The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

As April drew to a close, filming for "Love O2O," starring Shen Mo, was nearing its end.

Meanwhile, two major works from the Ink Trace series have made a strong entrance into the public eye during this spring and summer season.

The military action film "Wolf Warrior," starring Li Yitong, has officially hit theaters nationwide amidst great anticipation.

Because of Mohen's deep involvement in the investment, Li Yitong's portrayal of Long Xiaoyun is no longer just a symbolic figure in the original script; her role has been greatly expanded and reshaped.

Long Xiaoyun is no longer just a figure existing in dialogues or memories, but a real person who traverses jungles and battlefields, carrying weapons and fighting side by side with Leng Feng.

Before the film's release, thanks to Li Yitong's high popularity and the hype surrounding her transformation from "Ink Trace Queen" to a hardcore film, pre-sale box office soared, eventually reaching nearly 8000 million yuan.

While this figure doesn't match the staggering 3.3 million yuan in pre-sales driven by Shen Mo's top-tier popularity, it's still an extremely impressive achievement for actresses of the same age and even in the entire domestic military film industry.

However, the higher the expectations, the louder the doubts.

"Is Li Yitong a good fighter?"

"Don't let your 'pretty face' transformation into an action film drag the whole thing down!"

"A delicate fairy wielding a gun—is this art style really appropriate?"

"Maybe it's just a figurehead position, someone who's only there for show!"

……

However, when "Wolf Warrior" was officially released, the screen lit up.

All preconceived doubts crumbled with the help of Long Xiaoyun's camera lens.

The camera follows Long Xiaoyun and Leng Feng as they speed into the border jungle.

In the unexpected encounter, Long Xiaoyun swiftly rolled to avoid the gunfire, got up, took aim, and fired.

His movements were fluid and swift, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, and his whole being exuded a tension and decisiveness that could only come from rigorous training and real combat experience.

Mud clung to her cheeks, and sweat soaked through her combat uniform, but there was not a trace of weakness or hesitation in her.

What surprised the audience even more was her thrilling close-quarters combat with the mercenaries.

Facing physically superior mercenaries, Long Xiaoyun used the terrain and her skillful maneuvers to dodge, chokehold, elbow strike, and disarm them...

The moves are ruthless yet practical; every collision makes the audience subconsciously feel the pain in their own arms and legs—an extremely realistic sensation that makes your teeth ache.

In close-up shots, her clenched teeth, her bulging neck veins from exertion, and her eyes burning with an indomitable flame perfectly portray a female special forces soldier.

There was no trace of a stunt double or any awkwardness in the film; several long, single-take action scenes allowed the audience to see a real battlefield.

"My God... Is Li Yitong serious?!"

"That roll, that gun-holding posture—that definitely can't be learned in just a month or two!"

"Who says fairies can't wield guns? This is clearly a female warrior!"

"Those who were previously mentioned as mere background figures, come out and show yourselves! With this amount of screen time and performance, they're definitely one of the two core members!"

In the movie theater, gasps of surprise rose and fell.

On social media, the real-time feedback from the first viewers spread like wildfire.

The comments questioning "Can it fight?" and "Is the art style right?" were quickly refuted by viewers who had returned from watching the film, who responded with text, GIFs, and even short videos.

Word of mouth began to spread at an astonishing speed.

"I thought I was only watching for Wu Jingshuang, but I ended up becoming a fan of Li Yitong! Long Xiaoyun is so handsome!"

"She's not just a pretty face! Absolutely not! Her acting and action scenes are superb!"

"The biggest surprise of 'Wolf Warrior' is Li Yitong! She's successfully transformed her image, and I've become a fan!"

"I used to think she was only suited for fantasy and urban dramas, but now I've discovered she's just as good at hardcore military dramas! Her acting range has really expanded!"

Professional film critics have also spoken out, praising not only the film's high production quality and passionate spirit, but also emphasizing Li Yitong's breakthrough performance.

"Li Yitong has made a stunning leap from an idol to a powerful actress."

"The character of Long Xiaoyun is three-dimensional. Her performance combines strength with delicate emotions, setting a new benchmark for female characters in domestic action military films."

"Without any soft-focus filters, the light she radiates amidst the mud and smoke is far more dazzling and captivating than any fine clothes or jewelry."

One pass ten, ten pass a hundred.

More and more viewers, drawn by the positive word-of-mouth, flocked to cinemas, eager to witness firsthand this "different Li Yitong".

The screening rate of "Wolf Warrior" steadily increased with the increase in attendance and word-of-mouth, and the box office trend resembled a steep, upward curve.

It grossed over 100 million yuan on its opening day.

The box office has just surpassed 5 million yuan by the end of its opening weekend!

It far surpassed other films released at the same time and broke many records for films of the same genre.

Public opinion has completely reversed; the doubts that once dominated the discourse are now drowned out by overwhelming praise and amazement.

Li Yitong's Weibo followers have surged again, with related trending topics all marked with the word "explosive".

Hashtags such as #LiYitongWolfWarrior#, #LiYitongActionScenes#, and #LongXiaoyunIsSoHandsome# continue to dominate the trending charts.

The media rushed to interview this "newly crowned action goddess" and analyze the story behind her transformation.

Fashion magazines extended an olive branch to her, seeking a new style of photoshoots that combined "femininity and strength".

Meanwhile, on the small screen, the urban romance drama "Diamond Lover," starring Dilraba Dilmurat, was also officially launched.

This series was based on the script from Li Yitong's memory, but with extensive adaptations.

The main storyline was shifted to Gao Wen, played by Dilraba Dilmurat, while the original female lead, Mi Duo, was repositioned as Gao Wen's best friend.

This change was also made to fully unleash the charm of Dilraba's character.

Dilraba is a naturally striking beauty with deep, three-dimensional features, a well-defined face, and a tall, well-proportioned figure.

In the drama, Gao Wen's everyday casual wear, her glamorous gowns for events, and even her several exaggerated retro earrings all complement each other perfectly.

These dazzling and radiant qualities accentuate her innate star aura.

This is not something that ordinary, innocent-looking young actresses can easily handle.

Dilraba's own bright and outgoing temperament is almost a perfect match for Gao Wen's character.

Although Gao Wen appears to be a cool and beautiful top female star, she actually has a genuine, unconventional, and even somewhat mischievous and witty soul inside.

This extreme contrast places high demands on the actors' acting skills.

If not careful, it is easy to become superficial or appear affected and awkward.

However, Dilraba's performance in this drama was truly stunning.

She vividly portrays Gao Wen's radiant presence in public, her sharp-tongued yet warm-hearted nature with close friends, her clumsy sincerity in love, and her adorable, unconventional moments in private.

Every glance, every gesture of raising her head and straightening her chest, even the slightest movement like flipping her hair, exudes star quality, perfectly matching the public's impression of a top female celebrity.

Her natural, unpretentious charm and cuteness in private also instantly captured the hearts of the audience.

After the series aired, Gao Wen quickly dominated the trending searches and topic lists like wildfire.

There's a post in the highly-rated comments section of Douban.

Why do people like Gao Wen but dislike Mi Duo?

Most people like Gao Wen because of her genuine personality; she is unpretentious, doesn't hide anything, and does what she thinks.

If you like Lei Yiming, go for it!

Upon learning that Ye Qi was bullying Mi Duo, he immediately took action to punish Ye Qi, and when he discovered that Mi Duo had lied to him, he slapped her across the face.

Who wouldn't like someone who dares to love and hate so fiercely, as long as they're not her opposite?

Looking at Mido, she was indeed kind at first, but later, she hid it from everyone because she was afraid of being discovered that she had plastic surgery, and she was full of lies.

Secondly, her words and actions don't match. She pushes her boyfriend out to take care of others, yet she's also insanely jealous and acts out in various ways. This not only fails to please others but also disgusts herself.

"I like Gao Wen because of her narcissism, her occasional selfishness, her willfulness and pride, her occasional diva-like behavior, and even more so because she is a person who dares to love and hate."

"When she bumped into the car door and yelled at Jason, 'Why didn't you close the door?' and Jason said, 'Okay, okay, it's my fault,' if she had a fierce look in her eyes, a fierce expression, and pointed her finger at him, she would probably have been portrayed as a wicked woman. But Gao Wen in the show just yelled at the top of her lungs, which was more like a child who tripped and fell and blamed the uneven road, making her seem cute and making you unconsciously go along with her."

"In public, she is a dazzling star who is the center of attention, but in private, she reveals a pure, cute, and carefree 'husky' personality. This extreme contrast makes her both charming and domineering, exuding charm."

"Dilraba Dilmurat captured and amplified Gao Wen's most endearing qualities: loyalty, mischievousness, persistence, adorable charm, and never giving up easily. The combination of the character and the actress's performance created the complete Gao Wen."

"Unless you're blind, who wouldn't choose Gao Wen?"

"When Gao Wen's career suffered a setback, she was bullied at a brand store, and the scene where she and Lei Yiming pretended to be pitiful in front of the car window shattered my heart!"

"When the director was interviewed, he said that this was a small detail that Dilraba herself added during her performance; it wasn't in the script at all."

"Even I, a hater of Dilraba, don't know where to find fault with her."

"But Gao Wen is not a perfect female lead character. However, Dilraba's lines are fluent, her acting is on point, and she makes the character likable."

"In short, she deserves it!"

"I was born to be a star. If I didn't even have that much talent, how could I accept all the flowers and applause?"—Gao Wen. This is a message for Dilraba!

……

With her precise portrayal of this character, Dilraba not only proved that she is not just a pretty face, but also demonstrated her great potential to handle complex and multifaceted roles.

Her popularity skyrocketed, her Weibo followers surged, and various commercial offers poured in.

Gao Wen became a landmark breakthrough in her acting career, marking this exotic young woman's official entry into the ranks of highly anticipated new generation leading actresses.

While "Diamond Lover" is still airing, Dilraba has already turned her attention to the set of "My Sunshine".

Shen Mo, who had just finished filming "Love O2O", seamlessly joined the new production team.

The hotel conference room where the script reading was being held was filled with people sitting around the long table.

The air was filled with the smell of ink from the new script, and a faint sense of unfamiliarity.

Shen Mo was seated in the main seat; however, almost everyone's attention was drawn, to some extent, to Dilraba, who was sitting next to him.

Dilraba could clearly feel that the gazes she received were completely different from those before the filming of "Diamond Lover," even from the time of "Twenty Your Life On," and even from the time of "Anarhan" and "My Love from the Star."

The disdain and indifference have been replaced by exploration, evaluation, and an undisguised envy.

She knew that this change stemmed from the immense popularity of "Diamond Lover".

Both on and off screen, the attention she has garnered has increased exponentially.

Sitting here now, she is no longer just a simple artist, but a rising starlet named Dilraba Dilmurat with a hit role in her hands and soaring popularity.

This subtle shift in identity has given her an invisible but greater weight within the small ecosystem of the film crew.

Jin Daxi, who plays the second female lead He Yimei, is probably the most relaxed person in the room besides Shen Mo and the director.

She is Tang Ren's artist, a fellow alumna of Li Yitong from the Beijing Dance Academy, and a witness to the long-term relationship between Shen Mo and Li Yitong.

She flipped through the script, glancing at Shen Mo every now and then with a smile on her lips. Occasionally, after Shen Mo finished speaking, she would interject with a witty remark.

His tone was familiar, carrying the banter between old classmates, and also subtly revealing to those around him that "Shen Mo and I are acquaintances."

Zhu Xudan, who plays the third female lead Xiao Xiao, was someone Yang Mi put in the role, and she was noticeably more cautious.

She sat there quietly, listening attentively, though her gaze would occasionally wander between Shen Mo, Dilraba, and the director, revealing a hint of the obedience and observation typical of a newcomer.

Zhu Yilong, who plays the second male lead Ying Hui, is an actor signed by Mohen.

The way he looked at Shen Mo showed not only respect for the boss, but also a hint of anticipation and eagerness.

Yang Tianzhen had previously told him that after he finished playing the second male lead in this drama, he would be given the lead role in Mohen's self-produced masterpiece, "The Lonely and Brilliant God".

Sitting across from Shen Mo, he stood ramrod straight, listening intently.

He was very grateful for the company's attention to him, and he also knew how rare it was to have the opportunity to be in the same group as Shen Mo, a top star and boss.

As for Dilraba Dilmurat, who became a sensation, he admires her, but he also firmly believes that he will be the next one.

Ye Zuxin, who plays the third male lead Lu Yuanfeng, was recommended by Liu Shishi; he is an artist from their Straw Energy group.

Ye Zuxin has a gentle temperament and doesn't talk much. He always maintains a polite smile and has a good sense of propriety. He has some of the temperament and feeling of his boss, Liu Shishi.

Director Liu Junjie sat next to Shen Mo, and was the most composed person there.

As a familiar face who directed "My Love from the Star" and was signed with Mohen Pictures, he had the most direct understanding of Shen Mo's abilities and personality.

Although he was in charge of the reading pace, he would still subconsciously exchange glances with Shen Mo.

His posture itself sets the tone; in this production crew, Shen Mo is the core of the core.

Although he knew that without him expressing his opinion, everyone would subconsciously try to please and align themselves with Shen Mo and Dilraba, it didn't stop him from expressing his own stance.

During the breaks in the reading, the atmosphere relaxed a bit.

Jin Daxi leaned closer to Shen Mo and chuckled in a low voice.

"Shen Mo, your ability to create stars is now legendary in the industry."

"The year before last it was Tongtong, last year it was Bai Lu and Li Lin, this year it started with Tian Xiwei, and now it's Dilraba."

"You guys are really impressive!"

"When are you going to take me for a spin?"

These words were half teasing, half probing, and also carried her unvarnished frankness.

Shen Mo pretended to slap away her outstretched hand with disgust, rolled his eyes, and then picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"You're not even one of my Mohen's, why would I take you with me? To surprise your CEO Cai?"

Jin Daxi was completely unconcerned about Shen Mo's "disdain," having experienced Shen Mo and Li Yitong's disdain far too many times.

She suddenly opened her eyes wide, realizing she had grasped the key point in Shen Mo's words.

"If I join Inkmark, will I have a chance?"

Shen Mo quickly waved his hand, took half a step back, and waved to the crowd.

"No, that's not right, don't talk nonsense."

"So many people are watching."

"If your General Manager Cai hears that, it'll be unacceptable!"

Jin Daxi chuckled and hummed.

"What are you thinking? I was just joking. I'm a loyal subject of Emperor Tang Ren!"

After she finished speaking, her eyes couldn't help but glance at Dilraba again.

She's tired of saying she's envious.

She also wanted to try out the feeling of taking off!