Xiao Zhan
BIOGRAPHY
Xiao Zhan (Chinese: 肖战), credited internationally as Sean Xiao, is a Chinese actor and singer born on 5 October 1991 in Chongqing.
He did not set out to act. He studied at the Modern International Art Design Academy of Chongqing Technology and Business University, graduating in 2014, sang in the university choir and headed its vocal music department, then worked as a photographer and graphic designer, co-founding a photography studio in 2012. He was still working in design when he joined the 2015 idol survival programme X-Fire as one of sixteen trainees, and debuted the following year as main vocalist of the group X Nine. The group released its first mini album in September 2016 and held its first concert, In My Own Name, at Shanghai Stadium in 2017.
His screen career began with supporting roles in 2018, as Beitang Moran in Oh! My Emperor and as Liu Xiuya in Battle Through the Heavens. The Untamed followed in 2019, and Wei Wuxian is the role that changed the scale of his career: fifty episodes opposite Wang Yibo, who plays Lan Wangji, adapted from Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s danmei novel Mo Dao Zu Shi. It aired on Tencent Video from 27 June to 20 August 2019 and reached international viewers through WeTV and Netflix.
He has worked steadily since. In 2019 he led the film Jade Dynasty as Zhang Xiaofan and played Yan Bingyun in Joy of Life. The Wolf (2020) gave him the lead of Ji Chong. In 2021 came Douluo Continent, in which he plays Tang San, and Ace Troops, as Gu Yiye. The Oath of Love (2022) followed with Gu Wei, then three titles in 2023: The Youth Memories as Xiao Chunsheng, The Longest Promise as Shi Ying and Sunshine by My Side as Sheng Yang. In 2025 he played Guo Jing in the film Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants, released on 29 January, then Zang Hai in the series The Legend of Zang Hai, which premiered on Youku on 18 May, and Mo Dexian in the film Gezhi Town, released on 6 December.
He has also appeared on stage, as Patient No. 5 in the play A Dream Like a Dream, which ran across several cities between 2021 and 2023.
Music has run alongside the acting. He founded his own company, XZ Studio, in September 2019.
A photography studio founder in 2012 became a Forbes China 30 Under 30 honouree in 2019.
That was also the year he founded XZ Studio and the year The Untamed aired, so a company, a breakout role and the Forbes listing all fall within twelve months.
His records in music came later and are measured in sales: a Guinness World Records recognition for the single Spotlight in 2020, and a Tencent Music physical album sales chart record for WM in 2024.
In my view the clearest thing about his career is how deliberately the roles change shape after the big one. Wei Wuxian is a wandering, playful cultivator; Ji Chong in The Wolf and Gu Wei in The Oath of Love are far more contained men. If you are coming to him from The Untamed, I would watch The Wolf next to see how much of his range sits outside that role.
PROFILE DETAILS
- Native Name
- 肖战
- Nickname
- Sean Xiao
- Born
- (Age 35)
- Birthplace
- Chongqing, China
- Western Zodiac
- Libra ♎
- Chinese Zodiac
- Goat 🐐
- Nationality
- Agency / Label
- XZ Studio (own company, founded September 2019)
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