Producers and directors usually consider many factors when searching for their star. However, deferring to the creative input from the novel’s author might not necessarily be a priority. This makes it particularly tough for the authors, especially if the chosen actors don’t exactly bring to life their vision for the story. Today, the author of the novel Zhang Gongan 张公案 made some waves when she very publicly spoke against the casting for the role of Zhang Ping in the novel’s drama adaption.
“I object to a certain actor playing Zhang Ping because a certain drama he starred in crossed the line. Although my personal preferences won’t change anything about the casting, this is how I see things. If he plays Zhang Ping, myself and my book are distancing ourselves from any connection with the drama adaptation of Zhang Gongan. I apologise for any potential harm my opinion might cause” writes Dafeng Guaguo 大风刮过.
Who Could the Potential “Zhang Pings” Be?
That remains to be seen as the author didn’t name any names nor has she given any hints. It’s worth noting though that actors Jing Boran, Leo Wu Lei and Song Weilong are some of the names that are rumoured to have expressed an interest in playing Zhang Ping.
Of the three, Leo Wu Lei and Song Weilong’s names have been industry constants in recent months as they continue churning out quite a few dramas. Leo has recently co-starred in the live adaptation of the popular tactical game Cross Fire. He will also be starring in the drama Chang Ge Xing opposite actress Dilraba Dilmurat.
Meanwhile, Song Weilong has been on a massive roll this year having popped out four dramas and it’s only August! There’s Find Yourself at the beginning of the year where he played Victoria Song’s much younger other half. He followed that up with Beautiful Reborn Flower, In A Class of Her Own and the currently playing Go Ahead. As for Jing Boran, his drama The Love of Hypnosis hasn’t declared an air date yet for this year. However two of his movies The Shadow Play and The Climbers have already hit cinemas last year.
What did Dafeng Guaguo mean when she wrote “a certain drama he starred in crossed the line“? Netizens have been speculating that the author is talking about Untouchable Lovers which allegedly plagiarised one of her novels. If that’s the case, then that means the blind item is alluding to Song Weilong who starred in the drama. But then again this is all conjecture so please take this with a grain of salt.
Source: 1
hoh
It is really disappointing to learn how Authors opinions are not one of the factors taken into consideration when it come to casting..
Palmyre
I heard rumors about Wu Lei having conflicts with Tencent Video because of this drama. Hope it’s not true though…
Usi
Hm, that sounds a bit weird since actors are playing roles. Whatever their character does doesn’t mean it is the actor’s opinion. You can state acting range or someone not fiting the visiuals but even the latter doesn’t mean anything at the end (aka Wang Yibo in CQL since he didn’t fit the visuals but impersonated his role so much that no one noticed). The only reason I can accept is the actor itself being a problematic human being but what does an author know about it?
Nonny
Read the article again. What’s being alleged is that the ACTOR starred in a drama with a script that was plagiarised (stolen) from the author’s work.
If it really is about SWL and Untouchable Lovers, then it means that SWL’s boss, Yu Zheng was the one who did the plagiarising.
Usi
So what? What can an actor do when the script was found out plagiarized after he or his agency signed the contract? How can a beginner afford a breaking fee? The world isn’t black white. When your employer made a not so nice contract would you resign? With that mindset no one would work for banks or selling clothes.
fae
It’s unfortunate that the author’s opinion on the casting is being dismissed by some people. If this is true, she’s entitled to her feelings.
I hope Jing Boran gets cast as Zhang Ping. He hardly does any dramas and sadly Love Hypnosis may be shelved long term.
Usi
JBR woud be my pick too. Don’t know why he isn’t casted more for Dramas since he has the looks and can act well.
Nonny
Don’t be obtuse, Usi. Your initial comment was talking about the author blaming an actor for what his character did, lol.
If you really want to get into it, SWL signed with a company run by a guy who is known for plagiarising, then starred in a drama written by that same guy. Sounds like he’s fine people getting their IP stolen if it gets him fame and money. That’s might be cool in your books, but the people that they stole from are allowed to not like it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Usi
@Nonny
At first I answered how the author talked about an unnamed actor and second time I answered to your comment. It isn’t confirmed that the author meant SWL, so I couldn’t talk about that in my first post.
And you seem to forget that he was still a teenager in this Drama. He wasn’t allowed to film a kiss scene bc he was too young then but you think he could understand everything about contracts who had his parents to sign for him? And again, he surely didn’t had the meaning to break a contract after the plagiarism was stated. If he was okay with it for real we don’t know.
As I stated before, the world isn’t black white. It doesn’t mean I’m okay with people stealing.
Nonny
/IF/ it is about SWL and UL, it’s obvious that it was Yu Zheng’s decision to cast one of his own actors in one of his own dramas, and SWL had to toe to line if he wanted to stay in the industry.
But at the same time, it doesn’t change the fact that SWL is still signed under a serial plagiarist who stole from this author to make SWL famous, and that YZ will benefit if SWL is cast in this drama. That indicates that SWL is okay with what happened, or at least willing to let it slide because his own career matters more which from his point of view, fair enough, opposing plagiarism isn’t worth losing his career for. BUT from the author’s point of view, she is perfectly justified to not want SWL and YZ anywhere near an adaptation of one of her books in response to what happened.
na
Not blaming the actor on what he has done, but I understand the author’s position. I have also distance myself from other people even though they are not at fault, as they are only guilty by association. If the plagiarism rumour is true, I’m glad the author took this decision. Too many plagiarism in c-drama world but no one has taken a proper action for it. And this is something the autho still has power to do
Gm g
Give the cast to King Norman, the poor guy is great actor and no one is casting him,, about SWL, if the author didn’t like him just respect her, she must remember how they stole her work every time she see him on TV let alone him being the lead in her other novel, if any one in her place he would felt the same, how awful she must felt in the past, I don’t think anyone want to see his work being another permanent memory for the injustice she had in the past
Hui
@Nonny
What? It’s SWL’s fault? LOL! Wouldn’t that mean ALL Yuzheng artists are nasty too?
Yang Mi & Feng Shao Feng (Palace, Gong) – Copied Boys Over Flower
Zhao Liying & Chen Xiao & Zhou Dongyu (Palace) – Copied Blind Romance 1996
Nonny
Yup! All of those actors have shown that their careers are more important to them than opposing plagiarism in their industry and if Tong Hua wanted to say something about Yang Mi starring in an adaption of hers, then that would be entirely warranted.
Are you a SWL stan or something lol, why are you so desperate to defend him. He’s getting money and fame in exchange for what is basically a salty tweet and the author not supporting him. Him and his plagiarist boss are still the winners here.
Hui
Not a stan of anybody or an anti of anyone. Just can’t stand seeing somebody getting slash so maliciously when they aren’t wrong. He’s really young, already successful, can have a really long career that will get in the way of other competitors so it’s obvious why he has unreasonable haters. Useless to argue.
Stopfighting
I heard the drama is gonna start filming soon and SWL and Jing Boran are already confirmed….