34 Gong Li

Gong Li has long been a familiar face among fans of the art house circuit due to her appearances in such acclaimed foreign films as 1990’s Ju Dou, 1991’s Raise the Red Lantern and 1993’s Farewell My Concubine. Gong raised eyebrows in her homeland of China for dating famed director Yimou Zhang when she was barely out of her teens, though that relationship ended in the mid-‘90s; she has since married a tobacco executive. In 2005, Gong made her English-language debut to critical acclaim in the sweeping epic Memoirs of a Geisha and has slowly but surely carved out a niche for herself in various American films.

Gong appeared in two vastly different projects in 2006, starting with Michael Mann’s long-awaited sliver screen adaptation of Miami Vice. Gong spent much of the film working opposite Colin Farrell and even participated in a steamy love scene with the actor. Later in the year, Gong popped up in Zhang’s Curse of the Golden Flower, marking the first time she worked with the director since the two broke up more than a decade ago. Gong’s increased visibility in 2006 is responsible for her reappearance on this list following a five-year hiatus; she last ranked in 2002.

Gong only has one film scheduled for release in 2007, Hannibal Rising, but it’s almost certain to be a hit. A prequel to previous Hannibal Lecter adventures, such as The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Red Dragon (2002), Rising revolves around the infamous cannibal’s torturous childhood. Gong plays the enigmatic Lady Murasaki, a character who ultimately instills in the young cannibal his refined tastes and penchant for blood-soaked irony. It’s a meaty role (no pun intended) that will surely win Gong a host of new fans; however, it’s clear that she has no plans to turn her back on movies from her homeland.

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34 Gong Li