Who portrayed Emperor Puyi in the 1987 film 'The Last Emperor'?

John Lone portrayed Emperor Puyi in the 1987 film The Last Emperor.

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, the film follows Puyi from his installation as China’s final Qing emperor in 1908 through his loss of power, imprisonment, and later life as a private citizen. Lone plays Puyi through much of his adult life, including his years as the nominal ruler of Manchukuo, the Japanese-controlled state in Manchuria.

The movie was adapted partly from Puyi’s autobiography and became an international landmark. It was the first Western feature film authorized to shoot inside Beijing’s Forbidden City, the former imperial palace. The production also used younger actors for Puyi’s childhood years, but John Lone is the canonical answer because he plays the central adult version of the character.

A common mix-up is Peter O’Toole, who appears in the film as Reginald Johnston, Puyi’s Scottish tutor. The Last Emperor won all nine Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Picture and Best Director.