Zhu Yilong: Repetition as his Oar, Aspiration as his Shore
EN translation of People's Daily Jan 2026 Interview by wenella
In 2026, Zhu Yilong is still as busy as ever. The Silent Awakening is awaiting release, and Empty Gun is still in production. “Join the set; shoot; wrap”: this cyclical track has become the norm of his life in recent years. But to him, this is not mechanical repetition. It is a path of self-cultivation, where he continuously unlocks new versions of himself through each new role.
Two years ago, in an interview with People’s Entertainment, when asked how becoming a “Best Actor” had changed his mindset, he said:
“I think it made me more relaxed. Even though I didn’t consciously think about it, I know that I still wanted to prove myself - through my choice of roles and scripts, to prove the limits of my performance. After receiving recognition, I feel more at ease inside, and also more focused.”
Since then, Zhu Yilong carries a calm sense of certainty. He remains an actor of extreme immersion, willing to completely transform himself for a role. At the same time, he has become an explorer of his own creative energy, moving freely between different genres and characters, such as main melody films, arthouse films, and commercial films, finding his own comfort zone in each.
Having been involved in acting for 20 years, Zhu Yilong has experienced periods of waiting in obscurity, struggles with self-doubt, and the persistence of staying true to his original aspiration through the monotony of daily work. What repeats are the filming process and professional rhythm; what is always new is the state of mind and insight brought by each creative endeavor. For Zhu Yilong, the life of an actor lies in this balance between “repetition” and “renewal.”
In this constant search for balance, he has learned to reconcile with different emotions and grow through experience. He says that one must maintain sensitivity within repetition and preserve that original amateur’s heart. In the end, all of these will nourish you for life.
PART ONE: FROM THE FIRST PRACTICE SESSION
“Practice” is a word that occupied almost all of Zhu Yilong’s youth.
As a child, his mother enrolled him in piano lessons. Facing the complex notes that required both hands to work together and the obscure staff notation, he once felt intimidated. “You start pressing the keys from ‘do, re, mi, fa, sol,’ and repeat it every day. After a while, it doesn’t seem so difficult anymore.” This experience of breaking through through repetition planted a seed in his heart early on.
When he applied to the Beijing Film Academy during high school, Zhu Yilong prepared a kendo performance that he had practiced for two months. But he slipped because his socks were too slippery and fell flat. He thought his chances were gone, yet his teacher Cui Xinqin noticed in him an inner strength of “stillness within movement,” and he ultimately entered the world of acting.
His first official film role in college was a cameo as a Wei State envoy in the movie Confucius. He had only one line. For that single sentence, Zhu Yilong prepared extensively; he sorted out the logic, marked emphasis, designed pauses, and rehearsed repeatedly while waiting on set.
He waited the entire day to shoot. When filming finally began, he found that he couldn’t even remember the first word. That scene was shot 13 times. It became his first major wake-up call in his career and made him realize even more clearly that there are no shortcuts in acting – only through repeated trials.
For a long time after he started learning acting, Zhu Yilong trained himself in what he calls the “dumbest” way: overcoming difficulties through daily practice. In an observation exercise class at school, when tasked with portraying “a person observing roasted sweet potatoes,” he actually rented a roasted sweet potato stall and stood there for an entire day, silently memorizing the vendor’s expressions and the customers’ reactions. After graduating, while his classmates signed with major companies, he threw himself into low-budget digital films, simply because he “wanted to keep acting.” He could shoot more than 30 productions a year. Without the right to choose roles, he seized every opportunity possible, memorizing all his lines a day in advance until they became instinctive.
“Technically speaking, acting requires constant repetition. Preparing the character, understanding the character, shooting again and again, changing camera angles again and again. Actors have to repeat the same scene over and over,” Zhu Yilong says. “But the most important thing is that you can’t give up your sensitivity. Every performance has to feel fresh, like the first time you step in front of the camera or onto the stage.”
From the very first class at the Beijing Film Academy, Zhu Yilong practiced acting more than once every day. This was not a passing whim, but a self-imposed discipline that lasted over a decade. From basic training in the classroom to real-world craft on set, from roles with only a few lines to leading roles, he went through thousands of repetitions.
He repeatedly analyzed characters’ psychology so that every look matched their inner world. He repeatedly refined his lines so that every word flowed naturally. He repeatedly practiced body language so that every movement fit the character’s persona. In those years, Zhu Yilong became a “craftsman-style” actor. On productions with 800 or even 1,000 scenes, he constantly reminded himself: “You must always maintain a sense of reverence for acting.”
After nearly ten years of steady accumulation, 2018 became the year he was truly seen. He said, “I didn’t feel that waiting ten years was especially hard or long. On the contrary, it felt too fast. I wasn’t ready yet.”
PART TWO: REPETITION ISN'T A SHACKLE, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY
Zhu Yilong’s deepest belief about acting is “trust in practice.”
In The Legend of Mi Yue, he did thorough preparation to compete for the role of Ying Ji, leaving a strong impression despite limited screen time. In The Story of Minglan, he repeatedly refined his performance, turning the gentlemanly and affectionate Qi Heng into a much-loved character in the hearts of countless viewers.
“These are all necessary paths to entering a role,” he says.
“But doesn’t such high-intensity repetition make people numb?” Zhu Yilong answers with two keywords: passion and original aspiration. “During the process of repetition, it is most critical to maintain your original creative intention and always treat acting as if it were your first time,” he says. “As long as it’s something you love, you’ll have the motivation to keep doing it.”
Repetition is not a shackle, but an opportunity filled with infinite possibilities. That’s why Zhu Yilong never fears repetition.
“Every repetition is actually a brand-new opportunity for an actor,” he believes. Acting is a practical art. Every clapboard, every scene, every role is a fresh start. Within these cycles, he treats the repetitive filming process as a chance to dig within himself and push his limits, achieving creative impulses.
As he once reflected: “You don’t know what it is, but at certain points, inexplicably, the direction of your life or some of your choices changes, but not according to logic or experience.” And the catalysts for these changes often hide in the repeated process of refinement.
That’s why Zhu Yilong keeps achieving breakthroughs in his roles. In The Rebel, Lin Nansheng evolves from a naive young student into a mature revolutionary, with layered changes in identity and mindset. In Lost in the Stars, he thoroughly studied every scene, ultimately showing audiences his ability to control a complex antagonist. To portray Mo Sanmei in Lighting Up the Stars, Zhu Yilong immersed himself in the funeral industry, observing practitioners’ behavior, expressions, and speech, repeatedly mimicking them. It was this role that earned him the Golden Rooster Award, the Hundred Flowers Award, and other “Best Actor” honors.
With a growing body of work and industry recognition, Zhu Yilong’s range has become even richer over the past three years. Ma Zhe in Only the River Flows marked his breakthrough in art-house cinema. In The Volunteers Part Two, he studied the historical background in depth. Director Chen Kaige commented, “Zhu Yilong truly poured his emotions into his portrayal of the volunteer soldier.” In Land of Broken Hearts, he took on the role of producer for the first time. These continuous breakthroughs stem from his professional confidence built through repeated practice.
Initially, passion supported him through the monotony of repetition. Later, through the repeated process of creation, he gradually derived a new driving force: “I hope to become better.” This motivation keeps him going on the path of acting.
In the early days, when facing complex roles, Zhu Yilong would struggle with anxiety over whether he could handle them. With more experience, he learned to reconcile with these emotions, carefully feeling both certainty and uncertainty, tempering his mindset through repeated emotional fluctuations, and calmly accepting the unpredictability of this profession. “When I used to struggle between feeling confident and feeling the lack of confidence, I felt especially anxious. Now I understand that this feeling will never disappear. Instead of resisting it, it’s better to make peace with it.”
PART THREE: FINDING NEW INSIGHTS THROUGH REPETITION
Zhu Yilong says that not only his work is full of “repetition.” Life itself is made up of countless repeated moments. Within this day-to-day cycle, he has his own life wisdom: exercise.
Basketball, fitness training, rowing – these seemingly unrelated, repetitive activities nourish both his body and mind. They help him stay balanced under work pressure and allow his cultivated resilience to feed his role creation. “Exercise, acting, and practicing the piano require daily persistence,” he says.
For Zhu Yilong, exercise is not just a way to maintain physical condition; it is a way to converse with himself. He enjoys the transformation that sports bring him. He applies the focus cultivated through training to understand his roles, the endurance built in the gym to withstand long hours of filming, and the experience of teamwork to collaborate with his crew.
In lululemon’s New Year short film Spring: Repetition as Renewal, new brand ambassador Zhu Yilong sits at the center of a boat, holding the oars with both hands, repeatedly rowing forward across a lake. Each stroke looks the same, yet in his eyes, each one brings something new. Perhaps the changing scenery along the shore, perhaps a heart growing ever more resolute.
“Pursuing your original aspiration through repetition taught me one of the most important things: don’t be indifferent as everything is connected to you,” Zhu Yilong says. “A passerby on the road, things happening around you, or the small changes in daily life... they are all sources of nourishment.”
“Start by taking action” is the attitude Zhu Yilong reminds himself to maintain in his career, and also the way he approaches life. “Before you start, I don’t think about how difficult something will be. Because once you start thinking about difficulty, you’ve already lost the courage to keep going.” Those goals that once seemed out of reach will eventually bring change, as long as you repeat the effort day after day.
Repetition as renewal means holding onto your original aspiration within cycles, achieving breakthroughs by accumulation, and discovering new possibilities. Zhu Yilong has achieved a lightness that comes from ten years of perseverance, and he has shaped a life attitude of moving forward without internal conflict, pressing ahead with unwavering resolve.
EN translation of Zhu Yilong X Another Man Issue 10 Cover Feature by wenella
Zhu Yilong: The Gentle Breeze & the Mysterious Sea
If given the choice, Zhu Yilong might opt for anonymity like some novelists, because what truly matters is the work itself. But for him as an actor, that option doesn’t exist. Film roles always share a face and a body with the actor. There’s nowhere for him to hide.
So he chose to embrace the experience, allowing each role to consume the majority of his inner self, time and again realizing: “Turns out I can be someone like this too.”
The rogue, vulnerable, determined... the ever-changing personalities appear on the set as expected, but retreat into the shadows when the director shouts “Cut!,” dissolving in the delicate balance between control and release. Coming back into sight is still Zhu Yilong - a guy who is slightly shy, likes to purse his lips slightly, and has clear and humble eyes.
01 A Tenacious Actor
Before the summer of 2018, Zhu Yilong was but a faint silhouette in the film and television industry. Born in Wuhan in 1988, this actor honed his craft for four years through morning training drills at the Beijing Film Academy’s Performance Department. In the following decade after graduation, he immersed himself in diverse roles—elegant young scholars, lovelorn swordsmen, and frail literati. And then he played three distinct roles in the online drama Guardian – the pause of Shen Wei's fingertips when adjusting his glasses, the arc of the Black Robe Envoy's clothes when he turned around, and the sinister madness of Ye Zun; Zhu Yilong made the series a huge hit with his acting skills.
Zhu Yilong’s fans often take pride in his persistent dedication and passion for acting; his down-to-earth and humble nature makes him a rare gem in the entertainment industry. The saying "True gold will always shine" perfectly describes Zhu Yilong, who approaches his craft with sincerity. While filming Border Town Prodigal, he portrayed Fu Hongxue—a vengeance-driven young man from Gu Long’s novel who suffers a lifetime of betrayal. Through his calm and restrained portrayal, Zhu fully captured the character’s loneliness and yearning for love and forgiveness. To embody the repressed, long-suffering Lin Nansheng in The Rebel, Zhu immersed himself so deeply that he often collapsed from exhaustion and dizziness even after the director shouted "cut." Zhu Yilong’s devotion to his art makes him stand out like a meticulous craftsman in an age of instant celebrities.
The role of Mo Sanmei in Lighting Up the Stars revealed Zhu Yilong’s “destructive urge” as an actor. Zhu enjoyed shedding his original self that was created by his habits. He arrived at a funeral parlor a month early to observe and immerse himself, shaved his head into a buzz cut, tanned his skin, and transformed into a funeral director speaking thick Wuhan dialect.
It’s often said that acting opposite child performers is the most challenging, as their authenticity exposes even the slightest pretense. To stay in character, Zhu treated his young co-star Yang Enyou (who played Wu Xiaowen) as Sange would, even behind the scenes. Through his meticulous attention to detail, he vividly portrayed a ruffian’s gradually deepening sense of responsibility. Zhu’s deeply moving and genuine performance in the film ultimately won him the Golden Rooster Best Actor Award in 2022.
02 Focus First, Then Go for a Walk
Our interview began at dusk, with the lingering twilight soft as water. He had been shooting for most of the day and had just removed his makeup, changed into comfortable casual clothes, and was sitting relaxed on a tall stool near the end of a simple bar counter. The counter was next to a window overlooking the open sky and garden. While speaking to me, he would sit facing me, occasionally gesturing with his hands. When I asked a question, he would turn slightly towards the window, lift the water bottle to take small sips, gaze outside, listening while contemplating his answer.
His replies were mostly simple, even bordering on old-fashioned. For example, when discussing reverence for the profession, he mentioned the eight large characters posted on the wall of his Beijing Film Academy classroom: 尊师重道 薪火相传 (Respecting Teachers, Upholding Traditions, Passing the Torch). He said, rather seriously, that he truly believed in these words and acted accordingly. “Completing a film is incredibly difficult; it requires the collective effort of many people just to see the result. It's truly a magical process. I respect everyone involved. An actor is just one piece of the puzzle; that's the reality.”
Thus, each time Zhu Yilong joins a new production team, he devotes himself to experiencing everything the team has collectively built. “Directors, cinematographers, set designers, stage designers… experts from various departments contribute their expertise to help actors immerse themselves in the story’s setting. What I need to do is trust them, absorb it all, and then deliver the best possible performance suited to that moment and that film.”
The on-location shoot for Dongji Rescue provided Zhu Yilong with a uniquely immersive environment. Touted as a 2025 summer blockbuster, the film is directed by Guan Hu and Fei Zhenxiang, starring Zhu Yilong, Wu Lei, and Ni Ni. The crew built sets on Dongji Island, recreating a historical ship at 1:1 scale.
Both water tank filming & open-sea shoots posed significant challenges for Zhu Yilong. “You can’t see anything underwater, but I had to act as if I could. I also had to perform specific actions facing the camera.” How did he achieve it? “By feeling the camera.”
Without relying on vision, Zhu Yilong honed his acting instincts and physical awareness to remarkable sharpness. But all of this depended on his ability to hold his breath motionless underwater for extended periods. While Harry Potter had Dobby’s gillyweed, Zhu could only rely on systematic freediving training. The entire training regimen lasted two months, progressing from basic stretching to breathwork and meditation, and from static to dynamic exercises. “The key is relaxation. You must suppress the urge to breathe. Typically, within a minute of breath-holding, the diaphragm starts convulsing, making you crave air—yet the body still has sufficient oxygen. So training is also a journey of unlocking your potential.”
Zhu has loved water since childhood and is already a certified scuba diver. In Lost in the Stars, he played a diving instructor, performing underwater scenes. But he had long wanted to learn freediving, and this film fulfilled his dream. He expressed his joy despite the grueling work: “Daily dives are limited by one’s physical stamina. Underwater filming imposes constraints too; slower movements conserve oxygen, and allows for longer submersion. But my rescue scenes demanded swift, wide-ranging motions, pushing my dynamic apnea skills to the extreme.”
The challenges extended far beyond underwater scenes. “Instead of using an existing fishing village, the crew built one from scratch. So every day, we had to trek nearly an hour along rugged trails and boardwalks just to get from our lodging to the set. The daily commute alone, coupled with filming itself, posed immense physical demands.”
After wrapping up each project, Zhu Yilong’s preferred way to unwind is traveling. He yearns to explore new places, a practice that also reminds him of his own smallness in the grand scheme of things. “It’s easy to become trapped in your own bubble and feel suffocated. When acting, I hyper-focus on performance, constantly grappling with grand, weighty questions like ‘Who am I? What am I doing? How should I do it?’ So after filming, if time allows, I travel to broaden my perspective. Encountering diverse ways of life truly opens your mind.”
03 The Next Role
In 2019, Zhu Yilong was appointed WWF Global Ambassador Against Illegal Wildlife Trade, traveling twice to Africa to film public service documentaries. His gaze toward elephants and giraffes was tender, radiating childlike wonder. “I’ve loved animals since childhood, watching Animal Planet and imagining the Great Migration in my mind. But watching rhinos and ostriches firsthand in Africa, seeing the Milky Way stretch across the night sky with stars so bright that they felt within reach, listening to baboons, birds, and insects… It’s as if I’m feeling the entire universe firsthand, and at the same time, I’m aware of my own insignificance. Problems that once felt colossal suddenly seemed insignificant. I am serious,” his bright eyes reflecting a profound wonder.
Beyond travel, Zhu has many hobbies. His studio holds an array of instruments: piano, guitar, and drums. He plays basketball and does rock climbing. Perhaps he is driven by curiosity, or perhaps this is an organic extension of his dedication to his craft. “For an actor, every skill learnt might prove useful someday. Even something as simple as playing Pogs could lend authenticity to a scene. I just explore anything that intrigues me.”
He understands that an actor’s craft stems from lived experience. Personal growth in perspective naturally permeates his performances, while daily observations of people subconsciously nourish his art. We discussed the scene in Only the River Flows where Zhu’s character, police chief Ma Zhe, chopped vegetables and cooked while clenching a cigarette between his lips. “I remember watching my uncle do exactly that as a child. Cigarettes, unrefined actions, yet his dishes were delicious.” The scene aimed to show Ma Zhe’s resolve to set aside an obsessive case and focus on his pregnant wife during leave. As he served the steaming food, his obsession with hunting the killer disappeared and this reveals Ma Zhe’s tender side through Zhu’s portrayal.
Acting must be situated in specific contexts, yet sometimes tried conventions can work to achieve dramatic tension. For Zhu, the crux lies in “genuine emotions.” All labels attached to him can be removed; they’re merely habits that have been accumulated over time. Only when he truly channels a character’s emotions does a new kind of symbiosis emerge.
In daily life, Zhu Yilong embraces tranquility. “Portraying intense roles is thrilling, but it demands dramatic energy; off-screen, I am much quieter.” This reminds me of co-star Ni Ni’s observation about his use of energy in acting: he is like a set of noise-cancelling headphones that keeps chaos out from his daily life to conserve his energy, but he is willing to devote all his energy to the roles. His portrayal of He Fei in Lost in the Stars,a man so detestable he became the internet’s most despised scoundrel, epitomises this alchemy.
Yet when speaking of his love for the ocean, a flicker of his own adventurous spirit surfaces: “The sea fascinates me with its mystery. Especially at night. The sea is an ink-black void where you see nothing yet feel compelled to venture deeper. Have you ever swam at night? You just keep swimming out into the sea… as your thoughts drift. And when you turn back to look at the shore, you see only pinpricks of distant light and suddenly, you are engulfed by dread and loneliness.”
At this point, his long eyelashes shadowed his eyes a little, as if this memory casted a veil of mystery over his friendly smile.
What kind of person will Zhu Yilong be in his next role?
**THE END**
Post-translation thoughts:
1) Any article that acknowledges Guardian as his breakthrough work 💯
2) Seems like DJR is his toughest project to date (but what’s new?)
3) His memory of the night sea is my nightmare material
Please do not repost. DM for permission to retranslate.
Zhu Yilong: Real history contains courage and strength
EN translation of Zhu Yilong X Shang Cheng Shi Film Dongji Rescue Cover Feature Interview Aug 2025 by wenella
Zhu Yilong admitted that after wrapping Dongji Rescue, he retained some of the habits he picked up while playing the character Abi. To fit the character's identity, Zhu, along with other actors, underwent a series of "physical transformations" during their closed-door training period, including muscle gain, fat reduction, and skin tanning. The habits he developed during this time – such as maintaining a low-salt, low-oil diet and engaging in frequent exercise – have carried over into his real life.
Greek theater director Theodoros Terzopoulos believes that the actor’s body is the fundamental medium of performance; the actor’s physical presence is a direct conduit for conveying spiritual energy. Zhu Yilong strongly agrees with this view. For an outstanding actor, physically becoming a role may be even more important than merely imitating actions. Zhu Yilong feels very fortunate that Dongji Rescue adopted closed-door training and on-location shooting, which allowed him to fully immerse in the acting process.
"When we were on Dongji Island, we weren't just a film crew — we were essentially fishermen. We lived and worked together, and that sense of groundedness gave us a strong sense of conviction. On an isolated island, the connections between people naturally grew stronger. So even after we wrapped for the day, we continued to spend time together, discussing scenes with our co-actors and our understanding of character relationships. That was a huge advantage."
The closed-door training for Dongji Island could be described as hellish in terms of intensity and professionalism. Zhu Yilong recalled that to fully adapt to underwater performances, he once spent a single-day record of sixteen hours completely immersed in seawater during filming, causing his skin to peel from prolonged exposure.
During that period, in order to realistically portray the physical condition of 20th-century fishermen, he also maintained a strict regimen of fat reduction and muscle building, lowering and keeping his body fat percentage in the single digits. For most people, this would be the ultimate test of physical endurance.
Filming underwater was far more difficult than the audience might imagine — especially in the coastal waters, where there’s a large amount of silt and debris. Actors had to perform with their eyes open underwater, enduring not only physical discomfort but also overcoming the psychological fear caused by water pressure. Yet Zhu Yilong deeply cherishes this experience.
"I think the greatest joy of being an actor is that you get to continuously step into new lives and gain new experiences. That’s why I prefer to say become the character, rather than just relate to the character. Even after filming for Dongji Rescue concluded, I kept the workout habits I developed during that time; it makes me feel like a part of Abi still remains within me. The life I once lived left its mark on me in a very distinct way. That gives me a sense of fulfillment."
As an actor, Zhu Yilong is well recognized within the industry as a practitioner of method acting. Whether portraying Mo Sanmei, the funeral director in Lighting Up the Stars (which earned him Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Actor), or Captain Ma Zhe, the police detective in Only the River Flows (selected for Un Certain Regard at the 76th Cannes Film Festival), Zhu Yilong consistently delivers performances of remarkable completeness. To immerse himself in his roles, he undertakes extensive preparation—such as observing at funeral homes beforehand. Such dedication undoubtedly represents a rare quality among contemporary actors. When asked whether this immersive approach has led to difficulty detaching from his characters, Zhu Yilong said that he consciously avoids allowing acting to become emotionally burdensome.
"I think getting into a character is much harder than stepping out of one. Maybe it's because, even before I entered the industry, I heard many veteran actors talk about how they struggled to move on after finishing a powerful role. So early on, I set a kind of 'switch' for myself. The moment a director calls a wrap on a character, I mentally flip that switch. You’ve probably heard of the book An Actor Prepares by Konstantin Stanislavski. The author says that even when an actor is crying or laughing, they’re also observing their own tears and laughter. I don’t lose myself during the process of acting."
Outstanding actors often infuse their characters with vivid texture through meticulous detail. Zhu Yilong played a role in finalizing his name as “Abi" in Dongji Rescue.
"Before filming began, the character was still named 'Luo Xiao' in the script. During a training break one day, I sat and chatted with the director. He felt 'Luo Xiao' sounded too formal, especially since the younger brother is called A Dang and the female lead A Hua—so the older brother’s name needed to feel wilder, more authentic to Dongji Island. We started brainstorming alternatives. The director mentioned the legend of the dragon’s nine sons. Since Dongji Island is part of Chinese civilization yet distinct from the mainland, we drew inspiration from that. We researched and found the sixth son, Bixi (赑屃). Ancient texts describe Bixi as 'strong and mighty in appearance,' capable of bearing immense responsibility. These traits perfectly aligned with the older brother’s role in The Pole, so we adapted the character 赑 (bì) for his name. Abi, Abi, rolls right off the tongue!"
The entire story of Dongji Rescue unfolds within two days, yet the filming spanned a hundred times that duration. Zhu Yilong describes this time disparity as "remarkable."
"Every day, I had to prime my physical and mental state to its optimum to meet the challenges. Every single scene in this film was demanding—so if you ask which scene left the deepest impression, I’d say every one of them. That’s not empty courtesy, but my genuine experience. Looking back, what I accomplished over two hundred days was essentially what Abi achieved within forty-eight hours. Yet real history is filled with such courage and fortitude. They achieved what many couldn’t even in a lifetime."
EN translation of Zhu Yilong's Elle China October 2024 Cover Issue Feature Interview by wenella
The art museum is located at the northeastern part of the island. The huge floor-to-ceiling window and the corridor create a natural picture frame. The clear sea is in full view; small islands afar float beneath the white clouds and sea gulls occasionally sweep across the sky.
Zhu Yilong steps into the frame and completes this lively picture. The tires, ropes, fishing nets, and buoys that are lying silently by the pier, come alive because of his presence. His complexion is much darker than before. During this period away from the public eye, Zhu Yilong has spent time in the scorching sun and sea breeze experiencing his new role.
The sunshine, ocean, and sea breeze have shaped the Zhu Yilong we see standing before us. He has constantly given his all for every performance and role; he does it not only by changing his appearance but also seeking breakthroughs inside out by experimenting with different acting methods.
Zhu Yilong loves acting. Immersing himself in acting allows him to dispel noise and eliminate worries. Each time his acting transforms, refines, and sublimates quotidian realities of life into artistic realities, the creative process invigorates his heart. An outstanding actor can derive energy from his acting continuously and accumulate courage and perseverance from this constant cycle.
01. Away From City Life
For his new film project, Zhu Yilong has been living on a small island, which is part of the Zhoushan archipelago, for the past two months. The vast sea surrounds this small island. One must temporarily abandon the convenience of city life to fathom what living is like in this oceanic wilderness. For example, food deliveries, mobile signal, and measurements of urban time such as calendars and clocks. These items are meaningless to fishermen and sea creatures. Fishermen pay attention to sunrises, sunsets, and tidal changes, as these factors impact their lifestyles. This is the rhythm of nature.
Zhu Yilong has gotten used to life without mobile signal. This has enabled him to focus on the present. “It’s good to be isolated from the world. Everyone is talking about the film and their roles. No one checks their phones. Everyone is immersed in this creative atmosphere.” Their accommodation has an open, communal space. After work, he would sit in this space and watch the sun set; the surrounding buildings would dim gradually and his heart would calm down as he listens to the rhythmic waves – feeling just like the sea beneath the moonlight, vast and quiet. Zhu Yilong may not be an extrovert, but this does not prevent him from interacting with others. Even if he only shares a few words occasionally, he enjoys the comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, just like a fish going with the flow of waves.
The life of an actor on the film set is like that of a fisherman. They work in the day and rest at night; life is orderly and follows a routine. Zhu Yilong feels that he is leading his ideal life now. If he had the luxury of taking a day off without the need to adhere to any restrictions, he would like to sleep, wake up naturally, and place a “crazy” order of food – preferably hotpot. The diet on this island has been relatively simple and monotonous. Besides, Zhu Yilong has been controlling his diet for his role for an extended period. His body fat has reached an ideal state due to his self-discipline, but this has also intensified his craving for delicious and spicy hotpot.
02. Enjoying the Moment of Epiphany
Over the past two years, Zhu Yilong has received more scripts than ever. “My selection criteria differ yearly as my mood changes. It really depends on fate and the environment. If my mood resonates with a script at that moment, that’s it.”
To prepare for his new role, Zhu Yilong gradually tanned his skin and grew his hair and mustache. He also learnt free diving systematically on the set. He obtained his AOW (Advanced Open Water) diving license in Saipan as early as 2016, and showcased his diving skills when he filmed Reunion: The Sound of the Providence and Lost in the Stars. But free diving is different for him this time in Dongji Island as he needs to dive into deep waters without an oxygen tank. The main challenge of free diving is training the lungs. Beginners must learn to empty their lungs and stay underwater for a minute. Since breathing is basic human instinct, only those who have experienced this would understand how long and terrifying this minute could be. Being underwater without oxygen creates pressure on one’s body and mind. Imagine a fish that is taken out of water; it goes the same for humans. When one’s lungs are emptied for a few seconds, the diaphragm starts to spasm and the feeling of panic and near death would propel one out of the water.
“How to overcome this fear? By training, testing my limits, and telling myself to relax when my diaphragm starts to spasm,” Zhu Yilong said. When one is underwater, they are isolated from the outside world, and they can hear themselves very clearly. “The training process is like meditation. You need to use your will to force yourself to empty your brain. Once you are focused, time will pass very quickly. Now, I can complete two minutes of actions in a 9-meter-deep pool.”
To a certain extent, getting into character is like diving; both processes involve progressing from tension to relaxation. Zhu Yilong gets nervous easily whenever he prepares for a film. The more he prepares for the character, the more uneasy he becomes. “All prior work is done based on your imagination, your discussions with the crew, and your ideas of enriching the character. Before the character appears before the camera, there is absolutely no way to find out how he will turn out. You need to be in a specific setting, before a rolling camera, and suddenly one day, the moment of epiphany will strike and you get into character.” For Zhu Yilong, this process can last for several days – three to five days at the shortest, and nine to ten days at the longest. But when the moment occurs, he would feel immensely inspired and relaxed, as though embraced by warm ocean currents. There would be no need to think about other things. He just had to go with the flow and enjoy the simple pleasure of becoming his character.
03. With Age comes Tolerance
Zhu Yilong turned 36 this year, just like ELLE.
Three decades. In his opinion, 36 is the prime time of an actor’s career. He is mature and energetic enough to play any character or try any genre. “The first decade in this industry involves training and learning. We had to act and accumulate experiences before we are noticed by directors. Over the past five years, I was able to leverage my experiences that I have accumulated and tried my best to create my characters. I had more opportunities to create different roles and I did not want to waste any of these opportunities that were given to me.”
Zhu Yilong is very expressive whenever he talks about acting. He said he wanted to make movies and try different genres and characters. He would love to take on more roles, but his schedule only permits him to take on two to three projects annually. Since college, Zhu Yilong has always admired Actor of a Thousand Faces - Daniel Day-Lewis. Till now, he still remembers the film My Left Foot (1989) recommended by his teacher and the moment when he saw the actor use his left foot to handle a roll of film skillfully. Subsequently, Zhu Yilong studied Daniel Day-Lewis’ films carefully, such as Gangs of New York (2002), There Will Be Blood (2007), and Lincoln (2012). He hopes that one day, his acting career would be like that of Daniel Day-Lewis’; every role that he creates would allow the audience to immerse themselves in the film and forget what he originally looked like.
For Zhu Yilong, seeking personal breakthroughs isn’t exactly daunting. This is something that can be accomplished any time. He hopes to receive roles that require a wider range of acting as that will excite him. “The greatest advantage that has come with age is my tolerance for mistakes.” Zhu Yilong said that during his first few years of filming, he was particularly afraid of making mistakes and hearing the director shout NG. He hoped that every scene could be done in one take and that he could meet the director's best imagination of the character accurately. However, he gained a better understanding of the art of acting over the past decade and gradually realized that making mistakes was perfectly normal. Most of the time, an actor's imagination of a scene does not necessarily translate into his performance. That is why actors should practise trial and error on the set and adjust their acting step by step to achieve an accurate performance. “Now, I’m no longer afraid of making mistakes. I won’t obsess over what the correct answer might be. I just think about the different possibilities and offer the director more choices.”
In a way, overcoming the fear of making mistakes demonstrates his psychological growth as an actor over an extended, arduous period. So, “does the desire to win become greater or lesser as you age?”
In response, Zhu Yilong admits that his desire to win has never diminished. When he was young, his desire to win manifested on the basketball court. He wanted to score goals and points; he wanted to be better than his opponents. When he graduated and started his acting career, he wanted to do everything to the best of his ability and win the director’s approval. However, his concept of winning changed gradually after he turned 30. Winning the approval of others was no longer his priority. He sought personal breakthroughs, explored different options, and tried interesting projects. Cloudy Mountain, Lighting up the Stars, Lost in the Stars, The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death, Only the River Flows, Land of Broken Hearts, Dongji Island… “I choose a different genre each time I make a film as I want to test my limits.” Each time a film wraps, Zhu Yilong moves on and departs for a further destination, just like the ripples of waves that hit the shore, edging one another ahead.
**THE END**
Post-translation note: Love how he is challenging himself and the boundaries of his acting. His interviews always serve as timely reminders for myself too. Do not be afraid of making mistakes. Do not make winning the approval of others your priority. Be comfortable in your own skin.
Happy Monday reading. If you'd like to re-translate this, please DM me for permission + credit. Please do not repost this article. Thanks and good night.
EN translation of Zhu Yilong X Marie Clarie Jan 2025 Cover Issue Feature Interview by wenella
The search for “Zhu Yilong” started after Dongji Island wrapped.
Zhu Yilong’s 7-month life on the set ended at night. When Zhu Yilong finished his last scene underwater that night, his body was filled with the character’s emotions, and he was overwhelmed by fatigue. He didn’t come back to his senses even when he heard the director yelled, “it’s a wrap!” It was not until the director jumped into the water to celebrate with him that he felt a huge sense of relief. It was finally time to say goodbye to his role Luo Xiao.
Zhu Yilong's role in the movie "Dongji Island" required him to perform many scenes underwater. He had to perform actions and deliver emotions while going with the flow of the water and ensuring that he did not choke. This is his toughest role so far.
Over the past decade, Zhu Yilong has played a variety of characters. His career is akin to a life simulation game; he levels up by collecting different characters. Once the camera rolls, he can be anyone, except Zhu Yilong. After leveling up, he quickly turns back into Zhu Yilong and doesn’t linger in the lives of others.
Zhu Yilong often jokes that he will get "sick" after each film. Once he wraps, it is as though all the taut strings in his body suddenly loosen and his only desire is to lie down and do nothing. This time, Zhu Yilong returned to Beijing and rested at home for a few days. In the past, he always looked forward to diving, swimming, or relaxing by the beach during his break. "I think I swam enough for Dongji Island this time. I don't want to (go to the beach) for the time being, I just want to rest."
In the past, Zhu Yilong could separate himself from his role after wrapping by changing his clothes or getting a haircut. However, over the past year, he has found it increasingly difficult to remove the lingering traces of his characters on him. These traces remain in him even though he has bid farewell to his role, and it is harder to discern how Zhu Yilong should be like anymore. What does it mean to return to being himself? What does it even mean to be himself? The boundaries start to blur.
Searching for himself
Zhu Yilong lived in Qingshan District, Wuhan, when he was a child. In the area, there was an important cultural venue named Red Flag Theater where many art performances and activities were held. The Theater was converted into an ice rink in the late 1990s and was subsequently demolished to make way for a housing community.
The place holds the childhood memories of a generation of Qingshan residents - the billiards next to the theater cost 50 cents a shot; children always gathered at the video game machines near the theater; the aroma of skewers at the entrance of the theater lingers even after many years. When Zhu Yilong was in elementary school, the school often took students to the Red Flag Theater for movies. The Theatre was like a time travel box that transported children to the past and the future. They got to see the outside world through this theatre.
Besides the theater, open-air movies were often shown on the university campus near Zhu Yilong's home. In the evening, he often ran over to the field with his grandmother's braised chicken feet, sat down with others, and feasted on the chicken feet while immersing himself in the movie. "I was easily drawn into the stories and I believed in what happened in those scenes." Little did Zhu Yilong know that he would grow up to become a storyteller and a character on the big screen.
Zhu Yilong started to watch many movies after he was admitted to the Beijing Film Academy. He learnt about the world through movies and developed a stronger connection with the world. There is a park called Xiaoyue River next to the Beijing Film Academy, where many students practiced their skills secretly. Students usually did morning practice exercises on campus, but if they didn’t want others to see them working so hard, they would get up earlier and go to Xiaoyue River to practice their vocals.
Zhu Yilong found this rather amusing as he recalled the past. “When we were in college, working hard seemed like a shameful thing. Everyone wanted to perform well on stage but didn’t want to appear too hardworking – oh wait, he doesn’t practice martial arts, how can he be so good at it?! – Everyone hoped that they were like this, but in fact they were all practicing their skills secretly.”
Today, Zhu Yilong is no longer ashamed to talk about his efforts. It takes a lot of energy to create a role and he always strives for the best each time he shoots a scene. From the first day he stepped out of school, he demanded himself to do his best in all his performances. Whatever he could give at that moment would be his best. Even if he sees mediocre acting while rewatching his previous works, he will not think of how he can improve that scene as he knows that he had already tried his best at that moment.
After becoming an actor, Zhu Yilong gradually discovered that filming is a constant process of self-exploration and that he didn't know himself as well as he thought he did. "Even if the role is very different from yourself, it is impossible to create a character out of thin air; you can't completely turn yourself into another person. You need to dig within yourself to create the role and sometimes, you will discover that you can leverage something that you think you don't originally have. Through this process, you gradually become unsure of who you really are."
In the past, watching movies was about getting to know the world. Now, making movies is about finding himself.
Immune Response
Every time Zhu Yilong creates a character, he gets very anxious and takes a long time to prepare for his role. He creates different possibilities for his character, sets high standards and tries his best to achieve them. He regards this anxiety as a type of “immune response,” which is the inevitable result of entering a new role. In his opinion, integrating himself with a new character will trigger such an immune response. There is no need to relieve the anxiety when it occurs as it is impossible to get rid of it anyway. Rather than thinking about how to relieve the anxiety, it will be more useful to face it, feel it, and adapt to it.
Besides, people will feel anxious at any stage of their life. Zhu Yilong recalled a moment when he was 27 or 28 years old. He was suddenly seized by anxiety one night and thought: I’m almost 30 years old, what can I shoot in the future? I want to make films, but there’s no opportunity. When he gathers with his friends these days, people tend to talk about their recent situation, thoughts, and issues they are worried about.
He allows anxiety to come naturally as he knows that there will be a moment when it fades out. No one knows how long the anxiety will last, but there will come a day when he suddenly realizes that acting can be effortless - there’s no need to think about where the camera is, when to pause in a sentence, or whether to look left or right. All “immune responses” will disappear once he is completely relaxed and everything he does will feel right. At this moment, he knows that he has connected with his character.
But there comes a risk after he makes that connection between reality and imagination. In recent years, there were several occasions when he couldn't tell if everything before him was real or fake. Sometimes, after he finished a scene, he would realize that the scene was identical to the scene that appeared in his brain when he was resting. At this moment, he is unsure if everything that happened was real or simply part of his imagination.
Zhu Yilong has read many stories about "acting maniacs" and used to envy the way they eat, sleep, and breath acting. Nonetheless, he knows that it will be difficult to do so with his personality. To him, the film set is a microcosm of society. If an actor completely transforms himself into the role that he plays, it may be difficult for him to consider the feelings of the people around him and may even become unreasonable and inconsiderate.
It is impossible for Zhu Yilong to completely ignore the feelings of others. On the set, he is always quickly to sense changes in people's emotions. He hopes that the atmosphere on the set is harmonious, comfortable, and relaxed. Everyone is free to express themselves and offer ideas without worrying about judgement. He doesn't want everyone to be so uptight all the time as he finds it difficult to work in such tense environments. Therefore, he will try his best to control himself, devote himself fully to the role and follow the character's developmental trajectory. However, once the director shouts "cut", he will immediately return to being himself.
Nonetheless, he has also tried to change in recent years. He tries to integrate himself with his role as much as possible without affecting the work of others and strives to release his full potential during filming. Even after the director shouts "cut," he does not withdraw himself from the role immediately as before and does not seek to revert to “Zhu Yilong” deliberately.
Zhu Yilong is trying to find a balance between his roles and himself, as well as between performance and life.
Sweet Moments
Zhu Yilong has been in love with basketball and Michael Jordan since young. This iconic figure in basketball history has created countless moments by controlling the court with his superb skills and frustrating his opponents. If Michael Jordan had to cheer himself on during an important game, one of the tactics he used was to magnify the opponent's contempt for him – it might just be a glance, but he would take it as hostility to gear himself up. Zhu Yilong found this method useful for actors. "For example, if you need a certain emotion at a specific moment, it might be more effective to capture the emotion and magnify it within yourself, rather than simply using your imagination. This way, you will not only own the emotion, but also avoid disturbing others.”
Zhu Yilong’s views about acting are constantly evolving as he accumulates acting experiences over the years. He keeps thinking about how to improve and often hopes to enhance his acting with a stroke of genius. But where does this stroke of genius come from? Are there new ways to act?
After each take, Zhu Yilong will observe everyone's reactions and feel the atmosphere subconsciously. "Sometimes, you get a strong feeling after you finish a take. If the take is good, the whole atmosphere will feel right. Conversely, the atmosphere will not feel right if it was a bad take." Sometimes, when he isn’t sure if he is reading too much into the atmosphere, he will ask the director: is it okay? Is it really okay? He communicates with the director constantly and brainstorms ways to improve the scene. “There is no way to tell what kind of performance is the best. You can always do a better job, but you don't know what the best is. In such cases, we will need the director to make a judgement. If he feels that he has everything he wants, that's it."
There are occasional moments, which are oblivious to others, when Zhu Yilong feels immensely pleased and satisfied by his own performance. It is akin to a golf player hitting a sweet spot that sends the ball travelling far and straight. Zhu Yilong feels that his performance hit the sweet spot when his emotions and reactions are on point and impeccable. These moments do not occur frequently but he always looks forward to such moments each time he goes to the set.
New Roadmap
Besides these moments, Zhu Yilong also shuts down for some time each year and allow himself to relax. The duration of his break is highly contingent. Sometimes, he may have planned to rest for half a year, but he tries to find something to do after resting for just a week. It also depends on fate. He may have planned to rest for 3 months. But if he suddenly encounters a script that he really likes, he will get back to work immediately.
He doesn’t deliberately plan for the future. He has a clear idea of what a good actor should be and works towards this goal while picking scripts that he wants to shoot. He does not consider factors such as box office and awards. After all, filming is highly time consuming, “if I can’t work on projects that I’m interested in, it will be so unbearable.”
A reporter once asked him: if he could pick a special ability, what would it be? His answer at that time was to stop time. Now, he feels that he really needs this special ability. Time seems to fly whenever he is working, especially in recent years. In the past, he would think that a 3-month filming period with a hectic schedule and tough preparatory work was unbearable. Now, he feels that a few months happen in a blink of an eye. Some moments happen so quickly that he doesn’t have sufficient time to feel them properly. Sometimes, he really hopes that he can stop time to enjoy these fleeting moments before moving on. After all, the journey of exploring himself has just begun.
He looks forward to the future, though he isn’t exactly sure what to anticipate. Regardless, the journey of seeking Zhu Yilong has changed its trajectory. He is no longer obsessed with recovering his known self; rather, he is more interested in uncovering the hidden possibilities within himself. He has a new roadmap on hand, and the terrain ahead is unknown; he is ready to embark on this new journey to fully experience life as Zhu Yilong.
**THE END**
Post-translation note: Post-translation note: This interview gives SO MUCH updated insight into Zhu Yilong's views on acting. Really looking forward to his new role as Luo Xiao in Dongji Island. Can't imagine the number of underwater scenes he filmed for him to avoid the sea/beach temporarily.
If you'd like to translate this into other languages, please drop me a DM + credit by linking this thread. Happy reading and good night.
EN subbed 6.5-min vid (Apr 16): Zhu Yilong's Birthday Camping/Eating Vlog
It is always a joy to see someone enjoy food like he does! Happy Birthday Longge!
EN translation of Zhu Yilong's GQ Magazine March 2024 Issue Feature Interview by wenella
The interview took place a day before Lunar New Year’s Eve and the cold snap in Beijing has yet to end. It has been a hectic day for Zhu Yilong and our shoot ended only at 10pm.
Zhu Yilong sat in the dressing room, wearing his casual clothes and a beige velvet cap. It looked like Zhu Yilong is less reserved than before.
And it was indeed so. Now, Zhu Yilong exuded a sense of calmness and ease. He said that he has learnt to be accepting and embracing; he has put down much of his baggage and knows how to take things lightly.
In 2023, Zhu Yilong's works were released one after another. Audiences were surprised by his change; he has transformed from a young actor into a well-acclaimed actor. From Lost in the Stars to Only the River Flows, Zhu Yilong has used his characters to break through the thick wall. The thick wall that consisted two sides - behind the wall is an actor’s responsibility; beyond the wall is his self-expectation.
And now, his story will continue.
PART 1: SLOWING DOWN
Zhu Yilong went through several stages before this breakthrough.
Before 2015, Zhu Yilong was waiting patiently for his chance and had occasional success in the industry. During this period, he moved very quickly; once he joined the set, he would set his makeup and get into his role once the camera rolled.
2018 was a year to be called his own. He became active on major social media platforms and was surrounded by fans. However, he was still sincere and humble, maintaining the qualities that he had since young. During his interviews, Zhu Yilong admitted that he was afraid that his works did not live up to his fame.
Besides maintaining his humility, Zhu Yilong continued to work hard. Finally, his acting career reached another new height in 2022.
At the 35th China Golden Rooster Awards, Zhu Yilong won the Best Actor Award for his role as Mo Sanmei in Lighting up the Stars. Since then, he has more time than before and the autonomy to make choices.
Slow work makes perfect work; this is a truth that most people in the acting industry are aware of. Zhu Yilong has chosen to slow down. He said that the production period of making a film is now longer than before. From pre-production preparation, scriptwriting, and communication with the director, he would try to establish a cooperative working environment by involving himself in the creative process as much as possible.
Actors not only have to focus before the camera but also create their roles by immersing themselves in unfamiliar terrains and seeking new perspectives from literature and history. This is how Zhu Yilong fights his war; he has learnt to do desk research before the start of each production.
Recently, he read German philosopher Byung-Chul Han’s Die Austreibung des Anderen (The Expulsion of the Other) that discusses how people should break out of their information cocoons. Zhu Yilong's thoughts echo the author’s viewpoint. An actor should slow down and experience different ways of directing, narrative styles, and visual languages.
He should also head out – chatting with young domestic directors and actors, or interacting with foreign actors, directors, and producers. A movie is the result of a group effort and not an individual’s spontaneous creation. Heading out has brought Zhu Yilong pleasant surprises. He has received not only goodwill for expressing himself but also feedback that have served as inspiration. Zhu Yilong is extremely satisfied with his current state and hence feels at ease with himself.
Now, Zhu Yilong has more time and choices. Yet he still treats acting seriously and holds the “rein” for his roles tightly. He wants to keep his desire for creating new roles, which has been his original intention since he embarked on this career path.
The tensity of the “rein” is like the career anxiety everyone has experienced before, and it does trigger Zhu Yilong occasionally. In order to alleviate his anxiety, he chooses to compete with himself.
PART 2: IMPORTANT MOMENTS
Everyone has important moments in their life. For Zhu Yilong, attending Beijing Film Academy is one of them.
Zhu Yilong was a clueless high school student who has never learnt acting or attended art schools. He was just like any other regular high school student, who decided to take the acting entrance exam simply because of his mother’s love for acting. He said he was lucky; he secured a position in BFA after taking only 3 months of preparation classes.
However, Zhu Yilong had a tough time when he first entered BFA as he was unconfident and clueless. He was clueless as he wasn’t sure if he could excel; he didn’t dare to express himself as he wasn’t confident at all.
Zhu Yilong can never forget his first day at school. The teacher asked them to make fools of themselves on stage. Many of his classmates, who were trained in acting, knew exactly what to do, but Zhu Yilong didn’t. He felt embarrassed, stood frozen on stage, and was at a loss.
The moment that changed Zhu Yilong was an objectless performance at the end of the semester, titled "Waiting." He pretended to hold two ice creams in his hands and sat by himself waiting for his date. Time ticked by; he looked occasionally at his watch while the ice cream melted and dripped on his clothes and hands.
When his performance ended, his teacher Cui Xinqin gave him high praise. Up till today, Zhu Yilong still doesn't understand why, but this event gave him a boost of confidence – it laid the first foundation in him to become an actor.
Thereafter, Zhu Yilong suddenly realized that acting didn't seem as challenging as he thought. He seemed to have found an entry point – and the right one – for his acting career.
Zhu Yilong became confident gradually as he started exploring the more superficial aspects and then the deeper side of acting. He devoted himself to acting, adapting, and performing on stage, and started to enjoy the stage.
But everything became different once he graduated from BFA. It took a long time for Zhu Yilong since his debut to fully relax and transform into the Zhu Yilong we see on screen today.
He said that audiences can only see the actor in front of the camera. But while on the set, there might be more than a dozen crew members surrounding the actor. The sound engineer might even be lying underneath the actor to record the sound. In such a situation, it would be difficult for an actor to be completely relaxed.
He knew that this was something every actor had to go through. He just needed time.
Zhu Yilong cherishes every theatrical release of his works. Whenever the credits rolled and the lights came on, Zhu Yilong would always be filled with emotions as he stood before his audiences.
He cannot forget a conversation during one of the post-screening events.
A girl, who was going through a rough patch, hoped that Zhu Yilong could offer words of comfort. It was a quick interaction that left no time for elaboration. Zhu Yilong told her to broaden her perspective, to not limit her gaze to the present, and to focus on the future.
After a while, their conversation resurfaced on social media. It was only then that Zhu Yilong realized that the problem the girl was facing was not as simple as he thought. When he looked back, he felt bad as he thought that his reply was rather thoughtless and imprudent. Since then, listening attentively has become not only Zhu Yilong’s habit, but also a kind of self-expectation.
"You have to learn to listen in order to understand what is really going on, rather than to simply offer your thoughts immediately."
The second critical moment is the 35th Golden Rooster Awards.
After receiving the Golden Rooster Award, Zhu Yilong did not do anything to celebrate. He simply enjoyed a meal of Sichuan cuisine with his colleagues and celebrated in his own manner – eating a mouthful of rice.
Zhu Yilong has given up rice for a long time. He said, “It's not because I want to keep myself in shape. I just wanted to set a goal for myself and, in a way, compete with myself. So, I decided not to eat rice."
Zhu Yilong didn’t expect to win the Best Actor award for his role in Lighting up the Stars.
"I think it’s fate," he said. Many things happen by chance. Even if he produces a work that is better than Lighting up the Stars two decades later, it may not win any awards. There's no such thing as the perfect timing in life and these unknowns are what make life interesting.
After receiving the award, he went back to work immediately the next day, as though the ceremony was just a formality. But the award did help to ease Zhu Yilong’s anxiety.
He believes that an actor's right to choose his scripts depends on his skills and ability rather than awards and glory. The mutual attraction between actors and directors arises from deep communication, the ability to tap into different states and roles, as well as to create outstanding works together. This was one of the reasons why Zhu Yilong was highly praised by Chinese novelist Yu Hua after the release of Only the River Flows.
Zhu Yilong seldom think about the impact of his roles on him beyond the film. He would consciously change the habits he had developed for his role once the film wraps. Whenever he hears “It’s a wrap,” he will immediately remove himself from the context of the story.
Zhu Yilong has formed his own insights after acting for so many years. He said, "If you think you have mastered an acting method, it might actually pose a problem. There is no fixed method of performance."
For Zhu Yilong, acting is never straightforward. Acting evolves with time and the lifestyles of its contemporary audiences.
"If acting was just mere repetition, who would want to watch such shows?"
PART 3: NO EXPLANATION GIVEN
Regarding other people’s evaluation of Zhu Yilong, the only thing he can do is not to explain himself.
Not explaining does not mean indifference. In reality, when an actor debuts, there is only one path to take. He will join a set after graduating from film school. As a newcomer, the only thing that he can do is to seize all available opportunities. Choices? That’s a later story.
The same was true for Zhu Yilong. He realized very early on that every production is like a college entrance exam for an actor. The main difference is that the real college entrance exam has its rules, norms, and grades. But in terms of the acting profession, there are so many factors that can affect one’s career.
It is just like the jungle life in the film Tarzan of the Apes. One may mistakenly assume that they are familiar with the danger and the location of the beasts. Yet everything in the forest can shatter one’s confidence instantly. All Zhu Yilong could do as a newcomer was to push on even though he was unsure of what laid in front of him.
People in the jungle may offer him advice, dangle temptations or provide shortcuts. But Zhu Yilong knows that since he has chosen to venture into the jungle, he must persevere, and time would give him an answer; he needs to rely on himself to get out of this muddy terrain.
Zhu Yilong remembers a quote: the world is a stage for amateurs.
He said, there are people who gain fame and profit every day in his line. But Zhu Yilong, who has been through all of it before, has learnt to focus on nurturing himself and to remain focused about his career.
"Everyone has their niche. There’s no need to compete with others or to self-aggrandize."
Whenever Zhu Yilong is not on the set, he will be in his studio. Sitting in his studio, watching a film, or reading a book – these are his ways of relaxing.
Zhu Yilong is more attracted to the idea of travelling for work than leisure.
A few months ago, Zhu Yilong visited a wildlife sanctuary in Africa with WWF. He said that the trip has made him more determined to open himself up, to head out more, and to learn more about the world.
"Leaving the concrete city for the vast grasslands of Africa and enjoying the starry night skies. When you return to your everyday life and work after such an experience, you will have a different understanding of the world."
PART 4: THERE IS NOTHING IMPORTANT IN LIFE
Zhu Yilong, who is now at ease with himself, remembers up a line from Lao Mo in Lighting up the Stars: There is nothing more important in life than death.
As an actor, Zhu Yilong evaluates his career using a multifaceted approach. He does not think that winning one performance award meant that he has succeeded and adapted well in the industry. On the contrary, he feels flattered by this recognition, as always.
Outsiders view awards as an actor’s honor. Yet, to Zhu Yilong, an award is a steelyard. He needs to do better in order maintain the balance of the scale.
In addition, he said that it is also an honor for him to be an actor.
By now, Zhu Yilong is no longer reticent or doubtful. By accumulating his acting experiences, he is now able to communicate with his role and script on a deeper level. The sense of immersion, realism, and achievement during the acting process, stimulate Zhu Yilong's dopamine.
Actors respond to challenges in different ways. Zhu Yilong chooses to remember his original goal, his passion for creating characters, and his thirst for works. Zhu Yilong said that he just wants to compete with himself when he is working hard; this has nothing to do with being “juan” (involution/excessive competition with others). Sometimes, he is living life to his fullest; sometimes, he “wastes” time too. He enjoys playing basketball and visits the court whenever he has time. He plays the piano, sings, and plays computer games during his free time. Zhu Yilong is no different from ordinary people in his everyday life.
The term “traffic” is an unavoidable issue for actors. It signifies commercial value and the recognition of audiences. He said that the term has been misinterpreted.
"It is only normal for an actor to be recognized by the audience if he had produced a good work."
Actors, who have gone through this process, will have more choices and can produce more works for audiences. In Zhu Yilong's view, this is a natural process.
And that's how actors, past and present, have moved from the sidelines into limelight. The best thing that can happen in the future is for people to define the success of an actor not only by "traffic".
Up till this point in his career, Zhu Yilong said that his biggest reward is the audience's recognition of his works.
"Zhu Yilong’s films? I want to watch it." - Zhu Yilong hopes that this will be audience’s expectation of him many years later.
As for Zhu Yilong, his expectations of himself have never changed – that is, his original goal of, and his persistence as, an actor.
He said: "There are many actors of my age around the world who have reached where they are, and I still have a long way more to go."
After all, in his mind, acting is no small matter. On this path, he will continue to compete with himself.
**THE END**
Post-translation note: Translating this article took up my entire Saturday, but I’ve no regrets because this interview really marked a remarkable growth in Zhu Yilong. I highly recommend it.
I’ve been translating his interviews since 2020 and it moves me so much to see him grow so confidently and quickly as an actor over the past few years. As I was searching Weibo for pictures for my thread, I realized that it has been nearly two years since the release of LITS and Golden Rooster Awards. Time flies. This July will mark my 6th year as his fan.
Happy weekend reading! If you’d like to re-translate this, please DM me for permission + credit.
EN translation of Zhu Yilong's Shang Cheng Shi Dec 2023 Issue Feature Interview by wenella
The sun slowly sets and the evening glow over the Gobi Desert constantly changes colours from blue, purple, pink to yellow. The temperature drops gradually. The dim light casts silhouettes and Zhu Yilong, in the distance, is leading a camel across the undulating sand dunes. In recent years, Zhu Yilong has often visited the desert as part of his travels. But this time, he is here at sunset.
The boundless desert sparks contemplation about the fleeting years and the unpredictability of life. The vastness is rather overwhelming for urbanites, but the camel train walking alongside Zhu Yilong disrupts this immense sense of solitude. Soon, Zhu Yilong gains the trust of one of the camels. "We were strangers at first, but gradually became close; it’s just like making a new friend," he says. The camel lets down its guard after 15 minutes; it looks calm as Zhu Yilong leans against it. "I could feel that the camel is relaxed when I touched it," he remarks after returning with the camel caravan. Then, he leads the camel into the desert once again towards the focal point of the shoot. “I’m off!” he bids farewell to the staff before embarking on this brief "journey" with his new friend.
Earlier in the day, Zhu Yilong listened to musicians perform the ancient Chinese melody "Su Wu Mu Yang" on the xun (a Chinese wind instrument) in the Shikouzi Canyon. This melancholic melody, with its simple tune, sounds like a lament that is characterized by the deep, dignified, and steady tones of the xun. The rocky and deep canyon is only half a meter wide at its narrowest point and enhances the poignant and majestic atmosphere—both in the music and in the hearts of those present. Captivated by the music, Zhu Yilong imagined the tragic life of Su Wu.
Noticing that Zhu Yilong was piqued by the music, the musician handed him a xun. Zhu Yilong, who can play the hulusi (a gourd flute), attempted to play the xun using the hulusi technique but couldn't produce any sound. The teacher offered him guidance and said, "Cover all the holes, place it (the blowhole) beneath your lips, don't use force, blow gently." Using the new approach, Zhu Yilong’s xun finally made a sound, and a new lament echoed through the narrow canyon.
We initially planned for Zhu Yilong to do a photoshoot with the sheepskin raft by the shore. However, driven by his curiosity about the life wisdom of ancients and his desire to seize the rare opportunity to try the sheepskin raft, Zhu Yilong jumped onto the raft voluntarily. As the raft drifted away from the shore, Zhu Yilong waved to everyone and once again, cheerfully said, “I'm off!'"
The crew is used to his uncontrollable impulse for fun. "I often have the urge to travel or try something fun.” However, Zhu Yilong hasn't had time to travel recently. Whenever he does, it’s usually for work. "It's a business trip." He recalls his recent trip to Africa with WWF to promote wildlife conservation efforts. He got up close to lions, leopards, and elephants in the Maasai Mara National Park. In a completely natural environment, mankind is in awe of everything.
Zhu Yilong chooses his travel destinations based on his mood. "If I feel like visiting a lively place, I'll pick a city to try different cuisines and observe different people. If I want to go somewhere quiet, I'll head to the mountains or the seaside. My decision is based on my mood at that moment."
It is rare for Zhu Yilong to travel for leisure these days. Often, he uses his travel to “experience life.”
Experiencing life is mandatory for actors. Zhu Yilong is adept at observation and at bridging the gap with strangers. He believes that observation begins by getting close to the other person. When portraying Mo Sanmei, he visited a funeral parlour to experience life. To play the role of Ma Zhe well, he spent 1.5 months experiencing life in a police station. His observations shaped his characters. Zhu Yilong formed his first impression of Mo Sanmei when he caught a glimpse of a guy in a funeral parlour parking lot, who sported a crew cut and was leaning on the steering wheel, listening to pop songs, smoking, and selling funeral supplies. Likewise, a photo of a serious-looking young Yu Hua helped him to shape Ma Zhe. Through refining the abstract, he combines different individuals to form one person.
When Zhu Yilong is filming, he makes it a habit to immerse himself entirely in his character. He will not resist any emotion or mental state. Perhaps by incorporating all the anger, ferocity and struggles into his characters, the Zhu Yilong who we see in real life always appears calm, gentle, and humble. "Think about it, there are so many 'scary' scenes in the drama. One might never encounter such situations in their entire life." He will fully commit himself to his character till the film wraps, and then he will separate himself from his character. "I always require myself to quickly separate from my character once I wrap. I want to let my character remain in that period and in those visual images." He separates himself from his character by changing his appearance. "It is a psychological reminder. Once you are removed from a certain environment and your appearance changes, you will separate yourself from the character naturally."
When he was younger and had fewer life experiences, Zhu Yilong would actively observe people to gain insights quickly even when he was relaxing. Now, he has started to restrain this innate urge to observe the world and instead, focuses more on the present moment, his immediate surroundings, and his feelings. "I am less purposeful now. I will not be in a hurry to conduct observations and apply what I see in my role. Instead, I try to find ways to integrate myself into the environment, to relax, and to feel the difference. I realised that the results are more specific and vivid this way. I no longer try to do this deliberately in my life or during my travels; I just want to try my best to experience and feel."
When one is less observant of the external world, they will become more aware of their inner self. People are always busy, and it is actually challenging for one to delve into their fleeting thoughts. Now, Zhu Yilong will deliberately pause and organize the thoughts in his mind sometimes. "These things can actually be applied to the characters," he says.
The self is the first and most profound subject for understanding the world. A person can only have a deeper understanding of others and the world if he understands himself well. Human nature is profound, and the self is ever-changing, complex, and elusive; this path of self-exploration is the longest journey.
In recent years, Zhu Yilong has become more acutely aware of the passage of time. On the day of our photoshoot, he said that he wished time could linger.
As a student, he felt that time was passing too slowly and eagerly awaited the school bell to ring every day. However, once he started to work—a job that he loved fortunately—every day seemed to pass too quickly. A film starts and wraps; an actor can finish 1 or 2 projects in a year. Belonging to a profession that quantifies time and results might intensify his anxiety. However, it may not be necessary to overcome this anxiety as his curiousity that has driven him has never diminished. Zhu Yilong remains curious about the world. He still yearns to explore and embark on adventures. "It won’t change in the next ten, twenty, thirty years," Zhu Yilong knows that this belief will stay with him.
Cr: Weibo 上城士Please DO NOT reupload the video or subtitles.視頻與字幕禁二傳二改／视频与字幕禁二传二改#朱一龍 #朱一龙 #zhuyilong Follow me on Twitter to get up
