Zhang Yi is a fledgling and dreams of making a film
In 1998, Zhang Yi, who had just turned 20, applied for the Broadcasting Department of Communication University of China with ideals, hoping to become an excellent broadcast host like the popular host Luo Jing.
However, as fate would have it, he was not accepted into the school of his dreams.
Returning to his hometown overnight, Zhang Yi was worried about his future. Just when he was confused, a drama instructor invited him to join the local repertory company, which became a turning point in his life.
Zhang Yi gradually fell in love with acting and had the idea of becoming an actor. In 1999, 21-year-old Zhang Yi came to Beijing alone and entered the performance department of the Central Academy of Drama Xi. When he first entered school, he was just a trotter for the crew, helping to carry props and arrange scenes.
Even so, he continued to work hard and spent his spare time honing his acting skills.
At the end of his three-year career in the drama department, Zhang Yi had not played any major roles and could not shine on the stage. His classmates have played the leading roles in excellent plays, but he is still unknown.
However, Zhang Yi did not give up his dream, chose to stay in Beijing, found the repertory troupe to continue to practice, and waited for the opportunity to come.
The appearance does not match the family background, and he is disliked by his first love and family
During his time at the Academy of Drama, Zhang Yi met a girl with a lively personality and excellent acting skills, Xiaoyu (pseudonym). The two are from the same hometown, and although Zhang Yi has a mediocre appearance, he still has feelings for each other with Xiaoyu.
However, Xiaoyu's family background and career development are far stronger than Zhang Yi's. Xiaoyu's parents both work in government agencies and have a wealthy family; Zhang Yi's family background is ordinary, and he needs to rely on loans to go to school.
Xiaoyu has played the heroine in many dramas and has a bright future; In contrast, Zhang Yi has not been the protagonist of any drama so far.
These disparities led to Xiaoyu's family vehemently opposing the relationship. Especially Xiaoyu's father, not only bluntly said that Zhang Yi "is not the right door", but also ridiculed him for not looking like an actor, but more like a rural accountant.
Under the pressure of his family, the two had to break up, and Zhang Yi was extremely remorseful and inferior. In 2004, Zhang Yi learned that Xiaoyu had become a vegetative state due to a car accident, and the doctor judged that there was little hope of saving her life. At this time, he was extremely remorseful in his heart, thinking that if his family background and career had made achievements, maybe she would not have left him.
This first love became the regret of Zhang Yi's life.
At the age of 27, he participated in a small role and waited for a good opportunity
In 2005, 27-year-old Zhang Yi participated in the audition for the military drama "Soldier Assault" under the introduction of a friend. He loved the role of Xu Sanduo in the play for ten minutes, and took the initiative to express his strong desire to perform to the director, and analyzed his understanding of this role in detail, hoping to be affirmed.
To Zhang Yi's surprise, the director valued his sincerity and performance potential, but what he gave him was not his favorite Xu Sanduo, but another role Shi Jin with few scenes.
Despite the disappointment, Zhang Yi did not give up, and still held a dedicated attitude to play this role in a plump and expressive manner.
This time, Zhang Yi did not collapse because of playing a small role. He clearly saw that Wang Baoqiang, who starred in the little fresh meat at the same time as himself, became popular on the Internet with this drama, and his popularity soared.
So he is even more determined to develop his ideal in the entertainment industry, believing that the opportunity will eventually come.
Three years later, Zhang Yi finally got a bigger opportunity to perform in another military drama "My Regiment Leader, My Regiment". Despite being a supporting role as a lame warrior and not having many scenes, he is still fully engaged and interprets the details of his performance to the extreme.
I met a CCTV female anchor, and she was in love
In 2007, Zhang Yi was invited to CCTV to record a program. By chance, he had an encounter with Qian Linlin, a well-known female anchor of CCTV.
After the recording that day, Zhang Yi found that he had forgotten to bring an umbrella when he went out, and he was struggling with how to take a taxi home. At this time, Qian Linlin, who was off work, generously lent him her umbrella to use, and Zhang Yi was deeply moved in his heart.
The next day, Zhang Yi made a special trip to the TV station to return the umbrella, and to express his gratitude, he invited Qian Linlin to eat noodles together. The two got acquainted with each other, although Qian Linlin was 6 years older than him, Zhang Yi didn't care.
Unlike his first love, which appreciates talent, Zhang Yi values Qian Linlin's kind and sincere character more. After understanding, I learned that Qian Linlin had just divorced her ex-husband not long ago and was at a low point in her life. But this did not make Zhang Yi retreat, but made him more considerate of Qian Linlin's inner world.
The relationship between the two quickly warmed up in this understanding, and they eventually became husband and wife. Zhang Yi promised Qian Linlin from the bottom of his heart that he would do his best to give her happiness.
Play as a cripple soldier and wait for the harvest in silence
After playing the role of a lame soldier in "My Regiment Leader, My Regiment", Zhang Yi gradually became well-known to the audience. But he knows that this is not enough, and he needs more performance opportunities to show his acting strength.
During this period, a director friend invited him to participate in the filming of the new drama "Dragon and Tiger". The play tells the story of a group of soldiers who came from an honorable background. Zhang Yi accepted the invitation without saying a word, albeit in a supporting role as a lame officer.
In order to perfectly interpret this lame role, Zhang Yi did not hesitate to make great efforts. He consulted a number of professional doctors to learn more about the actions after the fracture to more realistically interpret the demeanor of the lame.
Throughout the filming, he conscientiously completed all the actions himself. The performance was unanimously recognized by both the director and the audience. Zhang Yi also gradually realized that in this circle, there is no best role, only the best actors.
He firmly believes that as long as he takes one step at a time, he will one day earn returns.
The low-key strength is gradually getting better, and he has steadily achieved the actor
After years of painstaking performances, Zhang Yi has gradually become a representative of the powerful faction in the entertainment industry. He was unwilling to run the trick forever, and took the initiative to hand over his resume to major directors and apply for more important roles.
At first, Zhang Yi was not all satisfied. Many directors think that his appearance is limited and not good enough to take on the leading role in the play. But Zhang Yi didn't care.
He is like a precise machine, never complaining about every shot, giving it his all. This kind of dedication has won the appreciation of many directors. In 2015, Zhang Yi played the leading role for the first time in the movie "Lao Paoer" and was nominated for Best Actor at the 52nd Golden Horse Awards.
This opened up his popularity, and more excellent scripts and opportunities were presented to him.
In 2021, 43-year-old Zhang Yi finally won the Best Actor award at the Academy Awards for his outstanding acting skills in the movie "Clads Come Home", which is enough to make him proud for a lifetime.
Despite fame and fortune, Zhang Yi still remains true to his original intention and keeps a low profile.
has a successful career and is still low-key, living an ordinary life with his wife
On the road to being an actor, Zhang Yi was not arrogant and lascivious because of fame and fortune. He handed over all his salary income to Qian Linlin, a virtuous helper, to take care of it, and his self-discipline was as simple as ever.
Every expense, even if Qian Linlin doesn't ask, he will take the initiative to explain it to his wife.
Outside of work, Zhang Yi likes to accompany Qian Linlin for walks and feed stray cats and dogs. In their conversations, the two often mentioned the warm past of their first acquaintance and borrowed an umbrella, and thanked this bosom friend for not giving up when they were in the most difficult time.
Now that he is finally married, it is the luckiest thing in his life.
For the future, Zhang Yi no longer plans for greater career goals. He only hopes to spend his dull old age hand in hand with Qian Linlin. Maybe they will leave the hustle and bustle of the entertainment industry and move to the suburbs to retire.
Every morning when you open the curtains, you can see the trees full of flowers, and the sunset is slanting on the two people, what a poetic picture it should be.