{{Short description|Polish actress (born 1999)}} {{redirect-distinguish|Zhang Zhiyi|Zhang Ziyi{{!}}Zhang Ziyi (actress)|Zhang Ziyi (zootechnician)}} {{Infobox person | name = Maria Zhang | image = Maria Zhang GalaxyCon Raleigh 2024.jpg | caption = Zhang at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2024 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|8|8|df=y}} | birth_place = Kraków, Poland | occupation = Actress | years_active = 2018–present }}
'''Maria Zhang''' (born 8 August 1999), is a Polish actress. She appears as Suki in the 2024 live-action remake of ''Avatar: The Last Airbender''.
== Early life == Zhang was born in Poland to a Chinese father and a Polish mother.<ref name=Ito2022/><ref name=Ting2022/> Around age one, Zhang and her parents moved to Beijing, where she grew up.<ref name=Ting2022/> She spent summers with her family in rural Poland and speaks Mandarin Chinese, Polish, and English.<ref name=Ito2022/>
While in Poland at age twelve, Zhang and her sister Zofia Zhang came across a newspaper clipping of a community theater group's casting call.<ref name=Ting2022/> Later, she moved to Southern California to attend USC.<ref name=Ito2022>{{cite web|last=Ito|first=Erica|url=https://mixedasianmedia.com/actress-maria-zhang-on-finding-comfort-in-the-middle-place|title=Actress Maria Zhang on Finding Comfort in the Middle Place|work=Mixed Asian Media|date=1 August 2022|accessdate=28 September 2022|archive-date=28 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928161201/https://mixedasianmedia.com/actress-maria-zhang-on-finding-comfort-in-the-middle-place|url-status=live}}</ref> Both of Zhang's parents are artists.<ref name=Ito2022/><ref name=Ting2022>{{cite web|last=Ting|first=Christian|url=https://hyphenmagazine.com/blog/2022/07/hyphen-presents-%E2%80%9Ccreation-hyphen-original-video-series%E2%80%9D-starring-maria-zhang|title=Hyphen Presents "Creation: A Hyphen Original Video Series" Starring Maria Zhang|work=Hyphen|date=22 July 2022|accessdate=28 September 2022|archive-date=28 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928161201/https://hyphenmagazine.com/blog/2022/07/hyphen-presents-%E2%80%9Ccreation-hyphen-original-video-series%E2%80%9D-starring-maria-zhang|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Career == Zhang starred in the 2021 short film ''All I Ever Wanted''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://outfestla2022.eventive.org/films/all-i-ever-wanted-621e6eae6c158e009e3b6e80|title=All I Ever Wanted|publisher=Outfest LA LGBTQ+ Film Festival|accessdate=28 September 2022|archive-date=28 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928155412/https://outfestla2022.eventive.org/films/all-i-ever-wanted-621e6eae6c158e009e3b6e80|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was an official selection at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.<ref name=Ito2022/>
In December 2021, Zhang was cast as Suki in the Netflix's ''Avatar: The Last Airbender''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Zorilla|first=Mónica Marie|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/avatar-the-last-airbender-azula-suki-kyoshi-1235134973/|title=Netflix's 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Casts Its Azula, Suki, Avatar Kyoshi and More|work=Variety|date=16 December 2021|accessdate=28 September 2022|archive-date=18 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218055452/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/avatar-the-last-airbender-azula-suki-kyoshi-1235134973/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Rivas|first=Katie|url=https://screenrant.com/avatar-last-airbender-live-action-maria-zhang-set-image/|title=Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Image Shows Suki Actress On Set|work=Screen Rant|date=4 January 2022|accessdate=28 September 2022|archive-date=28 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928161433/https://screenrant.com/avatar-last-airbender-live-action-maria-zhang-set-image/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Thao|first=Phillippe|url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/avatar-the-last-airbender-netflix-cast-announcement|title=Fly High with the Full Cast of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'|publisher=Netflix|date=27 September 2022|accessdate=28 September 2022|archive-date=27 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927235423/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/avatar-the-last-airbender-netflix-cast-announcement|url-status=live}}</ref> Released in 2024, the series is a live-action adaptation of the original 2005 animated series.
== Filmography ==
=== Film === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- | 2018 |''Continuum'' | Dayna Hu | Short film, credited as Marysia Zhang |- | 2019 | ''Dear Mom'' | Vivian | Short film |- | 2021 | ''All I Ever Wanted'' | Jennifer | Short film |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- | 2024 | ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'' | Suki | Episode: "Warriors" |- |2025 |''The Rookie'' |Kylie Thomas |2 episodes |}
=== Web === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- | 2020 | ''WorkInProgress: A Comedy Web-Series'' | Ani Dinh | 5 episodes |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{imdbname|11251153|Maria Zhang}} * {{Instagram|mariaxzhang|Maria Zhang}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhang, Maria}} Category:1999 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Polish actresses Category:Actresses from Kraków Category:Actresses from Alameda, California Category:Polish emigrants to the United States Category:Polish film actresses Category:Polish people of Chinese descent Category:Polish television actresses Category:USC School of Dramatic Arts alumni