About

Net Worth

Article

William Gao

actor, singer

Profession

Age

191

Height (cm)

February 20, 2003

Birthday

Croydon, England

Current Location

Croydon, England

Birthplace

Trinity School, Croydon

School

William Gao

Real Name

2.3M

Short About

William Gao is a rising British actor and singer, acclaimed for his role as Tao Xu in the hit Netflix series "Heartstopper". With a background in theatre and music, he's also part of the Wasia Project, a musical duo with his sister Olivia.

Did you know?

Line art drawing of a man representing William Gao, showcasing his multicultural heritage

Born in Croydon, England, Gao grew up in a multicultural family with Chinese and English roots.

Line art drawing of a brother and sister, representing William Gao and Olivia, as the Wasia Project duo

Gao and his younger sister, Olivia, formed the Wasia Project musical duo in 2018.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, in a theater setting

He joined the National Youth Theatre at age 16, following his father's passion for theater.

Line art drawing of a young boy, representing William Gao, performing in an opera

Gao performed in Benjamin Britten's opera 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' at 12.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, receiving guidance from his mother

Gao's mother instilled the values of hard work and perseverance in him.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, singing into a microphone

He began his singing career with singles like 'Misfit Biscuit' and 'U Deserve.'

Line art drawing of a man, representing William Gao as Tao Xu, in a scene from 'Heartstopper'

Gao made his on-screen debut as Tao Xu in the Netflix series 'Heartstopper' in April 2022.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, being scouted for modeling at a train station

Scouted for modeling at East Croydon Station, Gao signed with the Curtis Brown Group for acting representation.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, playing the piano

He is a trained pianist and has performed with professional boys choirs and in operas.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, holding his dog Jessie

Gao has a dog named Jessie and enjoys sharing her photos on Instagram.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, using a phone

He is not very active online, despite having many Instagram followers.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, admiring abstract art

He is a fan of abstract art and often shares his appreciation on social media.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, listening to music

Gao's musical influences growing up included ABBA, Queen, The Beatles, Bee Gees, and Carpenters.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, dreaming of a collaboration with Mitski

He aspires to collaborate with his favorite artist Mitski

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, feeling nervous before a performance

He experiences pre-gig nervousness, whereas his sister keeps a calm demeanor.

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, combining his passions for music and acting

Gao aims to integrate his passions for music and acting in future projects.

Net Worth

Estimated Net Worth:500K - 1 Million

Line art drawing of a young man, representing William Gao, with a trendy haircut. He's gripping a microphone and a script, symbolizing his dual career in music and acting, while back to back with a fashion model, suggesting his modeling endeavors.

Gao's highly successful role as Tao Xu in Netflix's Heartstopper, in addition to his music gigs in the Wasia Project, place his net worth in the 500K - 1 million range.

William Gao Biography

Line art drawing of a boy, representing William Gao, with mixed Chinese and English features, holding a theater script in front of the Trinity School emblem, against a white backdrop.

Early Life

Born in Croydon to a British father and a Chinese mother, William Gao grew up in a culture-rich household. His father, a theater actor, helped him develop his artistic sense, often taking him to the theater. While his mother encouraged him to persist when things became challenging, frequently reminding him to "Keep at it."

The Wasia Project

In addition to acting, Gao is a classically trained pianist, while his sister Olivia is a violinist. Together, they have formed the Wasia Project, an alt-pop and jazz band. They released their first single, "Why Don't You Love Me," in 2019 and their first EP, "How Can I Pretend," in 2022. In 2023, they released the singles "Petals On the Moon," "My Lover is Sleeping," and "Remember When."

Line art portrait of a young man, representing William Gao as Tao Xu from 'Heartstopper', with a look of gentle introspection, with the show's title 'Heartstopper' faintly overlaying the image on a white background.

Screen Debut in Netflix's Heartstopper

Gao's screen debut came through National Youth Theater in Netflix's Heartstopper. His acting as Tao Xu captivated the hearts of many fans and earned him a nomination for Emmy's Children/Family Awards for Outstanding Supporting Performance in 2022.

Line art drawing of a man, epitomizing William Gao, looking with optimism to the future, surrounded by musical notes and theatrical masks, illustrating his twin passions, on a white canvas.

Influences and Opinions

Despite his rising popularity, Gao tries to stay disconnected from social media and grounded in physical experience as much as possible. The awe he felt in childhood while attending the theater, the opera, and musical performances continues to influence him. Seeing the world of music and acting as closely interlinked, Gao has expressed how his ideas in music often came as if from nothing or by emotion, whereas he had to bring his feelings to the character while acting.