Zhou Dongyu is seen in Zhang Yimou's 2010 film "Under the Hawthorn Tree" [Photo: CFP]

"Under the Hawthorn Tree" starlet Zhou Dongyu has been hoping to polish her acting skills at China's most prestigious film school. And she will.

The 19-year-old acting newcomer will begin her college life this fall at the Beijing Film Academy, the school's president Zhang Huijun confirmed to Chinese media earlier this week.

A hotbed for Chinese film talent, the Beijing Film Academy has cultivated generations of actors and directors who later became the backbone of the nation's film industry. Famous alumni include directors Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige and Jia Zhangke, as well as acting stars Zhao Wei, Chen Kun and Huang Xiaoming.

Zhou Dongyu was cast last year as the female lead in Zhang Yimou's drama film "Under the Hawthorn Tree". At the time, she was in her final year in high school, and her original plan was to become a dancer.

Zhou reportedly didn't take last year's college entrance exam so she could complete her part in Zhang's film. The film, released in September, brought the first-time actress overnight fame.

Since Zhou applied to the Beijing Film Academy earlier this year, the media have closely followed her progress. The school's admission process is one of the nation's most competitive, and the admission success rate is one of the lowest. For the acting major, the entrance exams cover both acting and academic subjects.

Zhang Huijun, the school's president, said that while Zhou's academic results were not as good as her acting scores, she had been born with a gift for acting.

After "Under the Hawthorn Tree", Zhou starred in "The Road of Exploring", playing Mao Zedong's wife, Yang Kaihui.

Her next project will be a tragic love story in which she will co-star alongside actor Aarif Lee.

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