We rarely see Michelle Chen in the spotlight after she married Chen Xiao and had a kid. However, the actress has kept busy last year and finished filming a drama based on the life story of Teresa Teng. Lately, she is ready to tackle another icon as Zixia Fairy in the stage production of A Chinese Odyssey 大话西游 which is slated to have its first showing on Jan. 23, 2019.
Athena Chu played Zixia in the two-part 1995 Hong Kong fantasy-comedy film starring Stephen Chow. Although there have been attempts by other actresses to portray the same role either in dramas or movies, Athena’s portrayal is a classic.
Unfortunately, Michelle Chen is no stranger to criticism when it comes to playing iconic characters. She played Xiaolongnu in Romance of the Condor Heroes in 2014 which didn’t sit well with viewers. Michelle received a lot of flak, mainly due to her appearance being too different from Xiaolongu in the novel. To be honest, she strikes me more as cute and bubbly rather than a pure and stunning angel.
Photos of the rehearsal have been posted online and some netizens seem to be casting doubt on whether she can live up to the role. I have to give Michelle Chen credit though. She isn’t afraid to challenge herself. Hopefully, all her hard work pays off with both fans and critics alike.
Michelle Chen in costume as Zixia Fairy.
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Zhilie
I dont want to watch michelle chen in ancient costume anymore ??
Anonymous
Be kind – you don't have to watch it!
Anonymous
I see why Zi Xia is a high standard character to play, Athena Chu is a natural beauty with great acting skills. Although Michelle is not the most prettiest, she is a natural girl. That's a million better than having a pretty but plastic girl to come play classic roles.
Anonymous
She makes the oddest decisions. She has a girl next door look, but keeps trying to play gorgeous characters. It's obvious that people will mock.
Anonymous
When she played XLN, it was not like there was any actress who was looking like a natural fairy that could have play the role instead of her.
Michelle had the naturalness that draw in those decisions. Something that a lot of the so call "pretty" actresses lacked and do not have, they would've been a worse XLN compare to her.
Besides, ROCH 2014 was such a bad drama directed by a notorious director so even if somebody really naturally beautiful played the role, it would not make things any better.
Tang Yan played a really really beautiful Zi Xia too, but the storyline was stupid and nobody was even funny they were all just trying too hard. I don't think the problem with this upcoming thing will be if Michelle being pretty enough, the problem is going to be the story and the plot.
Anonymous
People always aspire to be what they aren't.
Yu Zheng's adaptation was bound to fail anyway. Him casting Michelle actually brought attention to the drama because she was so out of place that it generated massive discussion on how inappropriate she was as Xiao Long Nu. Its done purposefully.
Asha
Actress nowadays have almost same look, thanks to plastic surgery. I love natural look of Michelle Chen more.