Whether you’re a devoted Chinese drama fan or not, there’s one actress whose name seems to be on everyone’s lips this year. Between her smash hit drama Pursuit of Jade and recent appearance in Singapore, 27-year-old actress Tian Xiwei is inescapable on all our social media feeds, winning fans over with her doll-like appearance and cheerful demeanour off-screen.
Xiwei became the talk of the town when she visited Singapore last month for the launch of the new Generation Gucci collection. Drawing massive crowds to the brand’s Marina Bay Sands flagship and sending social media into a frenzy, her appearance was a testament to her growing global influence.
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Born in Chongqing, which she often credits for her love of spicy food, Xiwei is among a new generation of actors dominating Chinese television and gaining international recognition as a global star and fashion icon. She landed her first major acting role at 21, shortly after graduating from the prestigious Shanghai Theatre Academy, starring in the nineties-set youth drama Waiting for You in a Long Time (2018). She played Luo Xi, a timid and sullen university student harbouring a secret from her high school days. When her schoolmate Li Xin (Zhang Yongbo) discovers a previous connection between them, he tries to help her overcome her past and regain her spark.
Following her acting debut, Xiwei played both main and supporting roles in romance and coming-of-age dramas like 2019’s My True Friend and 2020’s Lovely Us, steadily building her repertoire and gaining valuable experience on set. Xiwei’s breakthrough came in 2022 with the hit period comedy New Life Begins, where she played Li Wei, a young woman of modest means who hopes to avoid a politically arranged marriage and return to the simple life she cherishes in her hometown. Things don’t quite go according to plan. Instead, Li Wei finds herself starting a new chapter alongside Yin Zheng (Bai Jingting), a reserved young master who prefers to keep a low profile. As they navigate court politics and everyday life together, the pair gradually discover just how well-suited they are, with mutual respect blossoming into a heartfelt romance.
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From then, the actress began taking on more historical and fantasy projects, becoming beloved and recognised for starring in dramas like Romance on the Farm (2023) and Guardians of the Dafeng (2024). She enjoyed much success with these projects, earning herself brand deals with both Chinese and international brands, including Gucci, Guerlain and Chinese mobile phone brand Vivo. Xiwei has also modelled for several of Gucci campaigns and attended the brand's fashion shows across the globe.
Her career reached new heights this year with the hit historical-fantasy drama Pursuit of Jade, in which she starred alongside Zhang Linghe. The series, which aired this March, has smashed records across Chinese over-the-top platforms like Tencent and iQiyi, and debuted at number six on Netflix’s non-English series chart. Xiwei played Fan Changyu, a knife-wielding butcher’s daughter who enters a marriage of convenience with the marquis Xie Zheng (played by Zhang) to protect her family. The actress underwent intensive martial arts training for the role, as her character later becomes a formidable warrior and pivotal player when war breaks out. She also starred in Born with Luck this year, a comedic detective drama that aired in May.
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Even with two dramas already in her rearview in 2026, Xiwei still has plenty in the pipeline. Her upcoming projects include the historical romance Where the Mask Ends, juggling dual roles as Ah Chou and a wealthy girl named Wei Rao. Ah Chou uses her resemblance to Wei Rao to assume her identity and marries a wealthy prince, but soon struggles to hold on to her position when Wei Rao comes back into the picture. She’s also set to star in the romance series Genius Girlfriend as Lin Zhixia, a gifted student whose classmate and best friend falls for her as they support one another through school life and competitions. Filming for the two projects wrapped in April 2026 and late 2025 respectively, and while we've yet to get word of any release dates, it won't be long before Xiwei is back on our screens again.