Recently, the highly anticipated drama “The Rise of the Eagle on the Green Soil,” starring popular Chinese actress Dilraba Dilmurat, made its debut in Mainland China. The premiere episode secured the top spot in viewership ratings, breaking several records in the process. Salary details of the cast members have been circulating online, revealing that Dilraba Dilmurat received a staggering 8 million Chinese yuan, making her the highest-paid actress in the show. Meanwhile, the male lead Chen Xingxu earned half of Dilraba’s salary, totaling 4 million yuan, and Zhang Li, who portrayed the villain, received 2 million yuan.
As one of the most sought-after actresses in recent years in Mainland China, Dilraba Dilmurat earned a whopping 22.4 million yuan for her role in the drama “Three Lives, Three Worlds, The Pillow Book” in 2018. However, following the issuance of a salary cap directive by the Chinese authorities, coupled with the poor viewership performance of some of Dilraba’s previous dramas, she willingly reduced her salary to star in a more patriotic-themed drama called “The Rose Sword,” in a bid to regain popularity. It is reported that Dilraba Dilmurat’s 8 million yuan salary for “The Rise of the Eagle on the Green Soil” is lower compared to her previous income, but still stands out as the highest in the cast due to her role as the female lead.
Recently, the Tencent 2025 Character Popularity Chart was released on the Chinese streaming platform Tencent. This chart ranks characters based on the speed at which their popularity surpasses 100 million views on the site. Less than two weeks after the premiere of “The Rise of the Eagle on the Green Soil,” Dilraba Dilmurat’s character, Nie Jiuro, entered the top five rankings at number 5, with a rapidly growing popularity exceeding 100 million views in just six days. She joined Zhao Lusi, playing the role of Xu Yan in “Let Me Shine,” as the only two female characters in the top five rankings.
There were rumors circulating earlier suggesting that Dilraba Dilmurat had been suffering from a prolonged illness after some netizens noticed bruising on her hand, speculating that it might be related to intravenous therapy from a hospital visit. Concerns were raised about her health condition amid reports that she intentionally lost weight to fit her character in the drama by skipping dinner for two weeks and engaging in four hours of sword training daily, which reportedly raised health concerns.
It’s worth mentioning that the Chinese entertainment industry has been facing a “film and television winter” in recent years. Due to a decrease in the production of new films, actors are facing higher unemployment rates, and there have been reports of many artists experiencing downgrades in their resources. Directors and crew members are also losing job opportunities, resulting in a significant drop in actors’ salaries from 8 million to 3 million yuan. Moreover, numerous small and medium-sized production companies are facing closure due to difficulties in fund circulation.
According to industry insiders, the competition in the Chinese entertainment industry is fierce, with simply being able to secure a role in a production considered a significant achievement. As the lack of new projects persists, many directors, actors, and crew members are experiencing unemployment. Some artists have resorted to working in drama parks or engaging in livestreaming to promote products as an alternative source of income.