Zhai keen to take on more testing roles
Print Edition
CHINESE actor Zhai Tianlin is fast becoming a nation’s favorite after starring in the popular fantasy series “A Life Time Love” and historical drama “The Advisors Alliance.”
The 30-year-old heartthrob came to town last week talking about the responsibility and challenge of being a qualified actor.
In “A Life Time Love,” which is inspired by the legend of “A Chinese Bestiary,” Zhai portrays an ancient Chinese prince with superb martial arts and wisdom in the battlefield.
“The Advisors Alliance,” based on the literary classic “Romance of Three Kingdoms,” stars Zhai as Yang Xiu, a notable advisor serving under the warlord Cao Cao (AD 155-220) in the late Eastern Han dynasty (AD 25-220).
Zhai is used to portraying spies, a surgeon and even a notorious king on screen, but says that the characters in recent productions are quite different from his former acting on screen.
“An actor should never be stereotyped into a certain style of roles,” he added. “He should quickly adapt himself to new stories and circumstances.”
In his eyes, compared with Western productions, Chinese film and TV dramas still need to improve their imagination. The popular series “A Life Time Love” features spectacular fantasy and war scenes, which reminds Zhai of Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar” and the fantasy movies of Stephen Chow.
“A good film and TV production is imaginative and inspiring in both visual effects and story,” Zhai explained. “When acting in a fantasy series, it is also challenging for an actor to deliver a credible performance. For example, I had to convince myself of riding a giant flying bird during some scenes. In a hot studio, we also had to ‘shiver’ as if we were staying at a cold northern area of the story.”
Zhai performed most of the stunts on his own. Despite a fear of high places, he managed to land from the height of a five-storey-building.
A native of Qingdao, Shandong Province, Zhai graduated from Beijing Film Academy with a doctorate degree. At the age of 14, he made his acting debut in Johnny To’s romance film “Memory of the Youth.” His performance in medical series “Angel Heart” and period drama “White Deer” also won him acclaims.
In his leisure time, he likes traveling, music and sport. He never stops in his efforts to learn and is also a teaching assistant at the acting department of Beijing Film Academy.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
