CloudA

😂😂😂 It's hard to be a fan in c-ent. All our wishes are actors can be treated fairly.

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.

Enjoy! 🥰

You're welcome! 🥰You can check this playlist on youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWlA71VV0ZQVGl8mCuAPDZ6qizTKJHqkV&si=zUSLBkgcCANRg4N3 It includes his clips from the beginning of filming.

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.

😂😂😂😭😭😭

Same, glad he gets more recognition internationally through this drama. Just hope his following dramas wouldn't be worse.😂 Always love him! 🥰

May or June.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Quite a few support roles, not only one.

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.

Same, It’s really concerning to see how much weight he’s lost due to his workload.

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.

To give more screentime to support roles. Each ep has time limit.

Yes, His effort and the final result often feel completely disproportionate, and it’s genuinely frustrating to see such a dedicated actor repeatedly treated unfairly.

This isn’t an isolated case either. In several of his previous dramas, his screen time and narrative importance were noticeably reduced, while supporting characters were given disproportionate emphasis.

In Princess Royal, there was a clear attempt to elevate the second male lead. His every appearance was accompanied by background music, clearly designed to highlight and romanticize his dynamic with the FL, while ZLH often appeared without any such narrative framing or emotional emphasis.

In Our Generation, the first ten-plus episodes gave him less than 30 minutes of total screen time. Many viewers even jokingly referred to the show as “The Disappearing Male Lead.”

In My Journey to You, the direction heavily focused on the brotherhood between the second and third male leads, while ZLH's role was at times reduced to a rather simplistic or even ineffectual portrayal.

Overall, his contribution doesn’t seem to be fairly reflected in the final cut. 😔

As someone who has followed the Chinese entertainment industry for quite a long time, I have to say this isn’t surprising.

In many cases, investors initially use an actor’s popularity—like Zhang Linghe’s—to attract attention, and then gradually shift the focus by giving more screen time to supporting roles, often to promote actors from their own companies. Unfortunately, this is a common reality in the industry.

Also, just to clarify, Zhang Linghe doesn’t come from a powerful background or have strong industry connections. The only support system he has is his agency—but even that wasn’t always supportive. In some of his early interviews, you can see how he was treated rather dismissively.

It was only after he became popular that the company started fully capitalizing on him. Since 2022, he has been constantly filming and doing commercial work, with barely any breaks.

In fact, he usually only gets a few days off during Chinese New Year. This year, he reportedly had just three days off before returning to filming—while most people would normally have at least a couple of weeks.

Btw, he filmed the fight scenes in the battlefield for about two months, but mostly cut out. He was so excited and proud when talking about this part in an interview before airing. Feel so sad for him. 💔

This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this issue in Chinese dramas. Once screenwriters start trying to be “clever” by changing or adding new plotlines, the characterizations often fall apart and the story starts losing its logic.

Honestly, I really wish they would just follow the original novel. The story is already there—why not stick to it?

But I also understand that a drama usually involves multiple investors and companies. Each of them wants more screen time for their own actors, so the script keeps getting revised. In the end, the main characters’ arcs are compressed, while supporting roles sometimes get even more highlights and development.

This has pretty much become the norm in many Chinese dramas now.

That’s why I often choose to read the novel first and treat the drama as a supplement. At least that way, I know what the complete, original story is supposed to be.

And honestly, I feel bad for the original authors too—having to watch their work being changed into something almost unrecognizable.