Graceful and formidable, glamorous and badass, international superstar Zhang Ziyi has time and again brought strong, multi-dimensional female characters to the screen. One of the Four Dan Actresses (most bankable stars) of China, Zhang first came to prominence in Ang Lee’s Academy-Award winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, garnering international award nominations and global stardom. Aided by her classical dance training at Beijing’s prestigious Central Academy of Drama, Zhang mesmerized audiences with dizzying choreographed moves in the martial arts films Hero and House of Flying Daggers, directed by her longtime collaborator Zhang Yimou. She successfully crossed over into the North American film industry, most notably starring in the American adaptation of Memoirs of a Geisha, for which she received Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. Zhang has demonstrated an extensive range, working alongside the visionary Wong Kar-Wai in the masterful 2046 and in the director’s latest contribution to world cinema, The Grandmaster. Zhang Ziyi will take to the stage to discuss her journey from fearless dancer-actor to paragon of female empowerment.