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wenella · 6 months

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Zhu Yilong: My War

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.

#zhuyilong #朱一龍 #朱一龙 #zhu yilong #wenella

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