Creative Artists Agency Re-Signs ‘Lost in Thailand’ Maker Xu Zheng

The actor, director, and screenwriter rejoins CAA after leaving five years ago.

Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has re-signed one of China’s biggest recent box office rainmakers, Xu Zheng徐峥, according to people familiar with the matter.

The 44-year-old actor, director, and screenwriter is best known for his comedies Lost in Thailand and Lost in Hong Kong. Xu has also appeared in comedies by director Ning Hao, including Crazy Stone and Breakup Buddies. The two Lost films brought in more than US$450 million, and each broke domestic box office records at the time of their release.

CAA will be representing Xu in the United States exclusively, and working with him as a strategic partner in China to package his company’s own films. Xu and Ning both hold stakes in Stock Exchange of Hong Kong-listed Huanxi Media, a film financing company.

At CAA in China, Xu joins a stable that now includes actress Fan Bingbing, regularly cited as one of the world’s highest-earning actresses, and blockbuster director Feng Xiaogang. Xu had originally signed with the agency among its earliest clients in 2005, before leaving five years ago.

Originally from Shanghai, Xu graduated from the Shanghai Academy of Drama. He is married to actress and former synchronized swimmer Tao Hong.