28-year-old Chinese actor Zhang Linghe has rapidly risen to become a new-generation male idol in recent years thanks to his handsome appearance, tall 190cm stature, and stable acting skills. He has consecutively starred in several hot topic works, and his popularity has soared again recently due to the historical drama "Zhu Yu", making all his actions highly watched. However, he has recently been at the center of controversy after rumors surfaced that his new drama "Ci Tang" would have him co-star once again with Lu Yuxiao, a fellow actress from the same company whom he worked with on "Yun Zhi Yu." The news sparked a strong backlash from fans, and even the official fan club issued a rare statement demanding the studio refuse this collaboration.
According to information circulating online, Zhang Linghe is expected to start filming the historical drama "Ci Tang" in September, with rumors that Lu Yuxiao will play the female lead. After the news surfaced, heated debates immediately erupted within the fan community, with many feeling that having the two work together again is inappropriate. The relevant topic quickly trended on Weibo with the keyword “Zhang Linghe Fan Club Resists Lu Yuxiao Joining Ci Tang.”
On the 6th, Zhang Linghe's global fan club officially released a “Rights Protection Announcement,” clearly expressing opposition to Lu Yuxiao starring in "Ci Tang." The statement also targeted their shared management company “Zhongxing Shidai,” questioning the company’s “resource bundling,” accusing it of using Zhang Linghe’s popularity to secure resources for its other artists. They believe that if the two are arranged to work together again, it crosses the bottom line for fans.
The statement further claims that Lu Yuxiao’s team “has frequently acted in ways detrimental to Zhang Linghe’s career interests,” and argues that she falls short of audience expectations for a quality work in terms of “public image, market response, and character suitability.” It calls on the production team to be prudent with casting choices in order to avoid having the selection of actors negatively impact the quality and reputation of the production. #
Source: China Times News Network