Du Chun

Early life

Du Chun was born in Hebei, China. His parents are also in the performing business. His father, Du Zhiguo is also an actor, and his mother, Yang Li, is a dancer and dancing instructor. He is the only child in the family and was very shy in his childhood. His father was not a leading actor on TV or movies when Du Chun was a kid, for he took his first major roles in 1998. Du was often left alone in his early school years. His father went to looking for acting opportunities and his mother was on dancing tours a lot. He started dance training by his mother. After two years, at the age of 11, Du Chun got admitted to The Dance School of Central University of Nationalities (CUN) (i.e. Minzu University of China), one of the key disciplinary bases of national minority arts and the cradle of ethnic dancers, to fulfill his mother's dream to be trained professionally in one of the top dancing schools in China. He spent 6 years in this boarding school, but dancing was never his interest. He found his passion on performing arts during his six years of dancing training. After graduation, he applied for Central Academy of Drama but failed. His father and some other famous actors thought he did not have the acting quality because he is too introverted. He understands he loves acting and he has made up his mind to pursue his passion. After one year preparation, including coached by several prestigious actors, Du got admitted into Beijing Film Academy in 1999 with one of the highest admission test scores even though he did not take the regular middle and high school courses. He was among the best students academically in college. Before his graduation in 2003, his father asked help from his director friend Hu Mei,to give him a small role in a big TV historical costume drama production The Emperor in Han Dynasty (Emperor Wu of Han, one of the greatest Emperor in Chinese history). But after the audition, the director decided to give him an important role, the young Emperor. He showed his acting talent on portraying an ambitious and playful young leader which established his acting career.

From Emperor to Wuxia Hero

After the successful debut in The Emperor in Han Dynasty, Du Chun was selected as a leading role in a Wuxia drama, the Legend of the Banner Hero, which is adapted from famous Wuxia (Kungfu) writer Gu Long in 2005. He played a tragic hero who brought peace to the Jianghu world with self-sacrifice. The TV drama "The Banner" won the “Most favorite Costume Drama series” in 2007. His father was also in the TV drama playing the villain.

He often appeared in many TV drama series before "The Banner" as some insignificant roles. He portrayed Li Yong (real name is Li Ling (general)), a young controversial general who was captured by Xiongnu and surrendered, but never betrayed his own country. Audiences could feel his pain of missing family and homeland. He also played a nice funny prince in a costume comedy, "Pretty Girls in Jianghu" in 2004. Another major role he played in 2005 is Kangxi Emperor in the Qing Dynasty in a historic costume drama "Yellow River Homage". His father also played an important role here, too. This series was bought by CCTV but has not aired yet.

Love with No Regrets (Sad Prince)

The first leading role Du Chun played is Jiang Nanyu in Vixen Executives in 2004. With genetically inherited heart disease, he devoted his limited life to his career to help the girl he loved. This TV series is not popular partially because of the tragic ending.

After that he appeared as leading roles in two period pieces. One in 2006 in Prince to Pauper, he played a golden hearted young men who was raised up as a servant in a rich family, but actually the only son of the family resulted in his selfish nanny. He grew up to be a nice, hard-working, and responsible young man. He lost so many things which supposedly belonged to him, include his love due to his wrong identity. After he knew the truth, he has no complaining, but only appreciation for life. He still treated his nanny as his mother and did everything to protect her from hurting by others. You can see a decent and beautiful person inside and out from his moving performance. In another period piece, Love with no regret, Du played a faithful lover who unconditionally supported a lady he loved for all his life even she could not marry him. His tears is so heart wrenching. These two TV series had high ratings and he got a new name “Sad Prince”.

In 2007 he and his father played together in TV drama, Mistaken Son. His father played the rich dad. He played the young man who took the responsibility to support his aged biological father after he found out the truth and his real father was a poor peasant. He refused the good life his rich dad offered and chose to be with his poor dad. He started from scratchy and was forced to leave his love. Eventually he grew up to be an independent and responsible person, and won his love back. His role as a singing star was not that natural and brought him some criticism.

New Generation Red Idol (War time hero)

In 2006 Du Chun was selected to play little Boss in TV drama series Logistics depot 51, a remake of a classic Chinese spy movie during World War II. Initially he was worried about whether he could replace the image of the other famous actor. Using a cover as a businessman and the little boss in a gangster, his character provides many war supplies to the Chinese Army from Japanese occupied Shanghai. His role won him the title of “Best Actor’ award in Southern China TV festival.

In 2007 and 2008, he started a role as an undercover Jiang Bo in three parts for a total of 120 episodes of a TV drama series “Enemy Camp” for 18 years. This is a remake of the original Chinese drama series which debuted in 1980. He finished the first two parts for a total of 84 episodes. The third one is in his future plans. Viewers were moved by his detailed portrait of a real emotional-rich hero, with loyalty to his friends and country. His role as Jiang Bo brought him a new title “new generation red idol”.

His new milestone is his appearance in 2009 CCTV-1 New Year's TV premier, “Emigrate to the West”. He played a traditional Chinese young man growing up to be a successful business man despite all of the misfortune in his life. He eventually devotes all his fortune to the revolutionary war and joins the political movement. He portrayed a man who succeed in business and won everyone’s heart by following traditional values in Confucianism: Ren (仁 Humanity), Yi (义 Righteousness), Li (禮 Ritual), Zhi (智 Knowledge), and Xin (信 Integrity). He received a best actor nomination in the 41st Monte Carlo TV festival.

He played another hero in To the South We Go（南下） in 2009. His character starts as a volunteer to support the army, joins and follows the army to the big city of Shanghai and eventually becomes an outstanding public servant in the big city in the 1950s. His recently premiered Red Idol role in “Kill Traitor” was in highest ranking in TV shows. It is a story about two brothers during Japanese Occupation in China. Du Chun played a hero, Li Biao, who fights for China with his brother defecting to the Japanese side. He turned down several similar roles because he wanted to try different type of characters.

In July 2010, He starred as a leading role in a production for Xinhai Revolution 100 year anniversary, the Great HanKou. He appeared as a small role "Xu Deheng", a student movement leader, in the all-star movie "Creation of the Party" in September 2010.

Transformation

His transformation started in late 2008 in a big TV project of 300-episode Chinese Family. He played a leading role in part I as an ideal husband who lived in the fight between his wife and mother, and made all his effort saving the family. He is rich, mature, decent, loving kids, respectful to parents, loyal to his love, good on deal with all kinds of relationships. His role does not exist in real life, but his performance make people believe in the perfect man. He gave a try in a comedy Rent a girlfriend for the New Year in 2009. He played a handsome and well educated men who could not get out of tragedy caused by the breakup of his first girl friend eight years ago. As the only son in the family, he has to please his family by pretending living a normal happy life. So he hired a girl as his girl friend to go home with him for the New Year. In a beautiful setting in a small ancient town rich with Chinese culture, it delivered a funny and warm story about a traditional Chinese family with a happy ending. Du is a charming men, arrogant and fashion on surface, but a good heart and caring underneath. This TV show is very hot on internet and brought him a lot of young fans.

After he played so many emperors, heroes, he changed to be a regular person living on the bottom of the society as a security guard in TV drama Nanny and Security Guard. He was mistaken as a real guard by nearby people who had no knowledge of the TV shooting. He presented detailed pictures of the struggle and love of the poor people. Close to reality, this story touched many people's hearts and the TV drama received very high rating in many TV channels.

The biggest changes are two small roles he took in 2010 as villains. One is Ximen Qing, a notorious playboy figure in Chinese classical literature All Men Are Brothers, who had relationship with a married lady and murdered her husband together, and eventually killed by the brother of the deceased man. He did not take pay to play this character, he just wanted to try a totally different role. The other one is an ambitious general in Three Kingdom Era who would do anything to get his power in another costume drama, the Legend of the Honest Stone, which is planned to be premiered on CCTV-1 on New Year’s day 2011.

He finished shooting of Fight and Love with a Terracotta Warrior in April 2010 which is a remake of the classical movie played by Zhang Yimou and Gong Li. This is a romantic story covering three love stories in three dynasties between two lovers, his co star being Ady An. He finished a youth comedy “Puberty hit Menopause” in May 2010 and just start shooting another modern drama "Grown Up" in Oct 2010.

Singing

Du Chun's passion for singing has become known, as he has sung on soundtracks in his TV dramas: 2008 “Dilemma”(两难)[Enemy Camp for 18 Years(敌营十八连)] and 2009 “Truthful”(纯真)[Nanny and Securiety Guard(保姆与保安)】. He will also sing the theme song in his new TV drama “Love and Fight with a Terracotta Warrior".

TV host

Appeared on October 10, 2009 on CCTV-6 Movie Channel as a Star anchor

Hosted four episodes of Success Factors in Jilin TV in 2008.

Personal life

Du Chun lives in low profile life. He believes “reward is proportional to efforts”. He lives in Beijing, but rarely home due to his busy acting schedule. He is well liked by his colleagues and never had any rumors or scandals in the news. He likes photography. He communicates with his fans through blogs in which he often gives updates about his new roles and photos, as well as shares his feelings about the world, especially related to natural disasters and environmental issues. He called for prayers and donations many times when disaster happened. He is a good son to his mother and father even though they divorced many years ago, which won him the title of “Top Ten Model Sons of Filial Piety (孝子)” in 2010. He was also named the “2009 Youth Inspirational Figure in China” and established himself as a role model for the young people for his positive attitude and diligent work.

Awards and nominations

"2010 - Won Third Huading Award "Rookie of the Year Best performance of the Chinese Actor"

"2010 - Won title of 2010 "China Top Ten Model Sons of Filial Piety”

"2009 - Nominated for Best Actor on the 49th Monte Carlo International Television Festival

“2009 - Named Youth inspirational figure in China (Youth Role Model)"

"2007 - Won "Best Actor Award" in 2007 Southern China Festival