Joined the People's Liberation Army in 1970 and served as an actor of the Fuzhou Military Region Repertory Theatre. In 1975, director of Beijing Film Studio Shui Hua selected Zhu Shimao as Fu Hailong in the film "Children of Xisha".

From then on into the film industry. In 1983, he was officially transferred to the August 1st Film Studios. Before entering the Bayi Factory, Xie Jin chose Zhu Shimao to play the actor Xu Lingzhang when he directed "Wrangler".