[1][2] Zhang has always wanted to become a television announcer, yet was unsuccessful in his attempts to attend the Beijing Broadcasting Institute for various reasons.
In the same year, he was admitted to the comrades-in-arms drama troupe of the Political Department of the Beijing Military Region.
[10] In 2016, he played a secret police who was willing to fight for a better world in wuxia film Brotherhood of Blades II, and also starred in Cao Baoping's black comedy Cock and Bull, which garnered him another Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 31st Golden Rooster Awards.
[12] He then starred in action war film Operation Red Sea, which became the second-highest-grossing-film ever in China.
Zhang married Qian Linlin (钱琳琳), a hostess at the Central People's Broadcasting Station.