41-year-old mainland Chinese actor Zhao Leiqi was discovered by netizens on March 8 setting up a shoe shining stall and patiently responding to questions in a live stream. His simple and down-to-earth words have won the admiration of many fans, while also revealing the reality of the entertainment industry.
In the live stream footage, Zhao Leiqi was dressed casually in a loose T-shirt paired with baggy pants. With his beard and hair appearing untrimmed for a while, he gave off the vibe of an ordinary working person.
As customers placed their feet on the shoe bench, Zhao Leiqi picked up a cloth, applied cleaning solution to the shoes, and patiently rubbed back and forth. Despite sweating profusely, he did not shy away from the work. Whether the customer was elderly, a child, or a working professional, he treated everyone equally, charging 10 RMB each time.
In response to some customers’ inquiries, Zhao Leiqi seemed unreserved, loudly stating, “No acting gigs, so set up a stall, serve everyone, and make money!” He also indicated that when there are acting jobs, he would still take them, implying that setting up a shoe shining stall is simply a means of making a living for him.
After the video was exposed, some netizens marveled at Zhao Leiqi’s situation of having no acting projects to work on. They could not help but praise him for being very down-to-earth, especially in an entertainment industry where they are accustomed to seeing stars living a “luxurious” life.
Information shows that Zhao Leiqi was born in Taiyuan, Shanxi in May 1983. He graduated from the Performance Department of the Central Academy of Drama in 2007. He has appeared in numerous TV series such as “The Remaining Sin,” “The Legendary Siblings 2,” “Roaring Across the Horizon 2,” “The Inn,” “Judge Dee,” and “Ultimate Showdown,” earning him the title of a “veteran actor.”
Indeed, the situation of actors like Zhao Leiqi having no acting offers in the mainland Chinese entertainment industry is not uncommon. Earlier, grassroots actor Li Jiaming posted a video on his social account showing him setting up a stall selling fried noodles in his hometown, sparking discussions among netizens. In the footage, he was seen wearing a military coat, setting up a simple canopy by the roadside with tables, chairs, and stools, and cooking noodles in a wok skillfully. After preparing the noodles, he carried the dish, bent down, and delivered it to the customers in a very friendly manner, without any airs of a celebrity.
In today’s mainland Chinese entertainment industry, there are many practitioners but limited resources. The number of actors in the market is astonishing. In recent years, popular actor Zhang Songwen previously revealed that 99.5% of entertainment industry actors have extremely low income. At that time, he could only make a few thousand RMB per month, which was no different from an average worker. Coupled with China’s recent economic downturn, competition among stars has become even fiercer. Before becoming a top star and gaining dominance, many actors have experienced being controlled by capital, or even replaced at the last minute before filming began.