Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

By Nhu Anh   December 13, 2025 | 06:54 pm PT
Film star Gong Li, 60, and her husband, 77-year-old composer Jean-Michel Jarre, have shared affectionate moments from their winter stay in Beijing, drawing warm reactions on social media.
Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

Photos posted on Jarre’s Weibo show the couple strolling, playing and embracing on winter streets.

Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

Gong is seen showing her husband around well-known landmarks and scenic sites in the Chinese capital.

Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

Jarre first visited China in 1981 for his debut performance in the country, and returned in 2004 to stage a concert at Beijing’s Forbidden City. He later described the experience as “overwhelming,” citing the way music blended with the historic setting.

Returning to Beijing in the winter of 2025, he said the sense of awe he felt more than two decades ago came rushing back.

Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

He added that being alongside his life partner made the experience feel all the more meaningful.

The couple is now mainly based in France.

Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

Images of the pair’s public displays of affection drew praise from netizens.

“They look like young lovers, you wouldn’t guess their ages,” one Weibo user commented.

Others described the photos as “beautiful and warm,” with some saying the couple captured “the spirit of love in their 20s.”

Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

Gong and Jarre began dating in 2017 and have not disclosed when they officially registered their marriage. A pioneer of electronic music, Jarre was named People magazine’s Person of the Year in 1977, and an asteroid has been named after him.

Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

Gong often accompanies Jarre on tour, assisting with photography and supporting him during performances. Jarre has frequently expressed admiration for his wife.

In a 2022 interview with The Independent, Jarre said he felt happy and fortunate to be married to the Chinese-born actress.

I am very lucky. I have an excellent relationship with my partner,” he said. “We have been together seven years, she is an extraordinary person.

Chinese-born film icon Gong Li and French husband share affectionate winter moments

Born in Shenyang in northeast China, Gong enrolled at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing and graduated in 1989. While still a student, she was discovered by director Zhang Yimou and made her film debut in “Red Sorghum,” which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and propelled her to international prominence.

Over her career, Gong has starred in three of the four Chinese-language films nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film: Zhang Yimou’s “Ju Dou” and “Raise the Red Lantern,” and Chen Kaige’s “Farewell My Concubine.”

According to The Straits Times, Gong married Singaporean tycoon Ooi Hoe Seong in 1996 and was granted Singapore citizenship in 2008. Media reports in late 2021 suggested she was in the process of renouncing that citizenship.

Photos from Jean-Michel Jarre's Weibo

 
 
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