China’s National Radio and Television Administration recently imposed a unified rule requiring actors in TV dramas to be credited in order based on the number of strokes in their real surnames. Some streaming platforms have taken the lead in implementing this, sparking discontent among fans. Popular actress Yang Mi, despite having a major role and a high profile, is credited after the male lead—who has less screen time and is less famous—in her new drama. Meanwhile, top-billed leads like Tang Yan and Huang Jingyu are even placed after supporting characters, prompting various fan clubs to publicly protest the decision! Recently crowned Best Actress Yang Zi has also been unfairly targeted, with netizens criticizing her for allegedly not using her real name.
In recent years, Chinese celebrities have frequently clashed over drama billing, sometimes halting productions, and sparking online fan wars over the positioning of their idols. To address this chaos, the broadcasting authority issued a new rule: from dramas airing after the 10th, actors' credits must use their real names arranged according to the number of strokes in their surnames, instead of ranking by fame—aiming to prevent disputes.
Tang Yan and Huang Jingyu face similar situations. In Tang Yan’s latest drama “Moments of Life,” the stroke order places the leading actress fifth in the credits, appearing after Guli Nazha, Zhu Zhu, Zhang Xinyi, and Yu Feihong, all of whom have fewer scenes. Huang Jingyu, who appears in almost 90% of “Winning the Wind,” is credited fourth.
Netizens also observed that some dramas are taking measures to preserve the main actors’ status, such as listing only one actor—with a solo line as the lead—and not including anyone else. Those receiving this treatment are all male-centric dramas with top-tier male stars, such as Xiao Zhan in “The Last Ten Days,” Gong Jun in “Phoenix Dance of Nine Heavens,” and Wu Lei in “Sword Comes.” Among female actors, only Ju Jingyi’s “World of Ten Thousand Flowers” received similar handling, leading many netizens to joke that the new rule might specifically target actresses.
The new regulation has also led to celebrities’ real names being made public. Yang Zi, who just won Best Actress at the Magnolia Awards, was questioned about why she hadn’t reverted to her original name “Yang Niao,” sparking controversy. Her fans clarified online that “Yang Niao” was her birth name, but she legally changed it in elementary school, and all her identification and official documents now bear the name Yang Zi.
Source: ON.CC