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Internationally acclaimed Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has received an honorary professorship from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), where she shared insights from her nearly 30-year acting career with film students at the opening ceremony and awards presentation of Future Film Fest 2026 on Tuesday (Oct 27).
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The 47-year-old actress reflected on her journey from acting to filmmaking and discussed the dedication required to succeed in the industry.
Zhang made her film debut in 1999 and went on to star in internationally acclaimed productions, earning accolades including the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, Best Leading Actress at the Golden Horse Awards and Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
She also made her directorial debut with the short film Poem, part of the 2021 anthology My Country, My Parents, and won the Best New Director Award at the 2022 CCTV-6 Movie Channel Media Honors.
Speaking to HKBU students, Zhang recalled her first acting role at the age of 19, when she had little understanding of the craft beyond the need to let go of her inhibitions.
Having grown up in a city, she had to portray a rural girl and immerse herself in the character's world. Her director took her to the countryside to dig for potatoes and plant vegetables to help her experience rural life.
Zhang also recalled filming Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster, saying she did not know the full story at the beginning and had to wait for the director's handwritten scripts each day.
To prepare for her role, she wore high heels and a cheongsam every day and practised walking at a dance studio.
She said actors must connect emotionally with their characters for audiences to feel the impact of their performances.
"When the character laughs, you laugh; when the character cries, you cry. It sounds easy, but it is very difficult to do," she said.
Speaking about the emotional and physical demands of acting, Zhang said she had become more conscious of the toll intense roles could take on her as she grew older.
She revealed that she recently played a mother grieving the loss of her son, a role she knew beforehand would be emotionally demanding.
After filming, she said her limbs felt numb and her face was exhausted.
Zhang said she now leads a more stable and peaceful life, adding that she had not fully understood the burden of such roles when she was younger.
Future Film Fest 2026 was launched by HKBU's School of Creative Arts as part of the university's 70th anniversary celebrations. The festival aims to bring traditional filmmaking together with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual production. Its global competition featured 510 nominees put forward by more than 150 film schools across 58 countries and regions, with the competition open to filmmakers under 30.
