Actresses/Actors That Are Too Old for Their Characters

As I was reflecting on the dramas I've watched over the past year (and there have been a quite a lot of them), I realized that most of them are quite long (50-70+ episodes).  For the most part, I do enjoy them since I think they really allow opportunity for the characters to develop, but often times they do drag a bit in the middle.  (Side note: A quick test for me to determine whether a drama is keeping me engaged is whether I start to lose interest in the middle).  

In any event, the downside to long dramas is that often times they start out with the main characters at a relatively young age (think early-mid teens, 14-16 years) and the drama takes us through the process of their growth.  The problem with this is that, depending on the actor/actress, they are simply no long convincing as a teenagers!  These are men and women in their mid to late 30s or early 40s and it is extremely difficult, even with good hair, makeup and acting, to convince the audience.  See below for some examples!

Rule the World - Raymond Lam

At the risk of offending Raymond Lam fans everywhere, his character in Rule the World is probably one of the most egregious examples of this problem.  The book starts off with his character being only around 8-10 years old, which made sense since the main female character witnessed his birth and is his aunt.  I think Raymond Lam was around 37 when this series was filmed, making it virtually impossible to pull off this feat.  Honestly, he looked even older than the actors playing his two older brothers!  It also made his interactions with the various characters very weird, such as the main female character caring for him like a child in the beginning.  The show ends with his character being around 40 years of age, which is much closer to real age, so this does get better as the drama progresses.  I understand sometimes these choices are made for budget and marketing reasons, but I think this is one where it made sense to have a different/younger actor play the character at the beginning.  

Princess Agents - Lin Gengxin

Next is Lin Gengxin in Princess Agents.  Again the novel starts off with a lot of the characters as children.  The main female character is only supposed to be eight years old and I am guessing Lin Gengxin's character is probably in his early teens (13-14 years of age).  This is evident from the patriarch choosing a female attendant for him - someone who is supposed to keep him satisfied in the sleep department, if we are trying to be delicate.  If his character is someone in his late teens/early 20s, I just feel bad for him.  To be fair, I actually think he can still pass as someone in his early 20s, but 13-14 is really pushing it.  Due to the way the novel is written, I think this applies to virtually all the actors/actresses on the show - Zhao Liying, Shawn Dou and Li Qin.  

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace - Zhou Xun

Finally, we have Zhou Xun from Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace.  I am sure I am not the first person to mention this, but the first few episodes starts with Ruyi being probably around 16 years old.  There's a lot that can be done with makeup, hair, lighting and costumes, but none of these can shave almost 30 years off a woman's age.  The drama jumps quickly to eight years ahead and I still find it believable for Zhou Xun to play a woman in her mid-20s.  Unlike Rule the World, I do not think it would make sense to have another actress play this character in the first few episodes.  It may also deter audiences from watching if the main leads do not appear in the first episode.  Sometimes this is just a choice that has to be made.  On the one hand, it may help to market the drama more easily if the leads are in more episodes and may be more cost effective to have less actors/actresses.  On the other hand, this sometimes causes the audience to raise their eyebrows and make the characters' actions and interactions a bit weird.

Do you agree or disagree?  Do others come to mind?  I can definitely think of a few others but did not want to make this super long.  Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Three Young Male Artists to Pay Attention to in 2019

I go through phases where I spend months switching between American television and Chinese dramas. Having just spent the last six months catching up on Chinese dramas from the past few years, I can’t help but notice a few young male artists that need to be on everyone’s watchlist.

1. Wu Lei

I first saw him as the simple Fei Liu in Nirvana in Fire. It’s hard to steal a scene when you have next to zero lines, but he had great chemistry with Hu Ge and definitely draws your attention in any scene that has him. 

I next saw him as the lead role in Battle Through the Heavens. The drama faced a lot of criticisms and I think the plot line and character development could definitely be improved. Wu Lei does a decent job playing the hero trying to prove himself and avenge his family’s honor. I have to remind myself that he is only 18 years old, so I don’t think the failure of the drama is his fault. Given that he is only 18 years old, I expect a lot more to come from him, so I would definitely keep an eye out.

2. Liu Haoran

Liu Haoran played the lead role in Nirvana in Fire 2, next to Huang Xiao Ming. I had no idea who he was and had it not been for the fact I loved Nirvana in Fire and Huang Xiao Ming, I would not have bothered watching the sequel. However, I was blown away by his portrayal as Xiao Ping Jing. 

He starts the show as a young and carefree wanderer who grew up under the protection and guidance of his older brother but matures into a great general and leader. His character undergoes a lot of changes and development, but I thought he was convincing from beginning to end. He also holds his own against the more seasoned Huang Xiao Ming. At age 21, this is a great start to a promising career. Fun fact: He is good friends with Wu Lei.

3. Jin Han

Rounding out the list is Jin Han. He is the oldest of the three (at only age 25!), but I think he has the most potential. He just starred in Our Glamorous Time, where he plays the cool, calm and collected ex-military special agent that returns home after the death of his older brother to save his family business and care for his aging father. 

Through the process, he wins the heart and love of the talented and ambitious fashion designer, portrayed by Zhao Li Ying, and defeats his business competitors. I am sure his antics captured the hearts of many viewers. He was sincere and devoted to Lin Qian, but calculated against his enemies. 

It took me awhile to recognize him, but he also played the evil Zhao Xi Feng in Princess Agents. It is usually easier to go from playing the good guy to playing the bad guy, but much harder to be equally convincing as a bad guy first and then a good guy. This is the main primary reason why I think he has the most potential. He also sings one of the songs in Our Glamorous Time and is really good! Good looks, acting and singing skills? Sounds like a recipe for success. 

Do you have others in mind that didn’t make the list? Were you surprised by my choices? Please comment below - I would love to hear other input.

Two Dramas That Still Don't Have A Second Season

Princess Agents 楚乔传 is a TV series based on a novel by Xiao Xiang Dong Er that starred Zhao Liying, Lin Gengxin, Shawn Dou and Li Qin. It achieved phenomenal success as one of the most watched Chinese dramas of all time.

Princess Agents ended back in August 2017 but its ending has left fans clamoring for a second season. The production filmed an incomplete story which ended when the male lead was left to drown whilst the heroine's powers awakened. 

People want to see more of how Chu Qiao handles her feelings for Yuwen Yue once she realizes she has them because he must return alive somehow. What will she do in the aftermath of Yan Xun almost killing Yuwen Yue? In the final scene, we see the flower finally appear on Chu Qiao's back. There are too many unanswered questions that haunt viewers until today.

When the series ended last year, Lin Gengxin wrote a farewell message saying that he doesn't know whether to say see you again or goodbye forever. Zhao Liying didn't give herself full points for her character because they only filmed half of the story.

The cast has moved on to other projects since then that it seems impossible to bring them together again. I cannot imagine anyone else playing Chu Qiao, Yuwen Yue or Yan Xun. Even having Deng Lun or Xing Zhaolin return as side characters seem unlikely, more so because Yue Qi was killed off in the last episode. 

If ever they do release a second season, I honestly think it needs the same cast as they have already endeared themselves too much to the fans and viewers. 

Tribes and Empires: Storms of Prophecy 九州·海上牧云记 is a Chinese TV series that was adapted from a Jin Hezai novel of the same name.  It features Huang Xuan, Shawn Dou, Zhou Yiwei, Xu Lu, Janice Man and Zhang Jianning. The series is renowned for its quality production with cinematic visuals and great acting skills.  

Due to financial constraints, the series ended on a cliffhanger, episode 75 being the last. People have been asking for a second season for some time now and I can assume why.  

There was no closure for the characters and literally no resolution. The characters we've come to love didn't exactly come full circle. What happened to Muyun Sheng who was suddenly put in a position of power? What will he do? What about He Ye? Does he have a plan to rule the world? What of the Muru men? It's like Princess Agents all over again and the common factor being Shawn Dou. 

Tribes and Empires Director Cao Dun once shared in an interview that based on the story they had originally prepared, they could have four seasons. They already sowed the seeds in Tribes and Empires and those storylines are meant to be explored later on. While it seems that there were plans for the story to be continued all along, who, how or when it will be continued seems to be another story. 

As of this writing, there is no news that a second season for either of these dramas is being made.  As such, fans of this series will have to wait....

Source: 1, 2, 3