Chinese actor Hu Ge recently returned to his alma mater, Shanghai Theatre Academy, to interact with junior students. During the exchange, he talked about his experience filming the popular series “Chinese Paladin 3,” where he felt “boring, meaningless, and overly childish” at the time. His comments on facing the reality when starting out in the industry, emphasizing the importance of securing a livelihood before pursuing one’s ideals, sparked a backlash from some netizens who accused him of “forgetting his roots.”
In an interview on October 10, a junior student expressed feeling lost and finding no meaning in life while filming short dramas for long hours each day. Hu Ge, upon hearing this, shared his own experience from his twenties during the filming of “Chinese Paladin 3”: “I often felt particularly bored on set because I thought acting in such a drama was meaningless and too childish.”
Hu Ge admitted that this was a genuine experience at the time, emphasizing the practicality of being able to support oneself when starting out in the industry. He advised newcomers to focus on their current work, build confidence, and then gradually pursue their artistic ideals.
Unexpectedly, his comments sparked a heated discussion. Critics found fault with Hu Ge for describing his breakthrough work “Chinese Paladin 3” as “childish” and “meaningless,” which hurt fans of the series who loved it. On the other hand, supporters argued that his words were taken out of context and that Hu Ge was simply trying to help the younger generation understand the confusion and mindset one faces in the entertainment industry.
In fact, Hu Ge mentioned “Chinese Paladin 3” to guide a junior student who was struggling with the intensity of filming and questioning the meaning of their work. At that time, Hu Ge had just recovered from a severe car accident and was also facing the dilemma of being typecast in ancient costume roles, which resonated with the lack of choice new actors often experience.
Hu Ge expressed gratitude for that period of his life, as it allowed more people to recognize him and opened up more opportunities in his acting career. However, with the current challenges in the Chinese film and television industry, even Hu Ge, a two-time winner of the Magnolia Award for Best Actor, can no longer freely choose his scripts as he used to. In a recent interview, he lamented, “I have no choice now,” feeling like he has returned to a situation similar to over a decade ago.