Original title: Zhou Dongyu’s fantasy movie life
This year, Zhou Dongyu has three movies that have been, are, and will be released soon. Just when we thought her status was still in the “little yellow duck” category, she has quietly won almost all the best actress awards that Chinese actresses can get. . Although her talent is not outstanding, she has become a leader among young actresses without any detours.
From an amateur to the heroine of Zhang Yimou’s movie, the gears of Zhou Dongyu’s destiny began to turn the moment he filmed “The Love of the Hawthorn Tree”. This novel, so pure that countless readers are obsessed with it, is finally going to be put on the screen by Zhang Yimou! The heroine Jing Qiu is played by many book fans who are eagerly waiting for it.
I loved the original novel “Love at the Hawthorn Tree” very much and bought several copies one after another. You don’t know why it is so fascinating. The writing style is so simple and unpretentious. Compared with Qiong Yao and Yi Shu’s strong emotions and skillful use of words, “The Love of the Hawthorn Tree” is like a clumsy person telling you his story. The unfinished beauty of Jing Qiu and Lao San hit the reader just right. Every time I read it, I feel heartache.
Jingqiu, the beautiful woman in the book, innocent and beautiful, is implicitly and passionately loved by the third child. It is said that Zhang Yimou required the actresses who auditioned to be beautiful, young, shy, had not had plastic surgery, and had a temperament that matched the prototype. However, everyone has his own Jingqiu in his heart. Zhang Yimou’s team shot more than 6,000 videos, but they could not find his Jingqiu. Even Liu Yifei was rejected by him.
When Zhou Dongyu’s role as Jingqiu was revealed to the public, doubts arose. To be honest, I am also very disappointed. I feel that Zhou Dongyu is not the “Jingqiu” in my mind: she is too young, while the Jingqiu in the book is plump; she is average-looking, but the Jingqiu in the book is beautiful. I think what Zhang Yimou likes is Zhou Dongyu’s youthfulness, which is consistent with Jingqiu in the book. The pursued Jing Qiucheng is frightened and shy, just like Dou Xiao, the actor who plays the third child, once approaches Zhou Dongyu, she will subconsciously raise her fingers to refuse.
At that time, Zhou Dongyu had her unique recognition, but the film “Hawthorn Tree Love” was average. Many people thought that it would be difficult for Zhou Dongyu to replicate the success of “The Girl” because she was so ordinary!
Surprisingly, Zhou Dongyu became an award-winning professional along the way. She won the Outstanding Newcomer Award at the Huabiao Award for “The Love of the Hawthorn Tree”; later won the Most Watched Actress Award at the Chinese Film Media Awards for “My Deskmate”; and won the Best Actress Award at multiple film festivals for “July and Ansheng”. Protagonist Award; won the Best Actress Award at the 8th Macau International Film Festival for “Lies of Sicily”; and won the Golden Rooster Award, Hundred Flowers Award, and Academy Award for “Young You”.
Zhou Dongyu’s career in acting is somewhat miraculous. As an actor, her acting skills are recognized, but she has never seemed to wear the title of good actor. Her image as an actress does not conform to the public’s aesthetics: small eyes, flat nose, short stature, but she is paired with a handsome guy, which makes her even more ordinary, not like an actress, but more like I accidentally got into the wrong circle.
But it was such an “ugly duckling” who became the queen of the big screen.
Zhou Dongyu was almost locked up by “Jing Qiu”. In the several films after “Hawthorn Tree”, including “Palace Locked Agarwood”, “My Deskmate” and other films, she played almost all innocent, well-behaved, and charming characters. Demure girl. She tried to break through herself, and played the role of “Killing Matt in a Small Town” in “The Flowers of the Heart”, which attracted a wave of traffic, but was too deliberate and not full.
Later, Zhou Dongyu starred in “July and Ansheng”. Zhou Dongyu’s initial role was July, but she chose the bohemian and uninhibited Ansheng. This time Zhou Dongyu conquered the audience with her acting skills. The complex heart of perseverance and fragility she displayed in the role was moving. Suddenly, I discovered that this small body showed the unique charm of the character with an almost authentic performance: she refused to be restrained by social shackles, but encountered setbacks on the way to pursue her dreams. Zhou Dongyu showed her inner struggle with her eyes and expressions. She has since become a darling of the big screen.
Excellent actresses of the same generation as Zhou Dongyu are all in love with the screen. Tan Songyun, Zhao Liying, Song Yi, Yang Zi, Li Qin. Actresses of this age group have a gap in the film field. Among the post-90s generation, Zhou Dongyu is really the only one who plays the important role. There is no choice. The director also saw her growth in a movie. From the age of innocence to an artistic girl, Zhou Dongyu naturally has a smooth road to winning awards. .
Zhang Yimou, who studied photography, has two eyes as lenses, and the “girls” he selected can all stand the test of the big screen. This is Zhou Dongyu’s unique advantage. Her face is vivid and not “plastic”. She must have been warned by her mentor when she debuted. She has not gone down the road of becoming an Internet celebrity just for the sake of beauty. This is how she can release her inner drama. Basic.
The last one with the temperament of a literary film was Zhang Jingchu, and the two of them are a generation apart in age. Zhou Dongyu has developed the temperament of a literary film since “The Next Us”. Women who have passed the age of thirty can no longer follow the path of youth. Zhou Dongyu’s transition was realized unconsciously. She played a deep role in “Burning Winter” and “Parrot Killing”. It should be said that although she was not a hit, her acting skills were passable. Especially during the road show of the film, Zhou Dongyu’s charming and soft style was eye-catching.
I guess in many people’s eyes, not being beautiful is the “original sin” of an actress. Therefore, although Zhou Dongyu’s acting skills are passable (otherwise, how could she be a Grand Slam heroine as famous as Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Xun), she is always a “little yellow duck” in people’s eyes. . She herself was not under any pressure. She took photos with fans and took selfies without a face. There were voices behind Ren saying that her appearance was being ridiculed, but another voice said at the same time: Zhou Dongyu is the only one left, and there is no rival in the same period. It’s really fantastic. (Zhang Ying)
