Chinese actress Xu Jiao, known for her role as the son of “Hong Kong’s King of Comedy” Stephen Chow in the sci-fi comedy film CJ7 (2008), has recently graduated from ArtCenter College of Design in California, USA. She completed her studies in late April.
According to The Star, Xu Jiao shared a series of photos and a video from her graduation ceremony on her personal Weibo account. “These five years flew by in the blink of an eye. Finally, I have graduated,” she wrote in her post.
Xu Jiao and her mother on graduation day. Image: Xu Jiao/Weibo.
As reported by Sinchew, the 26-year-old actress graduated with a degree in film and television production. Many followers took to the comments section to congratulate Xu Jiao, praising her beauty and style.
In 2008, Xu Jiao rose to fame after starring alongside Stephen Chow in CJ7, which grossed $54 million at the global box office.
Her performance also earned her the Best New Performer award at the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards.
Xu Jiao continues to participate in various film projects, including Future Police, The Mermaid, Starry Starry Night, and Badlands.
Xu Jiao with her “adoptive father” Stephen Chow. Image: Weibo.
However, in 2013, Xu Jiao decided to step back from the spotlight and moved to the US to pursue her education, enrolling in high school in Illinois.
Despite her successful career, the pressures of fame can be overwhelming. “Fame comes with pressure… you lose your personal space. Every move you make is monitored and discussed. Everyone uses a magnifying glass to scrutinize your flaws,” Xu Jiao candidly expressed in an interview with South China Morning Post.
Xu Jiao cited her desire for privacy as one of the reasons for her move to the US for her studies. “Being abroad allows me to achieve a balance between fame and maintaining my personal space, between work and study,” she said.
Though she has temporarily distanced herself from the limelight, the actress has not completely exited the showbiz world. She has participated in several film projects such as National Security, The Dim Sum Restaurant, and The Last Love Story, but without attracting much attention.
Now that she has graduated, the actress hopes to work on long-format films: “I want to create films that require time for research and preparation.”
The 26-year-old actress currently does not have many significant acting roles. Image: Weibo.
Speaking about the type of films she wishes to explore, Xu Jiao expressed her desire to create works similar to Dying To Survive, based on real-life events that highlight social issues.
Xu Jiao was born in 1997 in Ningbo, Zhejiang. Besides her acting career, she is known to have been raised by Stephen Chow, who has shown great affection and care for her. However, Xu Jiao has maintained a distance from the entertainment industry. During her time filming CJ7, she surpassed over 10,000 applicants to land the role of the young boy, Dicky.
According to The Star
