31-year-old Chinese actress Bai Lu was rumored in 2022 to be dating Zhang Linghe after co-starring in Ning An Ru Meng, though neither ever confirmed the relationship. In 2024, Bai Lu even issued a statement emphasizing her single status, which put an end to the rumors. However, recently, she sparked controversy on the variety show Keep Running, after referring to Li Chen and Zheng Kai as “super fired-up old guys,” which was seen as disrespectful to her seniors. As a result, she lost 100,000 followers on Douyin within 3 days. Netizens also dug up past incidents where she acted closely with male artists—such as only filming Douyins with men, and wearing male artists’ jackets—which triggered accusations of being “boy-crazy.”
In a recent episode of Keep Running, when discussing the “name tag ripping” game, Bai Lu joked about Zheng Kai warming up seriously before the game, calling Li Chen and Zheng Kai “the group’s super fired-up old guys.” Some netizens interpreted this comment as condescending and disrespectful towards her seniors, showing a lack of respect for competition. However, others felt that it was just a friendly joke among people familiar with each other and shouldn’t be blown out of proportion.
Nevertheless, because of this controversy, Bai Lu’s past moments of being close to male celebrities surfaced and sparked criticism of her being “boy-crazy.” The phrase “boy-crazy” refers to overindulgent or overly accommodating behavior towards men. Bai Lu was found to have often only mentioned male artists in shows, shot Douyin videos exclusively with men, and frequently wore male artists’ jackets—including those belonging to Chen Zheyuan, Fan Chengcheng, and Dylan Wang. The last female star to be criticized for being “boy-crazy” was Nana Ouyang, after she was spotted several times wearing William Chan’s and Fan Chengcheng's jackets on the show Fourtry.
When Bai Lu co-starred with Zhang Linghe in Ning An Ru Meng in 2022, romance rumors arose due to their close interactions on and off screen, being dubbed a “publicly funded romance.” However, the rumored relationship only lasted two years, with Bai Lu’s studio releasing a statement declaring her single in 2024. At this year’s Weibo Night in February, when Zhang Linghe passed behind Bai Lu, she immediately averted her gaze upon seeing him, which some interpreted as her “rolling her eyes.”
Source: NOWnews 今日新闻 Entertainment