The 2014 drama year in C-ent didn’t just end with hilarious Cleavage-gate around The Empress of China, the much dreaded Yu Zheng adaptation of Return of the Condor Heroes (English drama title of this version is called Romance of the Condor Heroes) arrived and promptly confirmed the validity behind all the casting hullabaloo last year over Michelle Chen being cast as Xiaolongnu, the C-literary world’s undisputed “most beautiful woman in the entire wuxia world“. Even the few “wait-and-see” folks find it hard to claim Michelle was rightly cast for the role once the actual drama has now hit the airwaves and the miscasting is front and center.
Reportedly the entire drama is a hot mess so terribly written and directed it defies description, most of which comes from Yu Zheng rewriting characters and events, but also from Michelle standing out like a sore thumb with her visuals and acting interpretation, turning cool lissome Xiaolongnu into an aegyo-prone giggly teenager. The media and netizens are having a field day digging into what makes her so wrong for the role, compounded by Yu Zheng packing the rest of the drama cast with a veritable eye-popping collection of C-actresses who all exhibit the classical Chinese beauty that Michelle’s style doesn’t convey. Whatever Michelle wanted to do in picking a challenging different role, she maybe wasn’t signing up to be thus trolled by Yu Zheng in her supporting and cameo actresses.
I wrote about this drama casting and filming last year and shared my opinion then, so take this post as a conclusion to that saga now that the drama has aired. I did watch one episode and laughed so hard I snorted tea up my nose. It’s not just Michelle that is bad, handsome sparkling Chen Xiao as Yang Guo is also a ridiculous joke even if he has the looks to pull off the character’s visuals. The C-media and netizens are all laugh-watching the drama and laughing at it, with weekly updates about which new supporting or cameo actress has arrived onscreen to outshine Michelle yet again.
I would feel bad for Michelle except she accepted the role knowing what the literary requirements were for portraying the character. The consensus isn’t that she’s ugly or objectively unattractive, the feedback remains that Michelle’s looks and aura are normatively not suited to be Xiaolongnu, much like C-fans also think renowned C-actress beauty Fan Bing Bing (currently the busty Empress of China) would also be wholly miscast as Xiaolongnu. Check out all the other ladies in Condor Heroes 2014 to see what stable of beauties Yu Zheng surrounded Michelle with.
Zhang Xin Yu as Li Mo Chou.
Yang Rong in her cameo as Mei Chao Feng.
Tong Xuan in her cameo as Lin Chao Ying, founder of the Ancient Tomb Sect.
Zhao Li Ying’s cameo as Yang Guo’s mommy Mu Nian Ci.
DId Yu Zheng intentionally miscast Michelle Chen as Xianglongnu, then compound the miscasting by surrounding her with gorgeous supporting and cameo actresses, in order to garner negative attention for the drama as a selling point? It sure looks like it.
So this is the drama trolly producer Yu Zheng recently praised as better than Goblin…
So the most recent casting for this drama is now confirmed as the final selection…
So there is a popularity award in both the film and the television sections of…
I have such a soft spot for C-actress Yang Mi and it just makes me…
So Queen of Tears was filmed in 2023 and wrapped awhile ago so it's not…
I think viewers are being either honest or stingy with their votes but the latest…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
why do they kept on remaking this story?nyway i really love michelle chen i you are the apple of my eyes..and she really looked so young in that film..I hope she can choose much better films...
who is that girl below viann zhang ( on the right) in the first photo>
That's young actress Zhang Xue Ying, she plays Guo Xiang in this RoCH version.
i really love return of the condor heroes, it's the firstchinese drama that i watch, for me yang guo is forever andy lau n the lady is her partnert in that drama i don't know her name, i couldn't see another cast
I think her name is Idy Chan. So long ago but I think she was ethereal too! Very very beautiful in her hey day.
There were comments about it last year saying that Michelle Chen was locked in as XLN, as her company funded the drama production. If true, maybe casting all these actresses exhibiting the classic Chinese beauty, is a subtle or underhanded form of revenge or opposition. hehehe :)
I won't say she's objectively unattractive, but she's not attractive either. The thing is for this particular role you definitely have to look ethereally pretty. And considering that the previous XLN is Crystal Liu, people are definitely going to make comparisons. Honestly, Chen Xiao looks too feminine for the YG role as well (and I personally don't find him good-looking), but he's not getting hate because Michelle is a bigger miscast. The funnier thing is that Yu Zheng claimed that she totally looks the part when the stills were released.
Lol, Michell Chen looks like the chamber maid amongst the bevy of aristocratic beauties.
I got no sympathy for the stubbornly deluded. She and the production team should have known better.
Wow. Zhang Xin Yu is really pretty, as are the other girls. I feel bad for Michelle but if she's bad (not just because of her looks) then that's on her because this is an iconic character, not a new role. I can't imagine Xialongnu has aegyo-ish in any way, ever.
Return of the Condor Heroes had always been my top favorite series. When they cast this drama, I knew right away it was off. Michelle was horribly wrong for the role. When I started watching (only for the sake of ROCH), I was astonished in all the mess they did. Flashbacks, giggly Xiao Longnu, and a misscripted plot that even made the previous banned(?) TVB version (the one with Black-dress Xiao Longnu) better in comparison.I feel bad for the whole supporting role and the production team (minus the director) because their abilities were wasted in this one. :(
Return of the condor hero is one of my favorite series. But this time Michelle ruined it. I am not going to watch this series. She is not suitable for the role of xiao long nu. She is to ulgy for that role. The production teams are mess up.
I just can't believe it. Hopefully the up coming one in the future they don't pick someone like Michelle.
Wow... All the other ladies r so much prettier than Michelle. Sad.
I actually watched a little bit of the show and Michelle looks homey n pale. She's forgettable. Kinda blends into the background.
I couldn't even bring myself to watch an episode of the drama. Looking at this video, I'm glad a stayed away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4_iMjCz2HI
It doesn't take much acting prowess to play Xiaolongnu, but you have to have this icy aura to pull it off. I remembered watching the different versions of RotCH and it was always such a treat to see her smile. Xiaolongnu is not aegyo. Can't tell if it's Michelle or Yu Zheng's fault for totally misinterpreting the character. Someone needs to make a 2015 version to cleanse us of this awful adaptation.
That video is so spot on haha!! Oh gosh, she's wrong in every way... Her aura, speech, facial expressions and her looks
throughout all the negative remarks and stones throwing episodes beginning from news of the casting, i have tried not to judge Michelle Chen and refrained from adding to the negativity.
however, watching that youtube vid just split my sides.
and yes, i feel very sorry for Michelle - she's been miscast (and maybe deliberately by Yu Zheng, the @@@h@le, for the purpose stated by OCK) and does not deserve all the humiliation heaped on her.
The characterization in this version of ROCH is not Michelle's fault either, it's in the script and follows director's orders.
poor thing.