Jonathan Kos-Read (born 1973), also known as Cao Cao (), is an American film and television actor who has worked mostly in
China. While well known in China, his work is little-known in the United States. Kos-Read uses the stage name
Cao Cao
Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate Grand chancellor (China), grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the End of ...
, which is also the name of the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
, a historical figure well-known to most Chinese people.
Early life and education
Kos-Read was born in
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is part of what is known as the South Bay region of the metropolitan area. Torrance has of beachfront on the Pacific Oc ...
, in 1973.
He attended the film and acting schools of
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, ...
, but completed his university career there studying molecular biology.
Kos-Read began studying Mandarin Chinese at New York University, and re-located to China in 1997.
His first acting role was in 1999.
Career
Kos-Read's roles have included: Kevin White in ''
Princess Der Ling
Lizzie Yu Der Ling ( zh, t=裕德齡, w=Yü Tê-ling, p=Yù Délíng; 8 June 188122 November 1944), better known as "Princess" Der Ling, and also known as Elisabeth Antoinette White after her marriage to Thaddeus C. White, was a Hanjun bannerwom ...
'' (2006), a cameo in ''
Fit Lover'' (2008, also starring
Nie Bing), Babi in ''My Fair Gentleman'' (2009, co-starring
Kelly Lin
Kelly Lin or Lin Hsi-Lei () is a Taiwanese actress and model who has appeared mainly in Hong Kong films.
Biography
Lin was born in Taiwan in 1973. She moved to Santa Barbara, California with her family at the age of 12. She graduated from the U ...
and
Sun Honglei
Sun Honglei (; born 16 August 1970) is a Chinese actor.
Early life
Sun was born in Harbin, Heilongjiang, on 16 August 1970. Sun developed an interest in acting and performances at a young age. He often skipped school to learn breakdancing on th ...
), Pastor Landdeck in ''
Empire of Silver'' (2009, also starring
Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok Fu-shing (born 26 October 1965) is a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor. Active since the 1980s, Kwok is known as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" of Hong Kong pop music. Dubbed the "God of Dance", Kwok's onstage dancing is influenc ...
and Jennifer Tilly), Mark in ''Mojin: The Lost Legend'' (2015) and Alexander Cunningham in ''Xuanzang (film), Xuanzang'' (2016). Kos-Read has also been featured on ''Here Comes Cao Cao'', a reality program about his life broadcast on Beijing Television.
The title of the show was a reference to the Chinese proverb "Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao will be there" ("说曹操曹操就到"), roughly equivalent to the English saying, "Speak of the devil." He has starred in more than 75 productions. As a Caucasian who is fully fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Kos-Read frequently appears as the foreign love interest or villain, in roles that sometimes present stereotypical images of non-Chinese people.
In 2009, he also appeared on stage with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra in a Mandarin-language version of the orchestra's multi-media concert piece "The Galileo Project: Music of the Spheres," in performances in Kuala Lumpur and Beijing. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Kos-Read was one of those chosen to carry the Olympic torch on its way to the Olympic Stadium.
Kos-Read had a successful career as a male model.
In 2021, Kos-Read published his first novel, ''The Eunuch'', a mystery set in Imperial China.
Personal life
Kos-Read is married to a Chinese citizen, Li Zhiyin, with whom he has two daughters, Roxanne and Persephone.
While continuing to work in the Chinese film industry, he has relocated to Barcelona, Spain with his family.
References
Further reading
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External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kos-Read, Jonathan
1973 births
American male actors
Living people
People from Torrance, California
American expatriates in China
American expatriates in Spain