Vid rec: my favourite BY, ZYL interview so far

[mekare]

So I’m guessing most of you have seen this already, both are interviewed separately for/by Sina Entertainment (a TV channel??).

https://youtube.com/watch?v=xHIs_RPpJoo

I like several things about this vid:

- they mostly focus on professional questions
- they give them space to answer

As fun as the quick question rounds are in other vids, I get kind of thirsty to hear some real thoughts from both of them, not just on internet culture and their fame. I also really loved their answers for their characters, and how they felt about the show Guardian (yes they are both aware it has flaws).

Interesting things:
Zhu Yilong:

In the scene where Zhao Yunlan catches Shen Wei cutting himself, they simply "reacted to what the other one acted" and didn’t rehearse the emotional stuff. On improvisation, he says that he felt able to improvise with Bai Yu because he "dared give him" his spontaneous ideas during the scene. He also describes Bai Yu as looking a bit dorky and childish but "being exquisite in the heart” *teeters dangerously near the rpf cliff*
He wishes for more logic in the plotline and that the focus wouldn’t be as tightly on Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan though I'm guessing most fans would disagree with that statement ;-) But he also defends the show against some trash talk because he says no one (or two) actor(s) could be responsible for the success of a drama, all departments contribute (I feel so vindicated).

Bai Yu's thoughts on the show were very interesting too. It seems initially he wasn't sure it could be done (after he read the novel) and his team convinced him to do it because it had been changed to "brotherhood". He thinks of Zhao Yunlan as at first glance a 'man of pleasure' but with something delicate inside (which I'll forever take as confirmed headcanon). Oh and agreement was that ZYL is a good leader (at least that, since he doesn’t have any powers on the show).

Comments

[maggie33]

I haven't seen that interview, thanks for the link. And it is great. I love how warmly they talk about each other. :)

[mekare]

Yes, it’s wonderful!

[naye]

I love these interviews! <3

It's also important to remember what they can and can't say due to censorship. For example, Bai Yu stresses how he's straight, and then goes on to say that it was a challenge because it was the first time he'd played anything like this. (Which I suppose he can say because he mentioned the novel - I mean, we all know the show is about... good socialist brothers...) Except his acting debut was in something far more risque (and gay af) which got HELLA banned. So now everyone just... pretends it never happens.

[mekare]

Really?! OMG I didn’t know that? I had suspected that the ‘haha I'm straight, it was so difficult psychologically' bit was due to censorship but I hadn’t known about the other show being cancelled! I guess then it is very understandable to be worried before doing a show like this.

[naye]

Yuuup. The whole show is on YouTube, unsubbed.

So when he says he's never played anything like this before? Acting. (He's good at it, too!)

[unrelaxing]

This is such an interesting game to see played out. Usually I get a bit annoyed when actors or other celebrities emphasise their straightness, especially when playing LGBT roles, but this is a whole ‘nother context. Then to know he was actually lying (about never having done a role like this, and potentially on having to be convinced?) is ... what a balancing act.

But to see the way these two actors really delved into their roles is so amazing! And I’m so happy at ZYL’s refute that he and BY carried the whole show while also still hitting some of my own thoughts — I think it’s conpletely possible to expand the universe without shifting away too much from the main characters fans are so attached to, so I believe in the best of both worlds in that regard.

[mekare]

Usually I get a bit annoyed when actors or other celebrities emphasise their straightness, especially when playing LGBT roles, but this is a whole ‘nother context.

Me too! Especially when they are *actors* ffs, whose job it is to portray human emotions reagrdless of morality/censorship etc.

But since the situation and culture is so different.... now it makes me want to find out what actual life is like for gays in China.

[unrelaxing]

Yeah, it's a different context even if we're talking Asia. Are there 'out' celebrities in China? These are the things I'm not entirely sure of. In Korea, I know three - only one whose career I can say is comfortable. Would this even be an option in China, to 'come out'?

I do wonder though - taking on LGBT roles like BY did for his debut - was that a huge risk or does it not matter? It confuses me quite a bit.

[naye]

My ABC wife laughed at the idea of a celebrity "coming out" in the PRC. When I quizzed her, her take was:

It's happened in Hong Kong, but the mainland? A celebrity who lives and works there? Unthinkable. The scandal alone would guarantee they'd never work again - and that's if the government didn't literally make them disappear (or recant)...

I mean, someone still could. We don't actually know what would happen. But signs point to this being the end of your career (and possibly your life). While dragging your family and agency with you (guilt by association). Because that's how the PRC rolls.

[mekare]

Oh thank you for clarifying this! I had suspected, but I hadn't known that people would actually disappear for this.

[mekare]

I have to let you know that I couldn't even watch 9 minutes of that show last night. I thought to check out the first episode for the pleasure of seeing bai Yu, but HELL NO. It was so bad I kept cringing and wanting to protect him from the terrible directing and script. Secondhand embarrassment is a huge issue for me.

[naye]

Ahahahaha yeeeaaaaah having fast-forwarded through the first scene to escape the cringing, I feel you so hard! It's NOT a show for those of us with embarrassment squicks. (Someone linked to a spanking scene and just. I am STILL CRINGING??)

[mekare]

THERE IS SPANKING? I am so tooooooooorn. Who is getting spanked? bai Yu? Hopefully not!

ETA: RONOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

[naye]

Ummmm.

It's the ETA that you found the scene? (It's simultaneously VERY TAME and EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING.)

[mekare]

Haha no, I only realized that you used a Ronon/Jason Momoa icon after having hit post. Ronon was (and stilll is tbh) my obsession during January! I adore icons where he's smiling.

[naye]

RONON! :D

Ahahahaha I completely failed reading comprehension there. But to answer your question:

Bai Yu.

... and now I must go excise the memory of that scene from my brain again. ^^;;;

[mekare]

Even though I'm probably going to DIE of embarrassment I need to see that scene. For art refrence purposes. *cough* that's the only reason.

[lynndyre]

Ooooh, I didn't know that. Thank you!

[solo]

Oh, that's fascinating! So he's basically straight up cheerfully lying and most people know he's lying but hey, it's what you say because censorship?

[naye]

Pretty much exactly, yes! Look, China will fucking *disappear you* for stepping out of line, so you'd better be on high alert at all times. (This is why you want to do charity/government propaganda work. Literally brownie points. ... I'm on mobile now but that reminds me I don't think everyone knows about the Social Responsibility List and what happens if you score too low. Might be worth a post...)

[solo]

There's a Social Responsibility List? OMFG CHINA! Yes, that would be worth a post, to educate (and spiritually develop) ignorant Westerners like me.

[naye]

Quick link for anyone curious:
https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1002871/chinese-celebrities-given-social-responsibility-rankings

[solo]

Oookay, so while that is still creepy, it's not a thing that has been an official thing forever. I was picturing a government department there, keeping track of everyone's charitable deeds and patriotic fervour.

Still. Ugh.

[naye]

Oh no, see - this was introduced 2018, but tracking social responsibility is totally what they're doing going forward. So it will absolutely be keeping track of everyone in perpetuity. (They're also rolling this out for ordinary citizens. It's already a thing. Social rating too low? You get banned from buying plane and train tickets. They're officially going to keep tabs on EVERYONE - pairing it with surveillance tech/ face recognition.)

[solo]

Oh my god. In my other fandom, I read an AU fic which was based on some... film, I think, which has something like that going on. CREEPY AS FUCK.

I can't even...

[tinydragonlord]

Hope it's ok to pop in here over a year later... :D
(ah the trials of arriving late to a fandom)

I've seen a bunch of people mention that, about how Bai Yu claims he's never done anything like this before but actually there was that other show. To me though, and maybe I'm missing something because I'm relying on translations and don't know much about Chinese culture, but from the little bit I've seen from his previous show it seems nothing like SW/ZYL's relationship. Like even without the censorship, if I were Bai Yu I probably still would have genuinely said I hadn't done anything like Guardian before, because SW/ZYL had this epic love story and the other show was just cringe. Idk, I just feel like maybe he's honestly answering the question and not just wink wink nudge nudge sweeping the other show under the rug (though good lawd I would not blame him because SO CRINGE).

[trobadora]

This is a great video, yes! I love it when they get asked actually interesting questions. Even Zhu Yilong gets quite chatty! ♥

[mekare]

I have never seen him talk so much in a row! But I guess it is because he actually likes talking about the professional questiosn rather than the personal/ silly ones.

[trobadora]

He always gets chattier when he actually gets asked about his craft. :D

[mekare]

I empathize so hard with him! Personal questions from strangers are just. No. I love how he always takes time to think about the other questions regardless.

[goss]

*teeters dangerously near the rpf cliff*

OH GOD I AM RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.

I had to make myself stop watching after just two interview clips. /o\

[mekare]

I am resisting so far but as soon as the thought of Bai Yu possibly being bi and ZYL possibly being in the closet passed through my fevered brain it came up with all sorts of wonderful ideas. Which I will never write down.

[solo]

Resistance is futile!

If you write it, I'll read it! :)

[mekare]

Luckily I am not really a writer. And I always take care to draw my characters unequivocally as their roles, rather than their actor selves (the idea of art being somewhat ambiguous in that respect scares me a little).

Nothing wrong with liking RPF but I really want to avoid it.

[lynndyre]

That bit on the emotional responses in 23, yesssssss

[mekare]

Right?

[asya_ana]

Oh man, I am sailing the high seas in this RPS. Thanks for sharing this precious interview. I didn't think I could ship it any more than I already do.

[solo]

Thank you for that link, what great interviews!