Profile | Xin Zhilei, Venice Film Festival best actress, from poverty to discovery by Donnie Yen team
Ex-schoolgirl waitress from poverty-stricken background who climbed ladder of celebrity says she is driven by ‘desire and ambition’
China’s Xin Zhilei, the winner of the best actress award at the recent Venice Film Festival, has come a long way from her humble beginnings as a restaurant waitress.
Since Xin won the prestigious prize on September 6, her life story has trended on mainland social media, with internet users celebrating her hard work and grit through the years.
Xin, 39, was born in Heigang, an underdeveloped city in northeastern Heilongjiang province, both her parents were manual workers.
She has a younger brother and sister, state media CCTV reported.
Her family was so poor that Xin had to take up a job as a waitress at a fast-food restaurant when she was a secondary school pupil.
“I did not want to ask for money from my parents because I knew it was difficult for them to earn,” Xin told the media.