Liu Ye's acting talents were apparent right from his first movie, Postman in the Mountains, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at China's 1999 Golden Rooster Awards. Shortly after his graduation from Central Academy of Drama, Liu Ye won Best Actor at Taiwan's 38th Golden Horse Awards for his bold and splendid performance as a gentle, sensitive homosexual in the movie Lan Yu in 2001. Three years later, he clinched Best Actor with his role in the movie Foliage at the 24th Golden Rooster Awards. His first U.S. movie Dark Matter, co-starring Meryl Streep and Aiden Quinn, won the Alfred Sloan Award at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. His performance as a resistance fighter in his latest epic film City of Life and Death received unanimous critical acclaim. The film won the 2009 Golden Seashell Award.

Instead of making use of his good physical appearance to become a teeny idol, Liu Ye has chosen the tough path of continuously challenging himself by taking on difficult roles. From simple, honest, and down-to-earth "peasant-like" roles, introvert and melancholic persona, to manly and Casanova roles, Liu Ye has convinced not only the audience, but also well-established international directors, of his remarkable acting skills.