Star's trajectory on the rise
Popular celebrity reflects on tough times to maintain his humility and gratitude as he thinks about what's next, Xu Fan reports.
Liu Yuning and his dog, Daimi, come in the spotlight. His portrayals in costume dramas, such as A Dream Within a Dream, have won him a huge fan base.[Photo provided to China Daily]
Before I walked into the dance studio for a scheduled interview with singer-actor Liu Yuning, who was rehearsing for his upcoming concert, I hit an unexpected snag. Outside the door, a group of dancers dressed in black was clustered together, forming a tight circle. At the center lay Daimi, a schnauzer whose name means "fool rice", luxuriating in their attention.
They say pets sometimes mirror their owners — in this case, it might just be true. Daimi's owner, Liu, one of the most sought-after actors for costume dramas, operates similarly.
Described by fans as a lucky man whose life reads like an underdog's rise to fame, Liu chats freely on almost any topic, from his early jobs as a chef to forming a band and eventually, emerging as a pop idol.
"From the first day I stepped into the entertainment industry, it's been like winning the lottery," Liu says candidly. He compares it to hitting a 50-million-yuan ($6.96 million) jackpot, then investing it and watching every bet pay off big time — a metaphor for his career, which he sees as a series of lucky breaks.
Born in 1990 in Dandong, Northeast China's Liaoning province, Liu had a tough childhood. His father passed away when he was 4 years old. He was raised by his grandparents and later attended a vocational high school to study cooking. Though his career began far from the spotlight, working as a cook, waiter, and even a street promoter handing out flyers, he eventually rose to stardom by pursuing his true passion: music.
Liu and two friends established the band Modern Brothers in 2014 and livestreamed their performances on a street in their hometown. Thanks to fate and the internet era's unprecedented growth, Liu amassed a huge online fan base, earning opportunities to lead in popular dramas like the martial arts tale A Journey to Love and the historical romance The Prisoner of Beauty.
His latest project — A Dream Within a Dream, a fantasy comedy that just concluded its first-round run on Jiangsu Satellite TV — has gained widespread popularity, propelling him to new heights.
The 40-episode series recounts a wildly imaginative story: An unknown actress wakes up to discover she has "traveled" into the fictional world of a script she was once slated to act in. The original plot depicts a high-ranking official's daughter who falls in love with a cold-blooded prince and is brutally tortured. Trapped in this role, the actress tries to rewrite her fate.
Liu plays three roles in the drama — a famous actor set to costar with the protagonist, the prince, and the leader of a secret organization. When the actress interferes, the prince transforms from a ruthless figure into a nobleman who cares for his country and develops genuine feelings for the female lead.
