Recently interviewed, the handsome Mainland Chinese actor Yang Yang, who shot to fame overnight with the idol drama “Love O2O”, has once again become popular due to the success of his martial arts drama “The Great Ruler” after a two-year hiatus. However, he recently revealed during an interview that he has been suffering from a serious illness in his legs, which may require lifelong rehabilitation in the future. This news has caused a lot of concern and worry among his fans.
In a rare interview earlier, Yang Yang spoke about his personal journey following his involvement in the drama “My Brilliant Masters” and subsequent two-year absence from the spotlight. In 2023, his role as “Song Yan” in the drama brought him both fame and criticism, as his flirtatious scene with a fire extinguisher drew fire department scrutiny and his posture in the show led to neck injuries. His performance style and storyline received overwhelming criticism, leading to a significant drop in his popularity.
Recently, the search term “Yang Yang’s new drama is not oily anymore” trended online. It turns out that Yang Yang’s lead role in the new drama “The Great Ruler” garnered high anticipation before its premiere, reaching a popularity index of 7346. Just two hours after its release, the drama’s popularity soared past 7500, quickly claiming the number one spot on the cat’s eye heat ranking. With a total view count surpassing 1.1 billion, words like “good-looking”, “entertaining”, and “movie quality” became common praises. Yang Yang’s acting skills, fight scenes, and dialogue have all been well-received by the audience.
According to reports in the Chinese media, in order to portray the character “Han Li” in “The Great Ruler”, Yang Yang lost 20 kilograms and personally performed the majority of action scenes. His martial arts background facilitated seamless integration of moves like Luoyan Step and sword flying, resulting in a performance that flows smoothly, devoid of slow-motion effects.
Behind his bright achievements, Yang Yang has quietly endured the resurgence of old injuries in recent years. He recently disclosed during an interview that he woke up one morning feeling abnormal in his left leg, which was diagnosed as “hip impingement syndrome”. Despite undergoing surgery to insert three absorbable bone screws, the post-operative situation has been bleak, with his left leg almost immobile and even experiencing muscle atrophy.
Debuting through the TV drama “Dream of the Red Chamber,” Yang Yang rose to fame with his leading role in the idol drama “Love O2O”. Internet users recalled an incident during the filming of “Dream of the Red Chamber” where Yang Yang was so immersed in a crying scene that he fainted on the spot, shocking many crew members. Yang Yang later reflected that it was a scene where Baoyu and Baochai got married, and the moment of losing a loved one struck him deeply, making the scene take three days to complete, with a whole day just devoted to bowing.
At 33 years old, Yang Yang previously revealed on a variety show “Flowers and Youth” that the old injuries from his dance training in childhood have developed into a habitual ankle sprain. In recent years, he has faced numerous mishaps while filming, such as being hit by a heavy cable on his foot and having a scar on his face from an axe cut. Whenever he thinks of the “what ifs,” he shudders with fear.
During the recent interview, Yang Yang sadly remarked at his visibly thinner left leg compared to his right, triggering a fear of not being able to walk. While he is determined to improve his condition through rehabilitation, he also expressed helplessness, acknowledging that the road to recovery may likely be a lifelong journey.