Sino Celeb is a monthly feature where we introduce a Chinese celebrity to our readers.
Chiang Kai-shek. The king of Qin. Every Chinese emperor ever. These are roles that Chen Daoming has played in a career that has seen him flit between film and television since the early 80s.
Dubbed the ‘emperor of Chinese television,’ he is known for his relatively scandal-free private life and modest nature. But when the camera is on, Chen takes charge, playing imperial potentates, military commanders or leading businessmen in at least seven television series and a number of films.
The Tianjin native stepped out from his niche in 2014’s Coming Home, an uber-depressing drama directed by Zhang Yimou that saw Chen star as a professor struggling to repair a family broken by the Cultural Revolution. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, has a 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and should be sold with a box of tissues.
Kinda like: Daniel Day-Lewis, particularly in Honest Abe mode. Both are solemn, a little terrifying and dedicated professionals
Famous for: playing the guy at the top
See him next in: some TV drama with an imperial court
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