Talent: Wang Ziwen. Bottom, Yayi. Silhouette dress, Bad Binch TongTong.
The image of women is often portrayed through the lens of traditional stereotypes: gentle, delicate, and fragile. These traits have become collective labels for femininity. Yet, gentleness is not synonymous with weakness—it is a reflection of strength, embodying tolerance, understanding, and resilience. A woman may possess a soft exterior, but her inner self can be brimming with fortitude—like a protective shell of softness. Wang Ziwen exemplifies this duality: gentle yet resolute, delicate yet tenacious. Like water, she nourishes everything with grace, yet holds the power to wear away stone.
Dress, Bad Binch TongTong. Inner match, Xu Zhi. Headdress, Maggie Wang. Stockings, Calzedonia.
Through her many roles, Wang Ziwen has embarked on countless unique journeys. For her, the sights she witnesses firsthand and the experiences she lives through are imprinted as irreplaceable memories, far more vivid than what can be captured in photos or films.
As an actor, her career is a perpetual journey, marked by yearly transformations, yet grounded in a familiar sense of comfort and security. At the dawn of 2025, Wang Ziwen’s schedule is still in the midst of negotiation, but she eagerly hopes that the projects she has recently completed will soon reach their audience. These roles and scripts are the fruits of her dedication and passion, each infused with immense effort and sincerity.
Dress, Bad Binch TongTong. Inner match, Xu Zhi. Headdress, Maggie Wang. Stockings, Calzedonia.
Spending the New Year with Family is True Happiness
As the New Year approaches, Beijing’s weather grows colder. During this conversation, we inevitably touched on the topic of “New Year traditions”. “I usually go back to Chengdu to celebrate with my family”, Wang Ziwen shared. For her, this time of year is a precious break—an opportunity to practice Baduanjin with her mother and enjoy her mother’s cooking. “My mom’s food is my absolute favorite!”, she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with joy at the mere mention of these memories.
In the midst of her fast-paced, demanding life, Wang Ziwen maintains her “high energy” through a combination of exercise and rest. “Sleep is also incredibly important—you really can’t stay up all night”, she emphasized.
Bottom, Yayi. Silhouette dress, Bad Binch TongTong.
Beyond replenishing physical energy, she prioritizes emotional balance by avoiding internal conflict. Over time, she has developed a clearer understanding of herself: it’s not necessary to figure everything out; sometimes, it’s okay to simply live in the moment. By refusing to drain herself emotionally, Wang Ziwen finds a greater sense of focus. “It’s like with acting—I care about quality, not quantity”. Quieting the noise in her mind allows her to create a more peaceful world around her. When confronted with the unexpected twists and turns of life, Wang Ziwen now approaches them with more ease and grace. She has learned to accept that life is a mix of highs and lows, an ever-changing flow, like a river. For her, the best way forward is to follow its natural course.
Finding Strength in the Simple Moments of Motherhood
In her professional life, Wang Ziwen often leaves the impression of being strong and effortlessly in control. Yet, in her personal life, there is one challenge she admits is particularly difficult to tackle: helping her child with homework.
Her candid response draws a chuckle as she laughs and covers her face: “It’s hard—so incredibly hard. The problems all have solutions, but figuring out how to explain them clearly feels like an impossible task”. In this moment, Wang Ziwen sheds all the roles she plays on screen and reveals her true self. As a mother, she approaches life with a hands-on practicality, needing to visualize problems in order to overcome them. Recently, a simple afternoon filled her with an immense sense of strength and fulfillment. While doing routine household chores, she reflected on her son’s academic progress over the past year and her mother’s good health. In that ordinary moment, she felt her heart overflow with happiness. She realized she could confidently call herself a capable daughter and mother—without relying on anyone else to complete the picture. Wang Ziwen stood grounded, fully embracing the life she has built with her own hands.
Top, bottom, skirt, Weiraen. Silhouette dress, Buerlangma.
Wang Ziwen on Embracing Change with Grace
When asked to describe her current self, Wang Ziwen uses just three words: steadiness, awareness, and strength. As long as time moves forward and the soul continues to grow, these elements will cycle endlessly, never ceasing. What is certain is that her inner core has become more grounded and stable.
In her latest film, Gift From A Cloud, Wang Ziwen plays the role of Xiao Fan—a wife, a mother, and a woman of profound love and resilience. Within the film’s fantastical setting, she conveys the power of love and longing, themes that resonate deeply with her. This portrayal is where Wang Ziwen focuses her energy, channeling her own experiences and emotions into the character’s journey.
Every time Wang Ziwen encounters a new acting experience, she finds herself immersed in the question of how to execute it with excellence. This has become one of the most important challenges in her life today. For instance, during the underwater scenes of What The Eye Can See, she had to keep her eyes open underwater for the entire shoot—a first for her. The set was dimly lit, with only a single beam of light piercing through the water. This scene presented an unprecedented challenge.
Top, bottom, skirt, Weiraen. Silhouette dress, Buerlangma.
“The scene portrays suffocation, and I truly had to hold my breath underwater. The physical discomfort was real. It became a matter of learning how to regulate my body to deliver the performance effectively”. For Wang Ziwen, the greatest sense of accomplishment as an actor comes from the ability to “see”. Through her craft, she has learned to uncover the depth and complexity of each character. While some roles might appear similar at first glance, her performances reveal their essential differences.
“I can infuse my own traits into a character, while also learning something new from them that feeds back into my personal growth”.
Each role is a fresh journey—never repetitive, never dull—and every one of them inspires new creative energy. “I love things that are fresh, groundbreaking, adventurous. I’m always seeking to explore new styles”.
Full look, Issey Miyake.
Wang Ziwen is Growing Stronger
Compared to her early days in the industry, the most profound transformation time has brought Wang Ziwen is strength—both physical and mental. “I used to rely heavily on others and often felt insecure. Now, I’ve become my own pillar of support. I’m strong enough today to face anything that comes my way”.
Unwavering in the face of challenges, Wang Ziwen moves fluidly between diverse forms of performance, continually experimenting and pushing boundaries. Every step she’s taken in her journey has been purposeful, guiding her toward ever-expanding possibilities. Refusing to define herself narrowly as an actor, she remains grounded yet open, where each pivot becomes an exploration, and every exploration brings renewal.
Attempting to encapsulate Wang Ziwen’s current state in words feels inadequate. She prefers her work to speak on her behalf, avoiding lofty declarations.
For her, action holds far more weight than words ever could. Looking ahead, Wang Ziwen extends her reach with curiosity and courage, spreading her wings to embrace all that the future may bring. Always immersed in the vast ocean of performance, she continues to explore, evolve, and rediscover. Beyond the roles she plays, the Wang Ziwen of real life leaves behind an ellipsis—a space to pause, to wonder, to continue. What remains is the resolve to keep trying, laughing, and uncovering new facets of herself with each unfolding chapter.
Full look, Issey Miyake.
Talent: Actress Wang Ziwen @wangziwen.
Producer: Zhang Nan.
Photographer: Charles Guo.
Stylist: Zheng.
Makeup: Christopher Bu.
Hair: He Zhiguo.
Modeling: Maple.
Writer: Zhang Yunqi @estheryunki.
Agency: Firebird PR Agency@firebirdpragency.
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
