As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t…
I'm not sure about the contract details. In fact, the supporting actors are not necessarily from small companies. Some are backed by platform-side entities, such as WeTV and iQIYI, which gives them significantly greater influence in the production process.
By contrast, ZLH’s agency mainly handles talent management and does not participate in post-production, so its bargaining power is relatively limited. Meanwhile, TXW’s company is a casting agency, and is involved in the casting process, it tends to have slightly more influence within the project.
When some dramas begin filming, fans often organize themselves to defend their actors’ interests, speaking out online to push for fair screen time. If they are not firm or vocal enough, capital stakeholders may interpret that as a lack of concern, which can lead to further cuts or adjustments to the actor’s scenes.
As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t…
In the Chinese entertainment industry, productions usually secure the full script in advance and complete filming accordingly. However, during the shooting process, companies backing supporting actors often require to add scripts separately to push for additional screen time. Then, in post-production, editors may cut down scenes that were originally filmed for the main characters, reallocating that time to supporting roles.
Even though the lead actor is paid a high salary, a drama typically involves multiple stakeholders. Some of these investors are affiliated with supporting actors, and they aim to use the lead’s popularity to boost exposure for those supporting roles, ensuring a better return on investment. As a result, the lead actor primarily serves to attract initial viewership, while making the supporting characters stand out becomes a key objective for certain investors.
Moreover, they are aware that the lead actor’s fans are often reluctant to openly criticize the drama, which can further encourage more aggressive adjustments in favor of supporting roles.
As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t…
Sometimes, it's not ups to him, but also depends on his agency's decision. His fans said Overdo would have more screentime than POJ according to the story. However, it also depends on the post-production editing.
As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t…
Because The Best Thing was not a well-known novel, and the female lead was also not widely recognized, investors were not optimistic about the drama at the beginning. As a result, there was little external pressure or incentive to expand supporting characters’ roles or add extra subplots.
As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t…
His fans noticed this issue very early and have been speaking out about it to raise awareness among a wider audience, but it hasn’t had much effect. His agency does not seem to support him; instead, fans believe it is leveraging his value to negotiate benefits with other companies.
As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t…
The problem is that some supporting characters’ scenes are unnecessary. To make room for them, the main storyline has become disjointed, with noticeable plot holes and logical inconsistencies, which ultimately weakens the development of the main characters. Fans have been consistently speaking up about it, but it hasn’t made any difference.
As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t…
Yeah, he is from an ordinary family, no wealthy background, no strong connections from capitalists in the industry. All he has is only his fans. He is relying almost entirely on his fans to keep him going on this acting path. That’s why he almost updates Weibo every day, sharing his daily mood and what happens in his life, like he’s talking to friends.
As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t…
Yes, capital influence plays a very significant role in the Chinese entertainment industry. For actors without strong backing or connections, it is often difficult to access quality projects or even gain visibility.
If ZLH did not possess strong screen presence, solid acting skills, and a good public image, it would have been much harder for him to achieve his current level of recognition and fan support.
However, having a large fanbase is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can offer protection and visibility for an actor. On the other hand, it also makes them more vulnerable to being treated as a commercial asset, with agencies maximizing their value through continuous workload and exposure.
In fact, the supporting actors are not necessarily from small companies. Some are backed by platform-side entities, such as WeTV and iQIYI, which gives them significantly greater influence in the production process.
By contrast, ZLH’s agency mainly handles talent management and does not participate in post-production, so its bargaining power is relatively limited. Meanwhile, TXW’s company is a casting agency, and is involved in the casting process, it tends to have slightly more influence within the project.
When some dramas begin filming, fans often organize themselves to defend their actors’ interests, speaking out online to push for fair screen time. If they are not firm or vocal enough, capital stakeholders may interpret that as a lack of concern, which can lead to further cuts or adjustments to the actor’s scenes.
Even though the lead actor is paid a high salary, a drama typically involves multiple stakeholders. Some of these investors are affiliated with supporting actors, and they aim to use the lead’s popularity to boost exposure for those supporting roles, ensuring a better return on investment. As a result, the lead actor primarily serves to attract initial viewership, while making the supporting characters stand out becomes a key objective for certain investors.
Moreover, they are aware that the lead actor’s fans are often reluctant to openly criticize the drama, which can further encourage more aggressive adjustments in favor of supporting roles.
If ZLH did not possess strong screen presence, solid acting skills, and a good public image, it would have been much harder for him to achieve his current level of recognition and fan support.
However, having a large fanbase is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can offer protection and visibility for an actor. On the other hand, it also makes them more vulnerable to being treated as a commercial asset, with agencies maximizing their value through continuous workload and exposure.