Jaeger-LeCoultre certainly has form when it comes to picking elegant ambassadors. The Swiss watchmaker has already aligned itself with rock star Lenny Kravitz; ‘Superman‘ and ‘Nosferatu‘ star Nicholas Hoult, and actors Amanda Seyfried, Jackson Yee, and Kim Woo-Bin. Now, the brand has just announced its newest global ambassador is none other than Chinese mega star, Zhang Ziyi.
Renowned for her natural grace and poise, Beijing-born Ziyi began studying dance at the age of eight and later attended at the Beijing Dance Academy, where she specialised in folk dancing. At just 15, an ambitious Ziyi won a national dance competition and began appearing in TV commercials, then successfully enrolled in China’s prestigious Central Drama College to begin her formal training as an actor.
Whilst still at college, Ziyi was spotted by the director Zhang Yimou (of ‘Raise the Red Lantern‘ and ‘Hero‘ fame) who was at the college scouting for a shampoo advert. While Ziyi didn’t make the cut for the commercial, Yimou later cast her in his 1999 film, ‘The Road Home‘. “I needed a completely fresh person for the central role, of a girl falling for a teacher. I cast her. She couldn’t act very well at first, but she learns fast,” he later recalled to The Belfast Telegraph.
In fact, Ziyi’s startling debut as a wide-eyed country girl, Zhao Di, brought her international acclaim, and the following year Yimou recommended the young actress to legendary filmmaker Ang Lee, who gave her the role of an adventurous young aristocrat named Jen in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon‘. The blockbuster success of that movie – which garnered four Oscars and remains the highest grossing international film in the United States to this day – catapulted Ziyi into the global spotlight. Parts in 2001’s ‘Rush Hour 2‘, 2002’s ‘Hero‘, 2004’s ‘House of Flying Daggers‘ and 2005’s ‘Memoirs of a Geisha‘ quickly followed – the latter earning her a Golden Globe Award. The star has been working steadily ever since, and her latest role sees her fronting 192-year-old Jaeger-LeCoultre as part of its growing roster of international ambassadors.
“We are honoured to welcome Zhang Ziyi to the Jaeger-LeCoultre family,” says Jérôme Lambert, the watchmaker’s CEO. “Her exceptional talent, her dedication to her art, and her timeless elegance resonate perfectly with the values of our Maison. We believe this partnership will beautifully showcase the shared spirit of artistry, heritage, and enduring excellence that defines both Zhang Ziyi and Jaeger-LeCoultre.”
Like this? Take a closer look at the Jaeger-LeCoultre Nicholas Hoult wore to a Superman fan event.
