Yang Zi, who serves as a producer, screenwriter, and actor, caused a buzz last year when he and Huang Shengyi appeared on the reality show “Goodbye, My Love”, which focused on divorce and breaking up. Recently, he took advantage of the spotlight to participate in the entertainment competition show “Actors Please Take Your Place 3” as a contestant. Actress Zhang Ziyi, who was one of the judges, asked him about his tearful performance on “Goodbye, My Love 4”, jokingly questioning whether it was real or acted. She playfully added, “If it was acting, you could really be an Oscar winner!”
“Actors Please Take Your Place 3” recently aired, featuring renowned mentors such as Chen Kaige, Zhang Ziyi, Hui Yinghong, and Wu Zhenyu, alongside a lineup of aspiring talents who are either new to acting or have been in the industry for years without gaining recognition. Some even come from the world of internet celebrities, making the show a hot topic of discussion.
In a recent episode of “Actors Please Take Your Place 3”, Yang Zi’s performance received criticism for being awkward and even labeled as “AI-style acting”. During a scene where he portrayed a vengeful swordsman seeking his enemy for ten years, he was required to express the character’s emotions with limited dialogue throughout the intense scenario. However, instead of depicting a revenge-seeking warrior, Yang Zi portrayed a pitiful individual squatting on the ground, holding his head in distress, crying until his nose snot was drawn out like a “poor soul”.
Some netizens commented that they couldn’t sense Yang Zi’s character seeking revenge, but rather felt like he was forcing tears, resembling someone seeking pity.
After the performance, Zhang Ziyi asked Yang Zi about his emotional display on “Goodbye, My Love”, where he and Huang Shengyi signed a guarantee agreement, expressing curiosity whether his tears were genuine or acted. Zhang Ziyi quipped, “If it was acting, you could really be an Oscar winner!”
Facing the question, Yang Zi awkwardly responded, “It was real,” reaffirming it twice.
Netizens laughed, praising Zhang Ziyi for asking the question they were eager to hear, noting that it wasn’t the first time someone had questioned Yang Zi. They commended Zhang Ziyi’s sharp questions, saying she truly understood the viewers’ sentiments.
Zhang Ziyi asked Yang Zi straightforwardly, “What is your true purpose for joining this show?” Yang Zi candidly admitted it was due to his self-doubt about his acting skills, saying, “I really don’t know how well I act and whether the audience truly appreciates my performances.” He further stated, “I have portrayed many classic roles, but looking back now, I feel like I might have ruined many classics.”
Zhang Ziyi probed further, asking if he had invested in the show himself. Yang Zi replied, “No, except for ‘The New Water Margin’, where I have invested, my principle is simple: I don’t invest in what I act in, and I don’t act in what I invest in.”
Summarizing his performances on both shows, Yang Zi reflected, “In the previous show, everyone always praised my acting, but in this show, they all say I acted poorly.” He expressed his hope to use this show as an opportunity to truly immerse himself in acting with a professional mindset, eager to learn and improve his skills.