Ethan Juan

Ethan Juan
Ethan Juan in 2023
Born
Ruan Ching-tien

(1982-11-08) 8 November 1982 (age 42)
NationalityTaiwanese
Other namesEthan Ruan
Ruan Jing-tian
Alma materHsing Wu University
Occupations
Years active2002–present
AwardsGolden Horse Awards – Best Leading Actor
2010 Monga

Chinese name
Traditional Chinese阮經天
Simplified Chinese阮经天
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinRuǎn Jīngtiān
Southern Min
Hokkien POJŃg Keng-thian

Ethan Juan (traditional Chinese: 阮經天; simplified Chinese: 阮经天; pinyin: Ruǎn Jīngtiān; Wade–Giles: Juan Ching-t'ien; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ńg Keng-thian, born 8 November 1982) is a Taiwanese actor and model. He gained popularity in idol dramas Green Forest, My Home (2005), Wayward Kenting (2007), Fated to Love You (2008) and My Queen (2009) and had a frequent collaboration with Doze Niu, who directed Monga (2010), earning Juan the 47th Golden Horse Award for Best Actor. In the 2010s, Juan shifted his career to mainland China, where he achieved modest success until he starred in Taiwanese film The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon (2023), which was a surprise hit in China.

Early life

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Juan was born in a military dependents' village in Taichung, Taiwan, to a military family with their ancestral roots in Zhejiang. His father was a soldier, his mother a military nurse, and his younger brother an air force pilot. Before fourth grade, Juan was raised by his grandparents. His grandfather, a seasoned veteran, transitioned from military service to a civilian role as the secretary of the board of directors at China Medical University. His grandmother was a homemaker. Due to his father's fiery character, Juan's parents split when he was in primary school (and officially divorced in 2021). He followed his mother, who then opened a red tea shop to support their livelihood.

As a competitive swimmer in his early years, Juan's numerous achievements and awards (including first place at the Taichung City Duathlon) gained him admission into the prestigious Taichung First Senior High School. However, due to his rebellious streak, he dropped out and, after being transferred and expelled from five different high schools, eventually graduated from the night school of Taichung's Shin Min High School after five years of high school. Thereafter, Juan attended the China University of Technology in Taipei but dropped out. He then attended the Hsing Wu University from 2004, majoring in tourism for over 6 years. After controversy emerged over his allegedly deliberate evasion of the military service by delaying graduation, he left before graduation to serve one year of alternative service at the Ministry of Education in lieu of military service from 2012 to 2013.[1]

Career

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In 2002, when he accompanied a friend to an audition, he was chosen for his first showbiz gig in Penny Tai's music video for "Once Fell In Love" (愛過), after which he signed up with model agency Catwalk Entertainment.[2] He then appeared in a series of music videos for popular artists such as Faye Wong, Stefanie Sun, A-Mei and S.H.E.

Ruan made his acting debut in the 2004 TV drama Michael the Archangel, where he plays the role of a talented but moody dancer with an eerie and feminine aura. His performance caught the attention of director Doze Niu, who would become his mentor. Juan had his first breakthrough in Green Forest, My Home (2005) but his subsequent roles in Hanazakarino Kimitachihe (2006) and Summer x Summer (2006) were not outstanding.[3][2] It wasn't until 2007, when Juan starred in Doze Niu's idol drama Wayward Kenting (2007) that his acting began to receive positive notices. Since then, Juan started a long-time collaboration with Niu and became known as one of Niu's "Four Disciples", along with Eddie Peng, Li Wei, and Ryan Tang.

Ruan had a breakout success for Fated to Love You (2008), the highest rated Taiwanese idol drama ever.[4][2] This was followed by another hit drama, My Queen, in 2009.[5] In 2010, Juan won the Best Leading Actor award at the 47th Golden Horse Awards for his role in Doze Niu's gangster film Monga, making him the youngest actor ever to receive the honor.[6] He subsequently extended his career to mainland China, starring in romance film Love (2012) directed by Niu and wuxia film The Guillotines (2012) directed by Andrew Lau.[7]

In 2012, Juan served one year of alternative service at the Ministry of Education in lieu of military service due to his flat feet (a recognized medical condition) in Taiwan, and was discharged on January 11, 2013.[8] During his post at the Ministry of Education, he received a monthly salary of NT$9,955.[9] After the service, on 5 March 2013, Juan announced that he will be opening a talent management agency (together with Doze Niu and Lee Lieh).[10] He reunited with Doze Niu in the military film Paradise in Service (2014), which earned him a nomination at the Asian Film Awards for Best Actor.[11][12] In 2017, Juan returned to the small screen with the tomb-raiding drama The Weasel Grave.[13] The same year, he played the role of a psychotic killer in the crime suspense film The Liquidator.[14] In 2018, Juan starred in the fantasy adventure drama Legend of Fuyao alongside Yang Mi.[15] In 2023, Juan enjoyed a career revival for his role in the sleeper hit action thriller The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon.

Personal life

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Upon entering showbiz, Ethan Juan began a relationship with his then-manager, Chang Te Lin, who is 12 years his senior, until he fell for his Green Forest, My Home co-star Esther Liu in 2005. Their relationship was opposed by Liu's agency, leading him back to Chang. From 2006 to 2007, Juan dated Joanna Shao, a wealthy woman four years his senior who he met at a nightclub. In 2008, Shao revealed Juan's sexual preferences to a gossip magazine and claimed that he had been seeing her and Tiffany Hsu at the same time for nearly a month.[16][17]

In 2007, the relationship between Juan and Tiffany Hsu was made public by paparazzi photographs of them on a beach date in Kenting. In 2010, Juan was caught in a hotel with another woman. After the news broke, Hsu changed her relationship status on Facebook from "in a stable relationship" to "complicated". In March 2015, Juan was rumored to be in a relationship with Zhou Dongyu. He denied the rumors but admitted to temporarily separating from Hsu. Zhou responded to the rumor on Weibo, "Fake."[18] In October, Apple Daily reported that Juan and Hsu had ended their eight-year relationship due to Juan's affair with a married Chinese actress with children. Juan denied the affair.[19]

Juan was rumored to be in a relationship with Song Zu'er in 2019 and broke up at the end of 2020, although both parties denied it.[20] In February 2022, Juan posted a photo with a woman on his Instagram story and admitted to dating an office worker. They broke up five months later.[21]

Filmography

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Film

[edit]
Year English title Original title Role Notes
2007 Exit No. 6 六号出口 Vance [22]
Brotherhood of Legio 神选者 Ah Jian [23]
2008 Orz Boyz 囧男孩 Scammer Cameo
2009 New Boy Jiali 男生贾里新传 Teacher Cha Cameo
L-O-V-E 爱到底 Xiao Tian Segment "Lucky" (三声有幸)[24]
2010 Monga 艋舺 Monk (He Tianyou) [25]
2012 Love 爱love Xiao Kuan [26]
The Guillotines 血滴子 Team Leader Cold [27]
2014 Paradise in Service 军中乐园 Xiao Bao
2015 The Unbearable Lightness of Inspector Fan 暴走神探 Fan Ruyi [28]
The Assassin 刺客聂隐 Xia Jing [29]
Cities in Love 恋爱中的城市 Xiao Mai [30]
2016 Kill Time 谋杀似水年华 Qiu Shou [31]
New York New York 纽约纽约 Lu Tu [32]
Never Said Goodbye 谎言西西里 Tian Bo [33]
2017 The Liquidator 心理罪之城市之光 Jiang Ya
2018 Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings 狄仁杰之四大天王 Yuan Ce [34]
2019 The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang 神探蒲松龄之兰若仙踪 [35]
The Eight Hundred 八佰 [36]
2022 The Abandoned 查無此心 Lin You-sheng
2023 Be With Me 車頂上的玄天上帝 Mr. Yu
The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon 周處除三害 Chen Kui-lin

Television series

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Year English title Original title Role Notes
2004 Michael the Archangel's Dance 米迦勒之舞 Ghost
2005 Green Forest, My Home 绿光森林 Owen
2006 Hanazakarino Kimitachihe 花样少年少女 Shen Le [37]
2007 Summer x Summer 热情仲夏 Qiao Shan
Wayward Kenting 我在垦丁天气晴 Shao Nan [38]
2008 Fated to Love You 命中注定我愛你 Ji Cunxi
Invincible Shan Bao Mei 无敌珊宝妹 Ji Cunxi Cameo
2009 My Queen 敗犬女王 Lucas
2017 The Weasel Grave 鬼吹灯之黄皮子坟 Hu Bayi Web series
2018 Legend of Fuyao 扶摇 Zhangsun Wuji
2019 Love in a Fallen City 一身孤注掷温柔 Yu Haoting [39]
2020 Cupid's Kitchen 舌尖上的心跳 Jiang Qianfan [40]

Variety show

[edit]
Year English title Original title Role Notes
2015-2016 The Great Challenge 了不起的挑战 Cast member [41]
2016 Date ! Super Star 約吧!大明星 [42]

Discography

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Year English title Original title Album Notes
2003 "Riverside Park" 河濱公園 Super Star with Selina Jen & Hebe Tien
2005 "Brave Happiness" 勇敢的幸福 Green Forest, My Home OST
"Three Words" 三个字
2008 "It's Quiet Now" 安静了 FM S.H.E with Selina Jen
2009 "No If" 沒有如果 Fall in Love & Songs with Fish Leong
2010 "Bravely Love" 勇敢爱
"Tonight Tonight" Monga OST
"Once"
2012 "Those Were the Days" 友情岁月 The Guillotines OST with Huang Xiaoming & Shawn Yue

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2010 47th Golden Horse Awards Best Leading Actor Monga Won
54th Asia-Pacific Film Festival Best Actor Nominated
12th Taipei Film Awards Best Actor Nominated
2011 5th Asian Film Awards Best Actor Nominated
2015 9th Asian Film Awards Paradise in Service Nominated
2016 8th Macau International Movie Festival Best Supporting Actor Never Said Goodbye Nominated
2018 24th Huading Awards Best Actor (Ancient Drama)[43] Legend of Fuyao Nominated
2023 60th Golden Horse Awards Best Leading Actor The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon Nominated
2024 5th Taiwan Film Critics Society Awards[44] Best Actor Won
26th Taipei Film Awards[45] Best Actor Won

References

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  1. ^ "阮经天入伍服兵役 片方证实他将缺席新片宣传(图)-中新网". www.chinanews.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  2. ^ a b c "阮经天星路历程盘点:从偶像剧龙套到男一号". Tencent (in Chinese). November 16, 2010.
  3. ^ "阮经天《绿光森林》演出 跪在车顶拍摄". Sina (in Chinese). October 8, 2005.
  4. ^ "《命中注定我爱你》大结局 男女主角抱BB捧新戏". Tencent (in Chinese). February 26, 2008.
  5. ^ "阮经天《败犬女王》告白戏飙升收视 吃草莓庆功". Sina (in Chinese). March 31, 2009.
  6. ^ "Ethan Juan gets Golden Horse Best Actor award". The China Post. November 21, 2010.
  7. ^ "赵又廷阮经天彭于晏柯震东领衔台湾电影新天王". Mtime (in Chinese). December 26, 2011. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  8. ^ "Ethan Ruan enlists for military service". MSN. February 1, 2012. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  9. ^ "Ethan Ruan to receive monthly pay of S$428". MSN. March 6, 2012. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  10. ^ "阮经天宣布自立门户 与钮承泽等人合办公司". China News (in Chinese). March 6, 2013.
  11. ^ "Ethan Juan took on role in Paradise In Service to understand his grandfather better". The Straits Times. 27 October 2014.
  12. ^ "9th Asian Film Awards Nominees Announced". Taipei Film Commission. 25 February 2015. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  13. ^ "《鬼吹灯之黄皮子坟》开播 阮经天塑造痞气胡八一". People's Daily (in Chinese). July 26, 2017. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  14. ^ "阮经天演变态杀手"蛮讨厌的" 电影《心理罪之城市之光》再曝特辑". Mtime (in Chinese). December 7, 2017. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  15. ^ "《扶摇》高燃定档0618 杨幂阮经天热血不负赤子初心". Netease (in Chinese). June 11, 2018.
  16. ^ "阮经天被旧爱曝性癖好 女友许玮宁不在意(组图)_影音娱乐_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  17. ^ "阮经天与交往8年女友情变 前女友曾称其是"劈腿男"". www.chinanews.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  18. ^ sina_mobile (2010-05-21). "阮经天被曝夺女星初夜 邱瓈宽叹"听说"害死人". ent.sina.cn. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  19. ^ "阮经天与许玮宁相恋时劈腿H女星? 否认:太扯(图)-中国新闻网". www.chinanews.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  20. ^ 娛樂組 (2021-07-17). "【全文】叔姪戀一度復活 阮經天情斷小16歲宋祖兒". 鏡週刊 Mirror Media (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  21. ^ 早报数码. "认爱5个月阮经天与圈外女友分手 | 联合早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  22. ^ "彭于晏、阮經天初登大螢幕 「六號出口」受矚目". TVBS (in Chinese). June 2, 2006.
  23. ^ "蓝正龙关颖电影《神选者》开机". Sina (in Chinese). September 30, 2006.
  24. ^ "《爱到底》上演断背情 阮经天偷吻范逸臣". Mtime (in Chinese). December 12, 2008. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  25. ^ "《艋舺》曝新海报 阮经天赵又廷演热血古惑仔". Mtime (in Chinese). December 16, 2009. Archived from the original on September 24, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  26. ^ "阮经天演绎口吃处男 《LOVE》中勇敢追爱舒淇". ifeng (in Chinese). February 7, 2012.
  27. ^ "黄晓明阮经天合拍《血滴子》 力破不和传言". Mtime (in Chinese). February 25, 2011. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  28. ^ "'Unbearable Lightness of Inspector Fan' premieres". China.org.cn. January 13, 2015.
  29. ^ "《刺客聂隐娘》阮经天挑战打戏武将风范". Sina (in Chinese). August 29, 2015.
  30. ^ "《恋爱中的城市》发"我爱你"特辑 白百何阮经天杨幂郑开元情侣集体告白". Mtime (in Chinese). August 11, 2015.
  31. ^ "Angelababy Co-stars Ethan Ruan in Kill Time". China.org.cn. January 13, 2016.[dead link]
  32. ^ "Film review: New York New York – Ethan Ruan and Du Juan as Chinese lovers doomed by American dream". South China Morning Post. June 9, 2016.
  33. ^ "《谎言西西里》展现奇妙三角关系 阮经天新剧照曝光 李准基周冬雨演绎甜蜜". Mtime (in Chinese). July 13, 2016. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  34. ^ "徐克《狄仁杰之四大天王》曝全阵容角色海报". Mtime (in Chinese). May 3, 2018.
  35. ^ "成龙领衔《神探蒲松龄》发概念海报 搭档阮经天钟楚曦 全新演绎《聊斋志异》". Mtime (in Chinese). January 17, 2018. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  36. ^ "《八佰》杜淳演谢晋元&姚晨饰何香凝 导演管虎:没有番位,只有番号". Mtime (in Chinese). March 8, 2019. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  37. ^ "《花样少年少女》安徽热播 阮经天挑衅吴尊". Netease (in Chinese). January 26, 2011.
  38. ^ "阮经天《我在垦丁天气晴》内地清新首播(图)". Sina (in Chinese). December 24, 2008. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  39. ^ "《一身孤注掷温柔》开机 阮经天祝绪丹首搭CP". Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese). June 19, 2018. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018.
  40. ^ "《舌尖上的心跳》开机 阮经天宋祖儿演绎美食与爱". Sina (in Chinese). 28 May 2019.
  41. ^ "《了不起》感恩特辑 阮经天助力圆梦传递爱". Netease (in Chinese). March 21, 2016.
  42. ^ "谢涤葵加盟《约吧!大明星》 阮经天黄景瑜上线". Tencent (in Chinese). March 8, 2016.
  43. ^ "华鼎奖提名公布 《和平饭店》《归去来》闪耀榜单". Netease (in Chinese). October 22, 2018.
  44. ^ "阮經天、陳意涵台灣影評人協會獎稱帝后 《老狐狸》橫掃4獎" [Ethan Juan and Chen Yihan won the Taiwan Film Critics Association Awards and "Old Fox" swept 4 awards]. Yahoo News Taiwan (in Chinese (Taiwan)). April 23, 2024. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024.
  45. ^ "2024台北電影獎得獎名單!阮經天《周處除三害》奪下影帝" [2024 Taipei Film Awards winners list! Ethan Ruan won the Best Actor Award for "Zhou Chu Eliminates Three Evils"]. Marie Claire Taiwan (in Chinese (Taiwan)). July 7, 2024. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024.
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