Ye Zhong

Ye Zhong is a multi-talented actor hailing from Southern China. Since graduating from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Ye has been a Warner Bros. TV Actors in Training finalist and has starred in many movies and theatre productions. Ye is currently living in Los Angeles working on several Hollywood productions.

Ye, welcome to Film News. Can you introduce yourself for our readers please?

I am Ye Zhong, an actor, born and grew up in Southern China and now living in Los Angeles. I am fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese. In China, I have a bachelor’s degree in social work and social administration. I used to work with special needs children. But then I decided to pursue my acting dream, so I came to the US. I got accepted to The Academy, the oldest acting school in the US, to train full-time. After graduating, I decided to gain more theater experience, so I auditioned and was accepted for the Academy Company program. I was part of four plays in 7 months. And now, I am out of school and exploring my life as a working actor!

What got you into acting and made you realize that it was your chosen path?

It may sound silly. When I was 14, I watched The Pirates of the Caribbean, and I was obsessed with it that I wanted to be a part of that world. Later I realized that the only way I would be able to do it was by becoming an actor. If I was an actor, I could experience thousands of different lives! I dreamed of becoming an actress for more than 10 years. However, my parents disapproved of it, so growing up, my life had nothing to do with acting. After graduating from college in China, I knew I had to give my dream a shot, so I enrolled in the intensive program at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and UCLA to see whether acting was something I could do. From these experiences, I realized that I wanted to do acting for the rest of my life, and after that, I never changed my mind.

How would you describe the projects that you typically prefer?

I would love to do everything! People always ask me whether I prefer to do theater or on-camera work, and I always answer both. As a new actor, I am eager to try all kinds of projects. But currently, I am stage managing a theater production, which makes me miss the stage a lot. Hope I can work in a theater production soon!

Tell us about your latest project?

I participated in this year's Los Angeles 48 Hours Film Project with a group of friends from my acting school. Together we created a short film called "Bet!" It's a short comedy buddy film about two men and a mysterious mission. It was a fun but challenging experience because we’ve never produced a film in such a short time.

What character did you play?

I played a supportive character, Ms. Fang. People thought she was just a sweet lady who owned a Chinese restaurant, but actually, she is a mysterious key character who pushes the whole story under the table. She is dangerous, just like her name. Fun fact, I was the one who named the character. I was asked to give my character a "badass" name, and the name "Ms. Fang" just crossed my mind. It is a common name in Chinese but sounds dangerous in English, and everyone was thrilled with the name.

You are such a diverse actor. We read that you were part of four plays in 7 months. Can you tell us about each one and the different roles you played?

From August 2021 to February 2022, I was Sandra Cook in The Exonerated by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, Older Molly in Jake’s Women by Neil Simon, Leeann in A Piece of My Heart by Shirley Lauro, and Alice in Goodbye Freddy by Elizabeth Diggs. All the plays and roles are very diverse, which was quite challenging. I improved so much while doing these 4 plays. Among all the plays, A Piece of My Heart is my favorite. I felt so much for my character Leeann and I am very grateful that I got to be her. I recommend everyone to read or watch the play.

Has there been one particular moment in your career that you’re most proud of?

I believe it was the time I was got chosen to be one of the finalists of Warner Bros. TV Actors in Training program in 2021. Although I wasn’t selected for the Top 10, according to Warner Bros TV casting, “We’ve reviewed many thousands of auditions from all across the world. You are now part of a select group of actors who have made it to the final round. As a Finalist, you remain part of a select group of actors who we are invested in nurturing.” I just graduated from my full-time program at the time, and then I got selected to audition for the program after I submitted my application. I never thought I could get into the final round, and this experience definitely made me feel more confident in my acting.

Who are your acting influences growing up that helped to mold you into who you are today?

So many actors influence my acting, but I do want to mention Johnny Depp. He was the reason I had the idea of becoming an actor in the first place. All the characters he created are very diverse, and from these characters, I saw infinite possibilities and learned there shouldn't be any limit to my imagination when I create my own character. Don’t be scared of trying something new.

If you weren’t into acting what else would you be doing?

As I mentioned, I worked with special needs children before I came to the states to learn acting. I believe I would keep doing that for a while if I was not acting. I did like my job a lot, and people told me I was pretty good at it. But I may also go back to school to pursue a master’s degree. I always know that one day I will enroll in a graduate program and get a higher degree because I enjoy doing research.

Finally, how can people find and follow your journey?

People can find me on Instagram as @yezhong_ where I share most of my career journey. People can also search me on IMDB Ye Zhong and follow my career updates. Thank you so much!