Renowned mainland Chinese actress Zhou Xun, dubbed the “Grand Slam queen of the Chinese-speaking world,” recently made headlines on Weibo when she appeared at an event wearing a gown. However, the mixed reviews of Zhou Xun’s recent photos, especially the overwhelming criticisms, left many netizens confused.
On the evening of the 22nd, the keywords “Zhou Xun, being mesmerizing at 50 years old” surged to the top of Weibo’s entertainment trending list, dominating for a considerable amount of time.
In related posts and videos, Zhou Xun was seen at the event in a shiny long gown, showcasing an elegant and graceful overall look. The gown revealed her delicate shoulder and neck lines, slender figure, and the sparkling embellishments added a touch of glamour. Her face showed hardly any signs of aging, making it hard to believe that she is approaching her 50th birthday in two months.
As a result, the photos garnered numerous compliments from netizens, praising her enviable figure, remarking, “Zhou Xun looks nothing like a 50-year-old woman,” and noting that she appears more vibrant now than before.
However, a comment dismissing the trend as “obviously promoted” received significant agreement. Although the comment eventually disappeared, and negative reviews are no longer visible, the public opinion remains polarized.
Having been in the industry for over 30 years, Zhou Xun, despite having won accolades such as the Golden Horse and Golden Rooster Awards, is beloved by many fans. However, at 49 years old, she admitted on a variety show “READERS” that after the controversy sparked by her starring role in the TV drama “Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace” in 2018, where netizens criticized her for looking old, she felt anxious about aging. At one point, she even considered getting cosmetic procedures done as she started to dislike her appearance.
To elaborate, from August 2016 to May 2017, Zhou Xun co-starred with Hawick Lau in the 87-episode TV drama “Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace.” At the age of 42 during that time, she had to portray her character from the age of 15 as required by the storyline and production team. Despite her commendable acting skills, she faced unprecedented backlash from some viewers for her “puffiness and aged appearance,” as well as lacking a youthful aura in terms of voice, costumes, and makeup. The producer of the series even issued an apology, revealing that filming the character’s teenage years at the end caused Zhou Xun to appear fatigued and swollen.
After grappling with anxiety for a period, Zhou Xun gradually accepted the reality of aging and eventually faced it with indifference, humorously responding, “To hell with it! That’s it!” and amusing the audience with her casual attitude.
Thinking that the storm had already passed, Zhou Xun unexpectedly found herself at the center of a wave of mockery regarding “Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace” among mainland bloggers early this year. After six years, her acting skills were criticized, and even her recent Best Actress award at the Magnolia Awards for “Caught in Time” came under question. The shift in public opinion has turned quite unfriendly, leading many netizens to believe that Zhou Xun is being inexplicably ridiculed.