Jackson Yee

November 28, 2000 — Chongqing, China

Jackson Yee, born Yi Yangqianxi, is a Chinese actor and singer who rose to fame as a teenager in the boy group TFBoys before transforming into one of China's most celebrated young film actors. His breakthrough role in the 2019 drama Better Days earned him a string of Best New Actor honors, and he has since built a filmography defined by critical acclaim and box-office success. Yee's evolution from pop idol to serious dramatic performer has made him a defining figure in contemporary Chinese entertainment.

Early Life and Rise to Fame

Yi Yangqianxi was born on November 28, 2000, in Chongqing, China. He showed an early aptitude for performance and music, which led him to audition for a new talent development program organized by a Chinese entertainment company seeking young performers to form a boy band. In 2013, at just twelve years old, he became one of three founding members of TFBoys, alongside Wang Junkai and Wang Yuan. The group quickly became a sensation among Chinese youth, propelled by social media, catchy pop songs, and the members' wholesome, relatable images. As TFBoys grew into one of the most commercially successful boy groups in mainland China, Yee became a household name, recognized not only for his singing and dancing but also for his poise in interviews and public appearances. This early exposure to the entertainment industry gave him a foundation of discipline and stage experience that would later inform his transition into acting, even as he continued to balance his responsibilities within the group with an expanding array of solo projects.

Acting Breakthrough and Major Roles

While maintaining his music career, Yee began pursuing acting roles in his teenage years, gradually building experience in television and film. His major breakthrough came in 2019 with Better Days, a drama addressing school bullying, in which his nuanced performance as a troubled young man earned him the Best New Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards, the Hundred Flowers Awards, and the Asian Film Awards, establishing him as a serious dramatic talent beyond his pop-idol origins. He followed this success with A Little Red Flower (2020), further cementing his reputation for emotionally resonant performances. Yee continued to expand his range with Nice View (2022) and the historical epic Full River Red (2023), directed by Zhang Yimou, which became a major box-office hit. In 2024, his performance in Big World earned him the prestigious Golden Rooster Award for Best Actor, one of China's highest film honors, confirming his status among the country's top actors of his generation. He went on to star in Resurrection (2025), continuing to diversify his portfolio across genres and collaborate with acclaimed directors.

Legacy and Continuing Influence

Jackson Yee's career trajectory—from teen idol to award-winning actor—has made him a notable case study in the evolution of Chinese celebrity culture, demonstrating how performers can successfully transition between music and serious dramatic work. His willingness to take on emotionally demanding, socially conscious roles, such as in Better Days and A Little Red Flower, helped shift audience and industry perceptions of idol-turned-actors, proving that background in pop stardom need not limit artistic credibility. His sweep of Best New Actor awards across multiple prestigious Chinese and Asian film ceremonies, followed by a Golden Rooster Best Actor win, places him among a select group of performers recognized by both critics and mainstream audiences. As a still-active member of TFBoys and an increasingly prominent film actor, Yee continues to shape trends in Chinese pop culture, influencing younger performers navigating similar dual careers in music and acting. His ongoing collaborations with major directors and his consistent box-office draw suggest his influence on Chinese cinema and entertainment will continue to grow in the years ahead.