Guli Nazha

Guli Nazha is not a conventional name in the Beijing film industry. Her face, with Uyghur features, broke the mold of traditional Han beauty from the moment she set foot at the Beijing Film Academy in 2011.

The release of Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky in 2012 put her at the center of the media spotlight. She was barely twenty years old and already carried the weight of a massive prime-time production.

The industry quickly devoured her.

Because early success in China often comes with fierce scrutiny on social media. For years, critics focused more on her personal life than on her acting ability. Her public image was caught up in romantic controversies that nearly overshadowed her work in front of the camera.

But in 2017, she decided to change course with City of Rock. In this musical comedy, she played a rebellious bassist and made audiences forget, for a moment, her image as a high-fashion model.

It was her first real taste of critical respect.

The Stigma of Visual Perfection

Shooting action films demands a physical endurance that Nazha began building in 2013 with Police Story 2013. There, she shared the set with Jackie Chan and realized that the international market demanded more than a symmetrical face.

The film grossed more than 500 million yuan and opened the door to projects where physical effort was the norm. So she began taking on one role after another in fantasy dramas where wire work and sword choreography were part of everyday life.

Technique won out over aesthetics.

In 2021, she starred in Dancing in the Storm (a espionage thriller that marked a shift toward more contemporary, darker storytelling). But it was her return to period dramas that kept her relevant on streaming platforms.

A return to her roots in 2024

Filming A Legend in 2024 marked her reunion with the landscapes of Xinjiang. This martial arts superproduction used artificial intelligence technology to make the lead actors look younger, but Nazha provided the real physical presence in the on-location stunt sequences.

Filming under extreme weather conditions truly tested the logistics of a crew that mobilized more than five hundred extras. The actress had to shoot horseback scenes across high-altitude plains, reviving a skill she had already shown in the early years of her career.

In 2024, her schedule also included the historical drama The Legend of Roselle. The production faced delays due to the complexity of the costumes and the digital recreation of ancient architecture.

The contract for promoting luxury brands in 2024 was closed with an exclusivity clause that limits her appearances on national television until the end of 2025.