"Speak of the devil"
Cao Cao was a well-known historical figure in ancient China. His stories have been made into many widely cited idioms, such as "Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao will be there," which is equivalent to the English saying "Speak of the devil."
As a result, benefiting from the same name, Jonathan Kos-Read has become a celebrity, too.
While little-known in the US, his native country, Cao Cao is probably the most famous foreigner in China following Mark Rowswell (Dashan), a freelance Canadian performer in China who speaks fluent Chinese.
Since moving to Beijing in 1997 after majoring in acting, film, and molecular biology at New York University, Cao Cao has acted in leading roles in over 25 prime-time Chinese TV shows and films, and starred in more than 50 soap operas.
"Cao Cao is a Californian. But he speaks Chinese with a local Beijing dialect, more standard than me," said Sun Zhiqiang, a director.
Sun added that Cao Cao is an ambitious guy. Besides acting, he also wants to be a screenwriter and director.
Speaking of the reason he came to China, Cao Cao once said that "If I were in Los Angeles, I'd be waiting tables. I'm not the best actor in the world, and I'm not the best looking man either. In LA, there are a thousand guys like me. But over here (in China), I fill a niche."
