Chinese Actor Huang Xiaoming’s latest film “The Wig-Wearing Man” premiered on the 16th to dismal box office results. The film, with a budget exceeding one hundred million yuan, only grossed 2.09 million yuan on its opening day and further dropped to 1.05 million yuan on the following day. Some netizens pointed out that the poor performance at the box office may be related to Huang Xiaoming’s recent weight loss of 30 kilograms and the controversy surrounding his girlfriend Ye Ke.
“The Wig-Wearing Man” tells the story of Meng Zhong, a college graduate who failed the bar exam three times, played by Huang Xiaoming. He vents his long-suppressed frustration and anger on a mysterious drunk man one rainy night. As time passes, Meng Zhong transforms from a disillusioned young man to a respected public interest lawyer. Behind him, there is always a mysterious figure silently observing his every move.
Huang Xiaoming had previously revealed in an interview that he deliberately lost 15 kilograms to portray this character. In videos from that time, he appeared with sunken cheeks and a scruffy beard, looking very haggard. He described the weight loss period as “devilish” and mentioned experiencing lingering symptoms such as stomach discomfort and occasional palpitations. He cautioned his fans not to follow his extreme weight loss regimen.
Despite Huang Xiaoming’s significant sacrifice for the role, “The Wig-Wearing Man” only managed a total box office revenue of 3.14 million yuan in the first weekend after its official release on November 16th, with 2.09 million yuan on the first day and 1.05 million yuan on the second day. The mainland box office platform “Maoyan Professional Edition” predicts a total box office revenue of 6.27 million yuan for the film. Given the film’s production cost exceeding one hundred million yuan, it appears unlikely to break even based on its current box office performance.
During the premiere of the new film on the evening of the 15th, Huang Xiaoming addressed the controversy surrounding his girlfriend Ye Ke. He offered a direct apology, even choking up at one point, bowing for half a minute. Notably, he was advised by crew members to stand up after bowing, expressing his fear of the controversy surrounding his girlfriend potentially impacting the success of his new film. He emphasized the need for support and assured that he would handle his personal matters properly.
Huang Xiaoming, who divorced Angelababy more than two years ago, publicly confirmed his relationship with internet celebrity Ye Ke in September, which sparked considerable controversy. Ye Ke recently sparked outrage during a live stream by making derogatory comments towards Taiwanese singers such as Wu Bai and David Tao, as well as various issues between her and her ex-husband were exposed. Huang Xiaoming’s choice of girlfriend received criticism from fans, leading Ye Ke to deactivate her social media accounts to quell the backlash.
Some netizens connect the film’s poor box office performance with the public controversy surrounding Huang Xiaoming’s internet celebrity girlfriend Ye Ke, stating that Huang Xiaoming’s recent scandals have seriously tarnished his image and diminished interest in watching his films. Huang Xiaoming’s rare apology may be attributed to the increased pressure of the film’s release and concerns about how his girlfriend’s controversies might affect its performance.
Despite Huang Xiaoming’s apology and his girlfriend’s retreat from social media, it seems unlikely that the film “The Wig-Wearing Man” can be salvaged. In fact, the film stirred controversy upon its release, not only due to its weak box office results but also because its plot was deemed too cliché and failed to meet expectations of a suspense film.