Angela Yeung Wing (born 28 February 1989), better known by her stage name Angelababy, is a Chinese model and actress. In 2013, she was chosen by Southern Metropolis Daily as one of the New Four Dan Actresses. In 2016, she won the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film Mojin: The Lost Legend. From 2014 to 2023, she was a cast member of variety show Keep Running.

Early life

Angelababy was born in Shanghai, China to a Shanghainese mother and a father from Hong Kong, who is of half German and half Chinese descent. Her birth name is Yang Ying (Cantonese: Yeung Wing). Her father runs a fashion business in Shanghai. She gained an interest in fashion as a child under her father's influence. She said in an interview, "Even though he [her father] sells more mature clothes, I loved going to his store and trying on new outfits and mixing and matching them. It was fun. I think that's how I developed a passion for fashion". Yang Ying moved to Hong Kong when she was thirteen, and signed a modelling contract with Style International Management at the age of 14. Although her English name is Angela, she was sometimes called "Baby" during her primary and secondary school years. She combined these two names to form her stage name, Angelababy. She speaks English, Mandarin, Shanghainese, Cantonese and Japanese.

Career

2007–2009: Beginnings

Angelababy began her career as a model at 14, frequently collaborating with her agency mate Janice Man, presenting themselves as a twin-sister duo. Together, they quickly gained popularity in Hong Kong and co-founded a streetwear brand CHOICE, but their friendship ended in 2008. Angelababy debuted as an actress in the movie Trivial Matters in 2007, where she had a 5-minute cameo appearance in the film, followed by a supporting role in 2009 Hong Kong film Short of Love.

2010–2013: Rising popularity

Angelababy had major roles in two of her 2010 films, before her first leading role in the 2011 film Love You You alongside Eddie Peng. She sang a duet with JJ Lin entitled "Bottom of the Heart" as part of the movie's soundtrack. In 2012, Angelababy starred alongside Mark Chao in romance film First Time, a remake of the 2003 Korean film ...ing. Her performance in First Time won her the Most Anticipated Actress award at the 13th Chinese Film Media Awards. She then starred in both instalments of wuxia film Tai Chi, portraying a martial artist. In 2013, Angelababy starred in Tsui Hark's crime action film Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon, playing a beautiful courtesan. She won the Most Popular Actress award at the 21st Beijing College Student Film Festival for the film.

2014–2022: Mainstream success

In 2014, Angelababy joined the cast of Keep Running, the Chinese version of the South Korean variety show Running Man. The series was a major hit in China, and propelled Angelababy into a household name. The same year, she starred alongside fellow Keep Running member Michael Chen in romance film Love on the Cloud, which was a moderate success at the box office. Angelababy was crowned "Weibo Goddess" and "Weibo Queen" for the year 2014. Angelababy made her Hollywood film debut in Hitman: Agent 47 with a minor role. She then starred in Mojin: The Lost Legend, based on the popular tomb raiding novel series Ghost Blows Out the Light. The film became the highest-grossing Chinese-language IMAX film in China, with US$27.1 million (before being surpassed by The Mermaid). Angelababy won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards for her role, but was criticised for her mediocre acting and lackluster performance. The same year, she starred in her first television series, historical drama Love Yunge from the Desert based on Tong Hua's novel Song in the Clouds. In 2016, Angelababy played a major supporting role in the Hollywood science fiction film Independence Day: Resurgence. The same year, she was listed as one of Forbes' inaugural 30 under 30 Asian Celebrities under the film, music, television and sport category. In 2017, Angelababy starred alongside Wallace Chung in the historical drama General and I. Although the drama was a commercial success, she received criticism for her acting and for using stunt doubles. In 2018, she starred in the modern workplace drama Entrepreneurial Age alongside Huang Xuan. In 2019, Angelababy starred in the modern drama My True Friend as a property agent alongside Deng Lun. In 2021, Angelababy was cast in the drama Twilight alongside Ren Jialun.

2023-present: Hiatus

Angelababy's career slowed down since her divorce from Huang Xiaoming in 2022 and was seriously derailed in October 2023, when she reportedly attended Lisa's Crazy Horse show in Paris, France. Some Chinese netizens argued that Angelababy's attendance at such a show violated China's prohibitory regulations on entertainers from participating in activities involving pornography or obscenity, and thus called for her to be banned. On October 4th, the Crazy Horse cabaret officially stated on Instagram that Angelababy had never attended the show. On November 1st, 2023, Angelababy's accounts on various Chinese social media, including Sina Weibo, were muted, while her Douyin account was restricted from being followed (and was later muted as well). Subsequently, CCTV, China's state broadcatser, erased from its Weibo account videos of her performances at national galas, and she withdrew from the hosting group of the show Running Man after 10 years. On January 30th, 2024, Angelababy's accounts on Weibo, Douyin, and other platforms were unmuted, but she remained partially blacklisted in mainland China. In June 2024, when the Running Man spin-off was broadcast, Angelababy's appearance was censored.

Personal life

In 2005, 16-year-old Angelababy began a relationship with 20-year-old Hong Kong actor William Chan while both hosting children's show ''Viva! Club Disney''. In early 2010, Chan confirmed that the two had broken up. In March of the same year, Chan and Charlene Choi went public with their relationship, admitting they had been dating for three months. Angelababy posted on Weibo, "Do you really believe they've only been dating for three months?" hinting at Chan's infidelity. Since 2009, Angelababy had been dating Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming, who is 12 years her senior, for six years, but their relationship was not revealed to the public until February 2014. On 27 May 2015, they obtained their marriage certificate in Qingdao, China and their wedding banquet took place in Shanghai on 8 October 2015, with an estimated cost of US$31 million. In October 2016, Huang and Angelababy announced her pregnancy. She gave birth to their son on 11 January 2017 at the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital. They nicknamed their son "Xiaohaimian", meaning “little sponge” in Chinese. On January 28, 2022, they announced their divorce.

Business and philanthropy

Angelababy has invested in several businesses; including a nail parlour, a café (with fellow Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka-fai) and a lifestyle store. In 2015, she set up her own venture capital fund, AB Capital. She then bought shares in Chinese overseas purchasing e-commerce site Ymatou and beverage brand HeyJuice. In 2016, Angelababy entered the Hurun Philanthropy List, the youngest to be included. She and husband Huang Xiaoming donated US$2.6 million to a charity program initiated by Huang to help university graduates start a business or seek employment. In 2020, Angelababy and Huang Xiaoming donated CN¥200,000 to hospital relief efforts related to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic in Hubei. In 2021, Angelababy invested in an entertainment company, Cool Style, which was set up by Media Asia and Louis Koo's One Cool Group. Cool Style's business scope includes artist management and related businesses aiming to cultivate new forces with abundant resources and platforms. In March 2021, Angelababy expressed her support for cotton from Xinjiang, after several companies stopped purchasing the cotton due to concerns about human rights violations.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Variety show

Discography

Singles

Awards and nominations

Forbes China Celebrity 100