Chinese mainland actress Gao Yuanyuan, active on stage and screen recently, has attracted a lot of attention with her versatile acting skills.

The actress broke away from her stereotypical screen image of an innocent young woman to play a sexy and mature lady in "xXx A forbidden Love Story", the latest short film from the director of "Blood Brothers", Alexi Tan.

When asked about the reversal of image, the actress said she never makes plans in life and everything just emerges naturally.

Gao told the reporter of "Hotspot" magazine that she would not have taken up the role in "forbidden love" years before. However, it's easy to become bored if one always acts reserved. So she decided to open herself up to change.

In October, Gao Yuanyuan teamed up with actor Pu Cunxin to play Ophelia in Lin Zhaohua's new-versioned stage drama "Hamlet". Her deft and graceful performance was considered a highlight of the drama and the director praised her by saying, "A good actor does not play. And Gao Yuanyuan has the right talent."

In the 2007 documentary entitled "Nanking! Nanking!" directed by Lu Chuan, the actress played a middle school English teacher who goes through a multitude of inner struggles. Gao Yuanyuan felt she became more mature after the role.

It's about 12 years since Miss Gao entered the entertainment field. Although she didn't study drama formally, she has become an assured actress after learning her craft on the job, the article says.

The actress just celebrated her 29th birthday and looks forward to life in her 30s, saying more interesting challenges lie ahead.

In an interview with "Life Style", a newspaper that highlights fashion and showbiz industries, Gao Yuanyuan says she still believes in love, and would appreciate every short-lived romance. She says it would be difficult for her to fall in love, but if it did happen she would cherish it.

Gao was once rumoured to be the "other woman" in a love triangle involving mainland actors Xia Yu and Yuan Quan. She denied involvement when a reporter raised the question and simply replied "I think every one now knows the answer to that."

(CRI October 30, 2008)