Time flies. Looking back on the past, we can't help but sigh how the image of the actors has changed under the polishing of the years?
In 1987, "Red Sorghum" directed by Zhang Yimou swept the entire film industry. In this movie, the image of "Jiu'er" played by Gong Li is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. She wore a large red cotton jacket and a green turban, and although she was gray-haired, she naturally radiated light. This image is a true reflection of the living conditions of rural women at that time.
However, Gong Li's dedication is much more than that, and she has put in amazing efforts to play this role more deeply. When she first arrived on set, she found that she was very different from the locals in appearance, and there was no rustic flavor at all.
So, she resolutely made a big change.
She started washing her hair with laundry detergent. You know, in those days, laundry detergent was not a special shampoo and would make hair frizzy. Her shiny black hair soon became coarse.
In order to make herself look "gray-faced", she even didn't wash her face for a long time, didn't apply any skin care products, and didn't even brush her teeth without toothpaste, causing her teeth to turn yellow.
Gong Li's almost demanding self-requirements have made her successful in creating a real and believable character. In the end, her efforts paid off, not only winning the recognition of the audience, but also receiving many awards.
However, when we turn our attention to today's film and television works, especially period dramas, a subtle sense of disobedience arises spontaneously. The actors are all glamorous, especially their neat white teeth, which look out of place in the old set.
This contrast makes people nostalgic for the truth and simplicity of Gong Jun's era.
Does this change represent a fundamental shift in the needs we need from actors? Are we missing something more valuable in our quest for perfection? These questions deserve deep thought by each of us.
In today's entertainment industry, "porcelain teeth" seem to have become the standard for celebrities. This trend of pursuing perfection has not only changed the appearance of celebrities, but also imperceptibly affected the aesthetic standards of the entire industry.
There is a thought-provoking vignette that vividly shows the popularity of porcelain teeth among celebrities. In a variety show, the host casually asked: "Who has had dental surgery?" What is surprising is that five of the six guests at the scene raised their hands.
What's even more interesting is that the guest who has never made porcelain teeth looked a little at a loss, and was even quipped by other guests: "You're not a star at all!" This seemingly joking dialogue reflects a potential aesthetic pressure in the entertainment industry.
However, is this trend towards perfection really beneficial to the career development of actors? When we observed the promotional video for "There's a Commissary in the Clouds", we found an interesting phenomenon.
Zhou Ye and Peng Yuchang stood in the mountains and laughed happily, their smiles should have been warm and healing, however, many netizens were deeply amazed by the big white teeth shining in their mouths.
Some netizens half-jokingly commented: "If it weren't for the text of the movie promotion, I would have thought it was a toothpaste advertisement endorsed by these two people." Someone even bluntly said: "The teeth of the two of them are like two incandescent lamps that illuminate the mountain road."
While the comments were tongue-in-cheek, they also reflected the audience's resistance to an overly perfect appearance.
This phenomenon begs the question: in the pursuit of physical perfection, do we ignore the realism that the characters themselves should have? Especially in some period dramas or works with specific backgrounds, too dazzling porcelain teeth may affect the audience's viewing experience and the credibility of the characters.
Does this phenomenon of celebrities generally doing "porcelain teeth" reflect a tendency in the entertainment industry to over-pursue perfection in appearance? Will this tendency affect the actors' interpretation and portrayal of the characters?
These questions are not only worthy of careful consideration by industry insiders, but also worthy of serious examination by every audience. After all, true charm often comes from subtle imperfections, not false perfections.
In recent years, with the advancement of film and television production technology, the production level of period dramas has been continuously improved, but it has also exposed an embarrassing problem: the overly modern image of the actors has a clear sense of dissonance with the historical background of the play.
This sense of disobedience is especially prominent in the actors' white and neat "porcelain teeth".
Take, for example, the acclaimed "The Wind Blows in the Summer". This drama is set in the 90s, both the plot setting and the costumes and props are first-class, which should present a strong sense of age for the audience.
However, attentive viewers found that the teeth of the actors in the play did not seem to match the temperament of that era.
Banxia played by Zhao Liying and Wang Xi played by Zhou Qian, their porcelain teeth are particularly conspicuous in the play, especially when they laugh, those neat and white teeth seem to tell a story that does not belong to the 90s.
You must know that in the early 90s, the standard of living of ordinary people was not high, and most people's teeth were not very straight, and even a little yellow, that was the real appearance of that era.
In the drama "The Sea in My Dreams", the same problem exists. The story is set in the 70s, and the characters played by Xiao Zhan and Li Qin are supposed to show the simplicity and authenticity unique to that era, but when Xiao Zhan sees off his friends at the train station, although he is wearing a 70s outfit, his shiny teeth seem to travel from the future.
Some netizens joked: "Maybe his teeth are the most valuable all over his body" This contrast not only makes the audience play, but also makes it difficult to connect the characters with the background of the era in which they live.
This phenomenon raises a deep question: are we pursuing visual perfection while ignoring the importance of realism for period dramas? After all, the charm of period dramas is not only to tell a good story, but also to be able to make the audience really feel the atmosphere and texture of that era.
The audience sighed: "It's obviously a period drama, but after watching it, I thought it was a modern drama, and the local flavor was not heavy at all." This is perhaps the best description of the current state of period drama production in our country.
While pursuing refinement and beautification, should we think more about how to truly restore history? This is a question that every film and television worker needs to ponder. After all, the charm of truth often comes from the restoration of details, not false perfection.
First of all, let's review Chen Yao's acting career. In "Heartless Mage", Yue Qiluo played by Chen Yao left a deep impression on the audience. She has bangs, combs two ponytails, and the two small tiger teeth that are exposed when she laughs add a bit of agility to the character.
And the sentence "Zhang Xianzong, I have a toothache" moved countless audiences, and Chen Yao at that time won the love of the audience with her natural and true image.
However, when we saw Chen Yao again in "New Moon Tips", the Yue Qiluo we were familiar with seemed to disappear. The appearance of porcelain teeth not only smoothed out her unique little tiger teeth, but even changed the shape of her face.
The originally round and lovely face became a little unfamiliar, and even made many viewers unable to recognize her for a while, did this change really make Chen Yao's acting career go to the next level? Or has she lost her unique charm?
Let's look at the example of Chen Yanxi. She played Shen Jiayi in 2012's "The Girl We Chased Together", and captured the hearts of the audience with her pure and sweet image. At that time, Chen Yanxi still had a trace of greenness on her face, and her teeth were also in a natural state, which was completely in line with the image of a good student in the play.
However, when she participated in "Sister Lang 3", the audience saw Chen Yanxi very different from before. In addition to the iconic bun face, Chen Yanxi's teeth became the most eye-catching focus.
Some netizens even wondered if there was a problem with Chen Yanxi's porcelain teeth, which looked a little blackened, and this change made people sigh, and the price of pursuing perfection may sometimes outweigh the losses.
These two examples vividly illustrate the process of transformation of the actors from their natural state to "perfection". However, is this shift really in line with the audience's expectations? And is it really beneficial to the career development of actors? These are questions worth pondering.
Perhaps, the real charm is not in a flawless appearance, but in those unique, authentic characteristics. As one veteran film critic put it, "Audiences want characters that move people's hearts, not perfect dolls."
"In our quest for perfection, are we missing something more precious? This question is worth thinking about seriously for every actor and every audience.
In the pursuit of a perfect appearance, some actors may overlook the important fact that an overly prominent porcelain tooth may affect their acting skills. This phenomenon is especially obvious in period dramas, and we will use a typical case to explore this issue in depth.
Liao Jinfeng played the role of "Fluttering Jun" in 2018's "Fragrant Honey Sinks Like Frost", and his excellent acting skills have been recognized by many audiences. However, his chic porcelain teeth have become the focus of netizens' complaints.
This shiny white tooth is even fairer than the setting powder on his face, and this contrast makes the audience feel very disagreeable, and it also seriously affects the credibility of the character.
In the night scene, Liao Jinfeng's teeth were like "flashing lights", which seriously distracted the audience's attention, so much so that some viewers half-jokingly mocked: "His teeth are like lights at night."
Although these statements are ridiculous, they actually reflect the audience's dissatisfaction with this unnatural phenomenon.
What's more noteworthy is that when Liao Jinfeng laughs in the play, he always shows his neat upper teeth, a detail that was captured by many viewers and sparked extensive discussions. Someone said, "Every time he laughs, I can't help but stare at his teeth and completely ignore what he's saying."
"It's undoubtedly a distraction to the actors' performances.
Although Liao Jinfeng's acting skills have been recognized to a certain extent, his porcelain teeth often make the audience feel playful, and even directly affect the performance effect of the whole work in some scenes.
A veteran film critic commented on this: Every detail of acting should serve the character, and not become the focus of the limelight, the porcelain teeth that are too obvious have undoubtedly weakened the realism of the character and the trust of the audience.
This example vividly illustrates how excessive pursuit of perfection in appearance can have the opposite effect, and in turn affect the solid acting skills of the actors themselves. This story reminds us that what is real and natural often moves people more than false perfections.
For actors, creating a character is not just about memorizing lines and making expressions, but how to truly integrate into the role and become a part of the role. However, porcelain teeth that are too obvious can undoubtedly be an obstacle to this integration.
Therefore, we have to ask: in the pursuit of perfection, are we neglecting something more important? Should the charm of an actor come from a flawless appearance, or a real and moving performance? This question is worth pondering for every actor and every audience.
In this age of perfection, we can't help but ask: what is a performance that really touches people's hearts? Let's go back to 1987 and revisit Gong Li's classic performance in "Red Sorghum", which may give us some inspiration.
In order to be able to better interpret the role, Gong Li let go of all the idol baggage and devoted herself to the role. Her professionalism is admirable: she will wash her hair with laundry detergent, make her black hair rough, and do not wash her face or apply skin care products, making herself completely a "gray-faced" rural girl; She will even skip the toothpaste to give her teeth a natural yellow color.
This dedication has not only won the recognition of the audience, but also won her numerous awards.
Just imagine, if Gong Li starred in "Red Sorghum" with a mouthful of porcelain teeth, would such a classic role be born? The answer is clearly no. It is her deep understanding and true presentation of the character that has created the unforgettable "Jiu'er".
While pursuing the perfection of the actor's appearance, we should pay more attention to the inner part of the character, so that every character can truly live in front of the audience. This is not only an appeal to actors, but also a reminder to the entire film and television industry.
In this era full of filters and beautification, perhaps we need some real faces and some sincere performances that can move people's hearts.
As Gong Li said in an interview: "The most important thing for an actor is not how beautiful he looks, but whether he can make the audience believe that you are the character." This quote reveals the essence of the performing arts.
Therefore, for contemporary actors, perhaps the biggest challenge is not how to make themselves look perfect, but how to better interpret each role while maintaining themselves.
This requires the actors to have the courage to let go of their baggage, the ability to dive into the role, and the wisdom to find a balance between truth and art.
I look forward to more wonderful performances in future film and television works like Gong Li who dare to show truthfully and devote herself to the role. The charm of authenticity will never go out of style.