Is that really Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming?
That was the question on many netizens’ minds after photos from Huang’s new movie, Mostly Sunny, were released on Chinese social media on June 16 and quickly went viral. In the images, Huang appears noticeably heavier, marking a significant departure from his usual idol image as he aims for awards glory with this latest role.
Photo Credit: https://www.straitstimes.com/
In Mostly Sunny, the 46-year-old actor plays an intellectually disabled man. The film, directed by Chinese filmmaker Wei Shujun, also features Taiwanese actress Lu Hsiao-fen, Chinese actor Zu Feng, and Chinese actress Yang Caiyu. Notably, Chinese director Jia Zhangke makes a special appearance in the movie.
The film premiered at the ongoing Shanghai International Film Festival in the Main Competition section of the Golden Goblet Award and has received critical acclaim. Some critics have even described it as the Chinese version of the 1994 Hollywood classic Forrest Gump, which starred Tom Hanks.
During a press conference on June 16, Huang, who is the first person to win Best Actor twice at China’s Golden Rooster Awards for American Dreams In China (2013) and The Bravest (2019), revealed that he gained 15kg and a larger belly for his role in Mostly Sunny. To prepare for the role, he stayed at a charity organization in Hangzhou for a month to better understand the lives of people with special needs.
However, Huang mentioned that he went on a strict diet immediately after filming wrapped. He sometimes only ate a single sugar-free biscuit for breakfast, joking that he could gain weight just by drinking too much water.
Huang, who shares a seven-year-old son with his former wife, Hong Kong actress Angelababy, said, “I never hesitated taking up the role and even looked forward to it.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
