan

7. Gulinazha

Known by her Uyghur name Gulnezer Bextiyar or Gulnazar, Gulinazha was born on May 2, 1992, in Urumqi, Xinjiang Autonomous Region. She is of Uyghur descent and a classmate of Dilraba Dilmurat in high school. She earned a Performing Arts degree from Beijing Film Academy. 

Gulinazha

She debuted in acting in the costume fantasy series, Xuan Yuan Sword: Scar in the Sky starring Hu Ge, Liu Shishi, and Tiffany Tang. She debuted in movies in 2013 when she starred in Police Story with Jackie Chan.

Her movies in the main role:

• Police Story (2013) 
• The Boundary(2014)
• Lover's and Movies (2015)
• City of Rock (2017)
• Voice of the Nation (2019)
• Don't Forget I Love You (2022)

Her series in the main role:

• Legend of Nine Tail Fox (2016) - costume fantasy
• The Classic of Mountains and Seas (2016) with Zhang Han - costume/fantasy
• First Love (2016)with Hawick Lau - modern romance
• Chinese Paladin 5 (2016) with Han Dongjun - costume/fantasy
• Fighter of the Destiny (2017) with Lu Han - costume/fantasy
• Return The World To You (2019) - modern romance
• Ten Years Late (2019) with Shawn Dou - modern romance
• Weaving a Tale of Love (2021) with Timmy Xu - costume romance
• Twelve Legends (2021) - historical romance/fantasy
• The Dance of the Storm (2021) with William Chan - mystery/thriller
• Snow Eagle Lord (2023) with Xu Kai- costume/fantasy
• Incomparable Beauty (2023) with Chen Xiao - modern romance
• Weaving a Tale of Love 2 (2023) with Timmy Xu - costume romance
• Got a Crush on You (2023) with Xu Kaicheng - modern romance

8. Bai Lu 

Bai Lu intended to become a singer. In 2012, she traveled to Shanghai to participate in the overseas audition of SM Entertainment, a South Korean music label but did not make it. 

Bai Lu

She was born on September 23, 1994. Drama debut: 2017 King is Not Easy (main role). She studied a Foreign Language at Changzhou Higher Vocational Technical Institute of Tourism and Commerce.

She began her acting career in 2015 when she participated in a series of short films for a magazine studio. She landed her first main role in the costume drama, King is Not Easy aired in 2017. 

She has yet to star in a movie, however, she has numerous TV/Web series that became popular both domestically and internationally.

Popular series in the main role:

• The Legends (2019) with Xu Kai
• Arsenal Military Academy (2019) with Xu Kai and Toby Lee
• Lucky's First Love (2019) with Xing Zhaolin
• Love is Sweet (2020) with Luo Yunxi
• One and Only (2021) with Ren Jialun
• Forever and Ever (2021) with Ren Jialun
• Till The End of the Moon (2023) with Luo Yunxi
• Story of Kunning Palace (2023) with Zhang Linghe
• Only For Love (2023) with Dylan Wang

9. Zhao Lusi

Also known by her English name, Rosy, Zhao Lusi was born on November 9, 1998. She bypasses attending college to join the entertainment industry, making her one of the rarest Chinese actresses among the current generation who did not earn a college degree.

Zhao Lusi

She entered the entertainment industry by hosting the variety program Huo Xing Qing Bao Ju (Mars Intelligence Agency), and made her acting debut with a support role in the web drama, Cinderella Chef, in 2017. She has one movie in the main role, Autumn Fairytale, in 2019.

Popular series in the main role:

• Oh My Emperor (2018) with Gu Jiacheng and Xiao Zhan
• Love Better Than Immortality (2019) with Li Hongyi
• The Romance of Tiger and Rose (2020) with Deng Yuxi
• Please Feel At Ease Mr. Ling (2021) with Liu Te
• A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College (2021) with Xu Kaicheng
• Who Rules The World (2022) with Yang Yang
• Love Like The Galaxy (2022) with Wu Lei
• Hidden Love (2023) with Chen Zheyuan
• The Last Immortal (2023) with Wang Anyu

10. Zhao Jinmai

Known by her English name, Angel, Zhao Jinmai achieved success early in her acting career due to her top-notch talent. She debuted in acting as a child actress in 2012, then played a main role in "Balala, The Fairies" (2013) movie. 

Zhao Jinmai

Zhao Jinmai was born on September 29, 2002, and currently studying Acting at the Central Academy of Drama, China's top school in acting and Performing Arts.

She had a support role in the blockbuster science-fiction Chinese movie, The Wandering Earth 1, and will be in the cast of The Wandering Earth 3. She starred in one of the most popular C-dramas in 2022, Reset.

Films in the main role:

• Balala, The Fairies (2013, 2014, 2015)
• Go Brother (2018) with Zhang Zifeng and Peng Yuchang
• One Week Friends (2022) with Lin Yi and Shen Yue
• Ode To Spring (2022) multiple main leads including Zhou Dongyu

Series in the main role:

• Growing Pain (2019) with Guo Junchen
• A Little Thing Called First Love (2019)
• Reborn (2020) with Zhang Yi and Zhang Haowei
• The Blessed Girl (2021) with Lin Yi
• Brilliant Girls (2021) with Yin Tao and Song Yi
• Reset (2022) with Bai Jingting
• Growing Pain season 2 (2022) with Guo Junchen
• Stand by Me (2023) with Bai Yufan
• Amidst a Snowstorm of Love (upcoming - 2024) with Wu Lei