Huayu Entertainment: The Birth of a Succubus Top Star

The nominations for Best Actor at this year's Golden Rooster Awards immediately sparked a heated discussion across the internet.

Huang Xiaoming (born in the 70s), Zhu Yilong and Da Peng (born in the 80s), Gu Zhiyan (born in the 90s), and Yi Yangqianxi (born in the 00s) – four generations of actors gathered on one nomination list. Actors of different ages and with different acting styles competed on the same stage, directly pushing the popularity of this year's Best Actor race to its peak.

In pre-match discussions, Gu Zhiyan was considered by the vast majority of film critics and viewers as the top favorite of this year's competition.

His portrayal of the chaotic photo studio owner in "Nanjing Photo Studio" was restrained, profound, and nuanced, with many critics believing that his performance was particularly outstanding among the five nominees.

However, the question hanging in everyone's mind is equally clear: Gu Zhiyan has already won four Golden Rooster Awards for Best Actor. Whether the jury is willing to make this unprecedented five-time winner a miracle has become the biggest variable of this year's competition.

Two formidable rivals followed closely behind.

Zhu Yilong stars in the patriotic film "The Chinese People's Volunteers: A Battle for Survival," shedding his previous screen persona to deliver a powerful and tough performance. With seven nominations, the film is leading the pack at this year's Golden Rooster Awards. Given the film's strong foundation, his chances of winning remain high.

On the other hand, Yi Yangqianxi can be considered a breakthrough representative this time. His role as a cerebral palsy patient in "Little Me" and his almost "disfigurement-like" immersive performance moved countless viewers. He has a strong sense of empathy and is extremely popular among casual viewers.

Da Peng received a nomination for his self-directed and self-acted film "Lychee of Chang'an". He is both an actor and a director and is full of talent. However, the Golden Rooster Awards have always been cautious in their judging criteria for comedy adaptations, so there is not much resistance to winning the award.

Huang Xiaoming brings "Sunshine Club" to the screen, having gained 30 pounds to portray a character with intellectual disabilities. He had previously won the Golden Goblet Award for Best Actor.

Unfortunately, the subject matter happens to overlap with Yi Yangqianxi's works, and in a competition within the same category, the general public generally believes that his chances of winning this time are limited.

The backstage corridor of the guest lounge.

Before the ceremony officially began, Huang Xiaoming bumped into Gu Zhiyan who was walking towards him. He took the initiative to go up to her, and the two chatted by the French windows. They could see the sunset over the sea outside the window.

"The lineup on this list is really impressive," Huang Xiaoming said first, his tone relaxed and at ease, without any sense of tension or competition. "Our opponents all have their own strengths."

Gu Zhiyan chuckled softly: "Haha, everyone's work has its strengths, it's hard to say which is better."

"I see things very clearly," Huang Xiaoming said, his hands in his suit pockets, his mind at ease. "My film's subject matter clashes with Yi Yangqianxi's, so I'm at a disadvantage from the start. Just enjoying the ceremony is enough for me. To be honest, I have a feeling that this Best Actor award will most likely go to you again."

Gu Zhiyan smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, Brother Xiaoming. However, five seals is an almost impossible record to achieve. The judges have their own considerations for balance, so whether we can achieve it or not is anyone's guess."

"Your performance is on the screen, and the audience and industry professionals can all see it," Huang Xiaoming said to Gu Zhiyan. "Records are created by people. There's no need to limit yourself in advance. Just relax and wait for the results."

The brief conversation was captured by a photographer passing by and quickly leaked out quietly.

Huang Xiaoming predicts Gu Zhiyan will win the Golden Rooster Award.

[Golden Rooster Best Actor Nominees Meet Backstage]

The two terms quickly gained popularity and sparked heated discussions.

"Brother Xiaoming has a really open-minded attitude; he even predicted his opponent in advance."

"On one side is Gu Zhiyan, who is aiming for the top five, and on the other side is Yi Yangqianxi, a dark horse in acting. Zhu Yilong also has a major work to support him. This year is too unpredictable."

"The threshold of winning five Golden Rooster Awards is too high. Whether or not we can break the convention depends entirely on the judges' choices."

"The atmosphere backstage was very comfortable, without any sense of tension."

"Brother Xiaoming: If you can't beat them, just stand on the other side and cheer them on. That really opens up a whole new perspective."

"While others are secretly vying for supremacy behind the scenes, Brother Xiaoming is online predicting the champion – the number one gossipmonger."

"The biggest dilemma is: should the Golden Rooster Awards allow Gu Zhiyan to win five more awards? The judging panel will probably be agonizing over this tonight."

"Four generations of top performers gather! The 70s carry experience, the 80s build a solid foundation, the 90s break records, and the 00s gamble on immersive acting."

"Dapeng: Comedians are trembling alone in the corner, the Golden Rooster Award's comedy debuff is in place."

"Huang Xiaoming gained 30 pounds, while Yi Yangqianxi lost weight to hone his role. These two contestants, who are facing the same topic, are truly destined to meet on a narrow path."

"If Gu Zhiyan really succeeds in getting five seals, then the introduction of the Golden Rooster Award-winning actor will be just one sentence: Look at that man."

Zhu Yilong: My film is leading with seven nominations, but it's still uncertain whether I can bring the male lead home.

"On the one hand, I'm looking forward to the fifth conferment of divine titles, but on the other hand, I feel that the balance rules are hard to break. I'm starting to get nervous."

"The track setup is so difficult it's practically hell; it would be understandable if any one of them won an award."

"Please, judges, don't let the documentary style hold you hostage. Just watch the finished performance!"

"Haha, judging solely by the performance, my brother Yan is definitely going to win!"

"I saved this group photo from backstage; it's definitely going to be a memorable moment of this year's event."

……

As night fell over the Xiamen Strait Grand Theatre, the red curtain slowly rose, officially commencing the 38th China Golden Rooster Awards ceremony.

The venue was packed with stars, and the live broadcast signal was simultaneously pushed to the entire network. The cast and crew of "Chasing Jade" in Hengdian, including Tian Xiwei, Kong Xueer, and Ai Mi, gathered together to watch the live broadcast on the big screen.

The ceremony proceeded smoothly, with a series of prestigious awards being announced.

The Best Directorial Debut award went to Gao Peng's "The Old Gun"; the Best Screenplay award was won by the creators of "Breakthrough Hell"; and the Best Director award was announced, with Chen Sicheng and Dai Mo winning the honor for "Detective Chinatown 1900".

The Jury Special Award was given to "The Chinese People's Volunteers: A Battle for Survival," and the film's creative team went on stage to express their gratitude.

The Best Supporting Actress award went to Chung Chu-hei for "Good Things".

The moment she stepped onto the stage, her long-suppressed emotions surged up, and Zhong Chuxi's eyes reddened. She choked up several times, and the camera captured the moment she was receiving the award with tears in her eyes. This clip quickly spread on short video platforms.

Following that, the Best Supporting Actor award was presented, and the presenter announced the name: Yuen Fu-wah for "Dumpling Queen".

Applause erupted from the audience. Yuan Fuhua stood up, bowed, and walked onto the stage to accept the trophy. His simple and sincere remarks earned him the applause of the entire audience.

As awards were presented one by one, the atmosphere in the venue continued to heat up.

The big screen displayed short films featuring the Best Actress nominees, with clips of the five actresses—Wei Shiya, Song Jia, Yong Mei, Duan Aojuan, and Xu Haipeng—playing in turn.

In the end, Song Jia won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actress for the second time with "Good Things". The whole audience applauded. Yong Mei sat in the nomination seat and calmly smiled and applauded. The two looked at each other from a distance, with a peaceful demeanor.

They arrived at the most prestigious award of the night, Best Actor.

Who will win the prize? The answer will be revealed soon.