Huang Xiaoming opened up in a recent interview, expressing rare vulnerability by admitting that he has “helped too many ingrates” in the past and now feels “a bit scared.” His reflections have sparked widespread attention and discussion.
In leaked interview clips, Huang Xiaoming, without naming names, clearly did more than just vent casually. It was the first time he reflected on his “Mr. Nice Guy” persona over the years. He confessed that most people in the world don’t understand gratitude. Many individuals see you as a savior when you help them, showering you with sweet words, but once the help is given, they disappear.
For instance, Huang Xiaoming described a scenario where he had only 10 yuan in his pocket and gave 5 yuan to someone in need. However, the ungrateful person not only failed to appreciate the gesture but also criticized him, saying: “You’re so rich, yet you only gave me 5 yuan. How stingy!”
At the age of 48, Huang Xiaoming purchased 1.8 million shares of “Huayi Brothers” original stock at a price of 3 yuan per share in 2008, which he later increased to 3.6 million shares. On the day of “Huayi Brothers'” IPO, the stock price surged, earning Huang Xiaoming nearly 200 million in net profits from this investment alone.
Huang Xiaoming, known as the “domineering CEO,” is not just a screen image; his financial tentacles reach far and wide in business registration information. According to platforms such as Tianyancha, Huang Xiaoming directly invested in or publicly associated with over 40 to 60 companies, with indirect holdings or stakes in hundreds more, spanning industries including film and culture, golf clubs, wine, healthcare, restaurants, and technology research and development.
In 2022, when Huang Xiaoming officially announced his divorce from Angelababy (Yang Ying), rumors circulated about property division or alimony reaching up to 2.5 billion yuan. Although the exact division figures have not been officially disclosed, this indirectly reveals his substantial wealth of tens of billions.
Against the backdrop of the current cold winter in the film and television industry, Huang Xiaoming’s income structure and capital strategy have undergone a profound “soft landing” and transformation in recent years. With the industry’s tax rectification, salary limits, and the collective anxiety brought by AI technology, Huang Xiaoming’s acting fees have been squeezed by the industry’s environment. The era of easily earning tens of millions or even hundreds of millions per acting project is gone, with some netizens joking about Huang Xiaoming’s “CEO discount.”
In this interview, Huang Xiaoming admitted that he used to enjoy being called a “good person,” but now the term stings him. He realized that being an “old good person” is equivalent to being a “rotten good person,” indicating excessive selflessness and wasting a significant amount of time. He reflected on how, due to not knowing how to refuse, he ended up helping inappropriately and doing things he shouldn’t have, ultimately “screwing” himself over and consuming energy that should have been used for self-improvement.
Huang Xiaoming mentioned that although he is recognized in the industry for being a good person with good relationships, he found that when he was down, others would not lend a helping hand. He compared his past and present situations: in the past, when others asked him to act, he might not agree; now, when he seeks help, he only receives superficial pleasantries, with others even feeling that “you’re not very useful.” From a bustling scene to being left out in the cold, this difference made him see reality more clearly. After experiencing numerous disappointments, Huang Xiaoming stated that he has begun to change his mindset, deciding not to excessively give without boundaries anymore and not to blindly indulge others, leading to mental exhaustion.
In response to Huang Xiaoming’s sentiments, mainland netizens generally express empathy, with the topic reaching hundreds of millions of reads in a short time. Netizens are calling out, saying “Xiaoming bro has finally awakened,” believing that he has finally shed the burden of being a “good guy” and a people pleaser in the industry.
Upon learning that Huang Xiaoming had suffered depression for two years due to this, many netizens expressed sympathy, noting how a big brother who used to help others in every situation could be pushed to say “I’m scared,” signifying how deep his past wounds were.
Many more netizens believe that the saying “having a good network isn’t enough to fill your belly” highlights the common interpersonal struggles in Chinese society.