So I separate good looking and can act, it’s idea if a star has both assets but one without the other is pretty common especially in C-ent. My personal litmus is whether the performance is at least entertaining for me, but usually when a star can’t act it just isn’t fun to watch. This year in 2023 hotly elevated female lead Yang Chao Yue has had two female lead dramas flop with The Journey of Chong Zi and Love You Seven Times and her supporting role drama Fireworks of My Heart was a mess to her credit unrelated to her. It’s been a tough year and reportedly production companies are done with her and she’s not getting female lead scripts anymore. Her agency is putting her into variety programs and other medias to keep her face in the public while enrolling her in acting lessons. Smart move. The same goes for Gulinazha who has had the flower vase reputation way longer than Yang Chao Yue and still hasn’t improved. This year she flopped with Snow Eagle Lord, Incomparable Beauty, and Weaving a Tale of Love 2 and now she’s reportedly finally entertaining second female lead roles in higher budget dramas with a compelling character to get herself back in the good graces of production companies.
There are more other C actors/actresses that should follow suit. LOL
This needs to happen for a long long list of male actors but their bat s**t crazy fans would probably burn down the entire C-ent, if their imaginary daddy, son, husband, boyfriend got relegated to secondary roles.Lol
LOL really! ðŸ˜
Yeah, go watch your Kdramas, I hear castaway diva is good. Kekeke
LOL. Am addicted to Crash Landing on You. I’m still catching up some old drama. Surely will binge Castaway Diva after all the eps are wrapped up.
As long as they have lots of fans and achieve good ratings they will get continued lead roles. Nazha and Yang Chaoyue’s problems are not their acting ability but their low ratings and viewership, people just pass on their dramas even if they are popular as idols and influencers (Nazha has 40M followers and is a red carpet darling i.e she was stunning at Elle’s Style Awards).
In the past such actresses will wind up marrying rich billionaire CEOs are quitting acting in their 20s-30s because they stop getting lead role offers after too many of their dramas get poor ratings or they age up, but a lot of actresses born in the 1970s and 1980s did that and some ended up acrimoniously divorced or having to return to work if their CEO hubby runs into financial hardship e.g. Tamia Liu (low ratings doesn’t apply to her), Angelababy, Che Xiao, Zhang Jiani, Barbie Hsu, Tong Liya, Sun Yi (Dong Zijans ex-wife) so actresses born in the 1990s are very reluctant to get married even if it’s to a rich CEO since it can’t guarantee fidelity and stability if they retire from acting.
Ultimately it’s all demand and supply, if someone gets good ratings even if they can’t act they will get lead roles. If someone can act well but regularly flops as a lead e.g. Zhang Jiani, they won’t be chosen to headline dramas.
We are now in a weird timeline where 普女 or “Common/Ordinary-Looking Girls” like Esther Yu, Rosy Zhao, Yang Zi, Bai Lu (these 4 are called the 4 Big 普女 due to their popularity lol) or someone like Lu Yuxiao are more popular online than recognised beauties like Song Zuer, Sun Zhenni, Wang Churan, Zhou Ye, Tian Xiwei or other actresses that are listed as top beauties with decent acting. A lot of of it is down to female majority audiences prefering relatable women who aren’t too pretty and seem like someone they could befriend, so it’s no surprise Nazha or YCY get relegated to side roles. Beautiful actresses like Wang Churan get typecasted as the “beauty sidechick” in >5 dramas where less pretty actresses like Sandra Ma or Ren Min are leads (Serenada of Peaceful Joy, Longest Promise, Oh My General) so it’s untrue that looks get you leading roles. The beautiful ones still have to work their way up. Personally I prefer watching Song Zuer, Zhou Ye, Sun Zhenni because I find them charismatic but i do understand why Bai Lu and Rosy Zhao have a lot of fans due to their girl next door demeanor.
Here we go again; I seriously don’t understand how any of these actresses, especially Bai Lu, can be considered “ordinary-looking”. In what world would Bai Lu or Zhao Lu Si or other be considered “ordinary “? In Barbie’s dreamworld?
I am watching Zhao Lu Si in Love like the Galaxy at the moment and she can act and is pretty so I understand her popularity.
But none of the actresses you mentioned I would consider great beauties (I am not saying they are ugly). I am very old school when it comes to appearance and no one has come close to Bridgette Lin in her hay day. Other actresses I consider beautiful are Cecilia Cheung (Hong Kong actress, before she lost a ton of weight) and Lee Young Ae (Korean actress).
I do not find Song Zuer more classically beautiful than Esther or Bai Lu- AT ALL. I think Bai Lu is quite stunning.
I get that beauty is cultural and personal, so maybe in mainlandChina people share your view. I agree that many rom coms cast the FL as more girl next door cute than bombshell gorgeous. I love Janice Wu and Liang Jie but they both get makeup/styling to look plain or approachable in many dramas.
LOL. I’ve never found Song Zuer or even Zhou Ye prettier than those who you consider ordinarily looking. It’s about personal taste. Besides, Zhou Ye can’t act.
Sigh my comment didn’t get posted. So here it is again.
I’m watching Love like the Galaxy at the moment and it’s very good Zhao Lu Si can act and she’s pretty I can understand her popularity.
As for top beauties I am old school, no one has beaten my all time favourite Bridgette Lin especially in Bride with white hair. I also think Cecilia Cheung Hong Kong actress ( before she lost a lot of weight) and Lee Young Ae (Korean actress) are beautiful.
The actresses you mentioned I don’t really consider top beauties, but that’s just my opinion.
@Guest I was with you until you said common-looking girls are more popular now because women want more relatable actresses. For starters, I don’t think any of the actresses you mentioned are ordinary-looking. Are they Liu Yi Fei-level of beauty? No, but they still clearly have actress visuals. Also, if women prefer ordinary-looking actresses, explain the popularity of Dilreba, Song Hye Kyo, Han So Hee, etc to women then? Even in KPop, female idols who are stunningly pretty have more female fans, from Jang Wonyoung to Red Velvet’s Irene. There’s also always a new stunningly beautiful actress or idol or whatever that goes viral pretty much everyday for their looks, and it’s women who make them go viral. I personally think if you’re charismatic, women will love you whether you’re stunningly beautiful or more common type of pretty. I think it’s more about having charisma or not that will determine if you will be liked by the female audience lol. Also, funny that you used Ren Min as an example when her looks was bashed mercilessly just recently. And it’s mostly women who were bashing her and calling Wang Chu Ran a goddess. Believe it or not, women love to see beautiful visuals in their actresses too. Also, it’s pretty misogynistic to imply that women are always jealous of beautiful women that they can’t stand to see them on the screen, when it’s literally the opposite. Female Gen Zs, for example, are absolutely crazy for past beauty icons, such as Angelina Jolie, Adriana Lima, Monica Bellucci, etc
I beg to differ, Wang Churan a great beauty? And Bai Lu is ordinary looking? In what world? I am not her fan but even I can say she is far from that.
I disagree, Wang Churan is considered a great beauty? And Bai Lu is ordinary looking? Zhao Lusi too? In what world? LOL
i have no idea why Yang Zi is so popular. Yes, the girl can act and deliver lines but she has a pouty look and pouty manner of speaking. Her acting does not inspire or charm. She was a child actress so she had all the formal lessons to act, sing, dance, play music, speak,etc. but she’s peaked. This is the best she can do. Technical skills are high but Artistic skills are low.
I’m seriously relaying a commonly used term on Weibo and Douban, 四普 https://youtu.be/7Z46FDAA5x8 refers to the top 4 Common-Looking actresses that are very popular and there are others like Lu Yuxiao, Ren Min, Zhang Miaoyi who are regularly nominated even if they are not as popular. 四美 or the top 4 Beauties is also a thing as is 四帅 and 四土, these are just polls on Douban that get disseminated on Weibo, YouTube, Tiktok, Douyin.
Re: Bailu, there are Cnetizens and vloggers https://youtu.be/PRouGInoYDQ https://youtu.be/6QfP0gBYKlM making fun of the fact her latest shows e.g. Only For Love and KunNing Palace, keep emphasizing her crazy beauty, her fairylike appearance, how 美若天仙 or 倾国倾城 (beauty that ends cities and countries lol) she is, how anyone who sees her will go weak at the knees and Cnetz are lampooning it because Bailu looks very ordinary compared to even some of her costars? https://www.douban.com/group/topic/297691024/ she isn’t ugly but she isn’t that pretty (maybe it’s her teeth sorry) either and those repeated scenes in her latest are just bewildering.
She got AI faceswapped with Ning Jing in video edits and everyone said it fits the 倾国倾城 https://www.douban.com/group/topic/297703557/ aka “beauty that ends countries” description used in the drama lol
It’s so weird that some fans can’t stand their actors or actresses with lackluster acting taking on secondary roles etc. Even the actors who DO have good acting should do secondary roles from time to time.
Like…the point is for them to grow in their craft if they like it so much, not sit around waiting for Male Lead all the time. Sometimes watching Cdramas I wonder if this is more like a beauty pageant.
Well, my favorite actors like Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Ethan Juan etc. are usually 35+, so maybe I’m just biased and not used to the newbies and their different ways. I truly miss the Hong Kong and Taiwanese drama era, as cringy as some of those dramas were.
@omonaijaJ, your comment just reminded me of days I watched the teary Chiung Yao’s novel turned Taiwanese drams like ‘Wan Jun’ etc… It seem like the eps were long but in fact it was just 18eps, but each eps were worth watching, they had no fillers. All the artiste really acted well… The new Taiwanese idol dramas were funny but rather long winded… but still enjoyable.
I enjoyed HK drams as the flavours were so different yet I enjoyed it weekly. There were so many natural HK beauties in those days.
This has already been happening for some actresses moving to supporting roles (e.g. Cheng Xiao), but we need the same energy for a long list of actors!
Gulinazha is turly one of the most beautiful actress I have seen…but her skills are really not in acting.
The problem with Asians is they are naturally reserved nature due to thousands of years of culture, and it shows up in their acting. It really helps to have charisma and expression on screen. But if you are not an extrovert or passionate person, then how do you show emotions?
I agree..
Nazha’s hardworking, down to earth, and open about her 2 failed relationships so people have grown to like her.
In her early 20s her career and popularity took a hit when she dated Hans Zhang and ZhengShuang fans accused her of being a 3rd party who broke Hans and ZhengShuang up. It was false but ZhengShuang kept quiet and acted like she was hurt over the breakup for years, eventually Hans and Nazha split and Nazha did an expose saying she had hairloss and insomnia due to the stress of being baselessly cyberbullied and painted as a 3rd party online. The hate only stopped after Zheng Shuang’s scandal and fall from grace. Hans Zhang also got exposed as a chauvinist due to Gentlemen of East 8th lol.
Also she got implicated in Zhang Tianai’s expose on her ex Xu Kaicheng, when she exposed him for cheating on her in their past relationship she tagged Nazha and said she wanted to warn other women of him. There were some mean netizens who accused her of being a “3rd party” again but she immediately clarified she only dated XKC after he broke up with Zhang Tianai and ZTA backed her up.
Cnetizens find her relatable and pitiful because despite her beauty, the guys she dated are dodged bullets and she doesn’t have an eye for men lol. You’d expect someone like her to snag a billionaire and just quit showbiz but she’s someone who had bad public relationships yet came out relatively unscathed as the so people like Nazha as a person regardless of her acting work.
I’m sure she’s a sweet girl but perhaps she’s not too bright and is reserved and introverted. Beauty only get you so far and can be hindrance too unless you are smart too.
But many guys refuse to yield. Alot of these people are pretty and could just do modeling and endorsements. I mean LOOK at them. Don’t act, just pose!
Then again, Cdrama International fans are MOSTLY women, and even some women who appear to think they’re dating the male leads etc. with their comments. (Dont believe me? Check out any popular Cdrama on Viki that isn’t mystery themed or wuxia) Even male actors can see this, and they seem to realize they can push through no matter what.
I actually think Nazha can kinda act (she was great with a fat suit on for Chinese Paladin 5.) I think her roles have been crappy though – she’s got the case of Ren Jia Lun – getting pigeonholed into serious, moody, frowny-face roles. Can she act in every role well? No, but she hasn’t had much of a chance to showcase different aspects of herself – always the pretty girl. I want her to see play a funny, silly role for once.
I really feel if actress can have less pressure to look perfect on screen, they will be more relaxed and perform better…
If Nazha takes on a role to be a Uncultured, tanned skinned plain jane with awful hairdo, look with all the right make up, she might just get into the role and perform better. Just stating a example.
Her pristine looks may be her career baggage to be a good actress. She need to learn to let if go… In fact, if she takes days off, carefully dress down, darken her skin and wearing very shabby clothes and go out to do crazy but safe things she would normally not do, that might help her understand how to let herself go… Just stating one example..
I will believe it when I see it.
Chaoyue took an acting course. That was shorter than two weeks. Sure. That will help. This is all PR to make them seem more acceptable by cnetz. Hint, it won’t work because both lack talent and will never improve.
actors need to have experiences in life. A lot of these Chinese actors are young and have not had much experience in life.
Personally, I judge the acting performance to be okay, good or great. Okay means they can act, and I can watch the actor again but depending on the plot and co-stars. Good is when the actor not only act, but owns the character, I would be highly interested to check out the actor again on the next drama. Great is when the actor owns the character, and is simply irreplaceable, can’t imagine anyone else playing the same role. In this case, I usually turn into fan-mode and check out all his/her older dramas too, lol.
Visual is just a plus point for me, as everyone looks good, or is made to look good, in the entertainment industry.
Sure they are. And Guli just got another main role. Lmfao PR is so funny.