In 2006, at the age of 84, Mr. Wang Xingang was invited by CCTV to participate in the large-scale epic film "My Long March" to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Long March.
Although he is over the age of old, Mr. Wang's personable and heroic appearance is still vivid. Dressed in a military uniform and with bright eyes, he devoted himself to the shaping of the role, interpreting the tragic journey of the heroes of that era.
Watching Mr. Wang gallop in front of the camera, the audience was all impressed by his acting skills and praised the performance of this old actor.
The path of drama enlightenment
Reminiscing about the past, we have to start from 1951. That year, Wang Xingang, who was only 19 years old, was selected by the Northeast Military Region Art Troupe and started his career as a professional drama actor.
Although the influence of drama in the whole society was limited at that time, Wang Xingang had an incomparable love for it. He likes to stand on stage and resonate with the audience in real time through words and body movements.
Whenever he threw himself into a role, captivating with vivid lines and delicate emotions, the audience was all impressed by his performance and applauded warmly.
This unique charm made Wang Xingang more and more fascinated by the theater career and more focused on it.
Five years later, in 1956, a new opportunity came. The director of the film "Silent Mountains and Forests" came to the door, hoping to invite Wang Xingang to play the leading role.
This is Wang Xingang's first time in the film industry, and he was once skeptical about facing something new. He felt that the stage of movies and dramas was completely different, lacking the fresh and agile atmosphere of the stage, and just performing monotonously against the cold machine, which really couldn't make him move.
However, the leaders of the art troupe have a different view of things. He firmly believes that this is an excellent opportunity for the regiment to make great achievements, and it must be grasped well. So he "ordered" Wang Xingang to take over this role with the majesty of a leader, and made every effort to show his extraordinary acting skills.
Under the repeated guidance of the leadership, Wang Xingang finally reluctantly accepted this challenge. Sure enough, not only was he not jerky at all, but he portrayed the character vividly, winning the heartfelt praise of countless peers.
Since then, he has also developed a strong interest in the art of cinema.
Win the respect of all people
Since starring in his debut film "Silent Mountains", Wang Xingang has been deeply impressed by the charm of film art. He devoted himself to his new career, and soon made a name for himself in the film industry and became a powerful predator.
Excellent works have come out one after another, such as the well-known "Red Detachment of Women" and "The Eternal Wave", all of which amazed the audience. I saw Wang Xingang every time he acted, whether it was a naughty and lively child or an old man with vicissitudes of life, he could perfectly show the inner world of the character, making people feel immersive and intoxicated.
Many critics praised him as "a master of acting who truly understands the soul of a character".
Wang Xingang's acting skills are becoming more and more sophisticated, and his works continue to win heavyweight awards. At the end of 1975, he was appointed as the deputy director of Bayi Studios at the age of 43, which shows that he has established a very high prestige position in the film industry.
Today, Wang Xingang has won the "Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award" issued by the state three times. For an actor, this is undoubtedly the highest affirmation and honor.
In addition to leaving many classic roles on the screen, Wang Xingang is more respected by future generations for his great contribution to the industry.
He has spared no effort to cultivate generations of outstanding actors, and with his solid foundation and rigorous style, he has passed on his superb acting skills to students bit by bit, so that the future of this industry will never be bleak.
Even though he is over 90 years old, Wang Xingang is still known as a "performance artist". After all, he has always been committed to his life, devoting all his enthusiasm to the cause he loves, and studying the script and the characters meticulously and deliberately.
It is this persistent pursuit of his career that has allowed him to achieve such remarkable achievements.
Wang Tiecheng highly appreciated it
During the time he lived in the United States, Wang Xingang often felt that being in a foreign land was not as comfortable as he imagined. Although he has received better medical resources, his physical condition has not improved, but has become weaker and weaker.
Maybe it's because of the water and soil, or other reasons, in short, his attachment to his homeland is getting stronger and stronger.
Although his son strongly objected, believing that the treatment environment abroad was more conducive to recovering his health, Wang Xingang made up his mind to return to the embrace of the motherland and continue his unfinished acting career.
Seeing that his father had already made up his mind, his son could only give up and fully support Wang Xingang's decision.
Since returning to his homeland, this old artist, who was once regarded as a "man of old age" several times, seems to have regained his heroic spirit. He regained his old fighting spirit and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the rehearsals of the opera and the filming of the film.
Looking at the heroic figure of Wang Lao in front of the camera, it seems to relive the glorious years of the year.
At this time, Wang Xingang reunited with his friend Wang Tiecheng, who performed on the same stage that year. The two actually met and worked together as early as the classic TV series "River Rushing", when they worked together to create unforgettable characters.
Now that the year has passed, they seem to be unable to forget those glorious years, and the tacit cooperation of the year is still heartwarming.
Wang Tiecheng has always been known for his strictness, and few people dare to talk about opera in front of him. But since working with Wang Xingang, his evaluation of this old partner has changed 180 degrees.
Wang Tiecheng praised Wang Xingang's acting skills again and again in front of the camera, saying that the two coincide in terms of performance concepts and can be described as bosom friends. It is precisely because of this appreciation that Wang Tiecheng calmly dismisses comments such as others ridiculing Wang Xingang that "'lifelong achievement' is not a lie".
The way home is still the heart of a teenager
After switching to the film industry, Wang Xingang's career soon reached a new peak. In the vast new world of film, he gave full play to his talents, shined, and won one heavy award after another.
As a showbiz titan who has won the "Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award" issued by the state three times, such an honor is enough to witness his outstanding achievements in the film industry.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Wang Xingang has gone through ninety-two years. Anyone who sees him at his age will think that this is an old man who should enjoy his old age and has long been downspised by the world.
However, this is not the case.
Even though he is old, Wang Xingang always remembers the youthful dream and enthusiasm he had back then. Recalling the enthusiasm when he first stepped into the showbiz, his eyes rekindled the spirit of the year.
It is precisely with this undying enthusiasm that Wang Xin was able to regain his interest in drama in his later years and continue to shine. Someone once teased him, "I really don't know how this old man finally got on the road of performing arts."
But if you can persist until now, you must also have a persistent love for this industry. Wang Xingang just smiled when he heard this, and did not explain much. Yes, acting has long become an indispensable part of his life, and it is inseparable from it.