Gong Li once again proved her legendary status in global cinema after receiving extraordinary treatment at the 79th Cannes Film Festival opening ceremony on May 13 in France.

The Chinese screen icon became one of the biggest highlights of the opening day red carpet, which also featured stars including Heidi Klum, Demi Moore, Jane Fonda, Lay Zhang, and Mike Angelo.

Gong Li reportedly became the first Asian celebrity in Cannes history to deliver an opening speech in Chinese during the festival ceremony. She shared the honor alongside two-time Oscar-winning actress and author Jane Fonda.

The festival’s treatment of Gong Li quickly became a hot topic online. As soon as she stepped onto the red carpet, broadcast cameras reportedly focused exclusively on her for nearly 2 minutes and 50 seconds. Event staff were also seen personally guiding her posing positions for photographers.

Dressed in an elegant and commanding look, Gong Li represented Asian cinema as one of the festival’s VIP cultural figures.

According to reports, this level of treatment is not new for the actress. Over the years, Cannes organizers have consistently given her exceptional privileges, including dedicated camera coverage, luxury transportation, and exclusive red carpet photo opportunities.

In both 2019 and 2023, Gong Li reportedly received rare solo red carpet moments lasting nearly three minutes — a privilege almost never granted to Chinese celebrities attending the festival.

Gong Li’s status at Cannes is deeply connected to her decades-long influence on global cinema.

She remains one of the most internationally acclaimed actresses in Chinese film history, with numerous award-winning performances and major contributions to Asian cinema’s global recognition.

Among her Cannes achievements:

  • She became the first Asian actress to receive the prestigious Women in Motion Award in 2019.
  • She previously served as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival.
  • Her classic film Farewell My Concubine won the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

She has also served as jury president or juror at major international festivals including Berlin, Venice, and Tokyo.

Born in 1965, Gong Li’s path to stardom was far from easy. Before becoming one of the most respected actresses in Asia, she reportedly failed university entrance exams multiple times while pursuing acting. During her third attempt at entering the Central Academy of Drama, judges even criticized her appearance, particularly her teeth.

Despite this, her talent ultimately earned her admission with one of the top scores.

Her breakthrough came after director Zhang Yimou cast her in Red Sorghum, a film that later won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and helped usher in a new era for Chinese cinema.

Gong Li and Zhang Yimou later collaborated on several iconic films including Raise the Red Lantern, The Story of Qiu Ju, and Curse of the Golden Flower.

She also successfully crossed into Hollywood through films such as Memoirs of a Geisha and Miami Vice.

Today, Gong Li is widely considered one of the most influential Asian actresses in modern film history.

In her personal life, Gong Li previously had a high-profile eight-year relationship with director Zhang Yimou from 1988 to 1995.

She later married Singaporean businessman Ooi Hoe Seong in 1996 and obtained Singaporean citizenship. The marriage ended in 2009 after 13 years together.

In 2019, she married French composer Jean-Michel Jarre. The couple has since maintained a quiet and stable life together.

Sources: Sina,Sohu