A Chinese actor, Xia Yu is noted for his work in Chinese films and TV series'. Yu got his major breakthrough in the film industry when Jian Wen, a renowned Chinese actor, screenwriter, and director discovered his talent and cast him in his directorial venture, In the Heat of the Sun (1994). Although he got the role mainly because of his striking resemblance to Jiang, Yu's performance as a renegade youth was much appreciated by both the critics and the audience alike. The movie also won him international fame and he became the youngest actor ever to win the Best Actor Award and the Venice Film Festival.

Following his debut film, Xia Yu took a sabbatical and went to study drama at the Central Academy of Drama. After completing his studies, in his comeback film, Xia Yu starred in Shadow Magic (2000), a historical fiction film directed by Ann Hu. His other notable film credits include The Painted veil (2006), The Desire (2010), The Sino-Japanese War at Sea 1894 (2012), Crazy New Year's Eve (2015) and Birth of the Dragon, a fictional account of Bruce Lee. The movie directed by George Nolfi was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016 and released in the theaters in August 2017.

Apart from being a popular personality in the film industry, Xia Yu is also quite popular in the Chinese TV industry. Having made his debut on the small screen with a cameo appearance in Temporary Family in 1994, he subsequently starred in series' like Sky Lovers (2002), Secret History of Kangxi (2006), Shi Fu (2011), and The Standing Year (2013).