Check out Chen Xiao’s transformation for his newest historical Legend of the Magnate 大生意人. The 36-year-old has served up different looks in the past from his clean cut looks in A Dream of Splendor, a gentleman in the Republican drama Red Rose to a scruffy and mustached person of interest in Being a Hero. To play the role Gu Pingyuan, a scholar who relied on his wits to take advantage of any situation, the actor appeared to have no qualms shaving his head to get that late Qing Dynasty hairstyle.
Granted, this isn’t actually his first rodeo at going bald as he’d done it before when he played Shen Xingyi in 2017’s Nothing Gold Can Stay 那年花开月正圆. Whilst some actors may rely on bald caps to achieve the look, Chen Xiao actually shaved off his hair. Here’s some snaps shared by his Studio documenting his transformation.
Aside from Chen Xiao, the series also confirmed actress Sun Qian who will be starring opposite in the drama adaptation of Zhao Zhiyu’s novel of the same name. As the title suggests, Gu Pingyuan relied on his wits to outsmart various business gangs, merchant cabals to help people. In doing so, he establishes his very own business empire where he joins forces with other major merchant gangs to fight off foreign traders and saving the country’s economy. Meanwhile Sun Qian portrays the role of Chang Yu’er in the series.
Legend of the Magnate is directed and written by Zhang Ting and also stars Luo Yizhou and Taishen Cheng. Viewers can also expect special appearances from Huang Zhizhong, Li Chun, Zhu Yawen, Julia Xiang and Liu Peiqi.
Photos: Weibo
HL
I am really looking forward to this pairing. Chen Xiao is a solid actor. Sun Qian is a interesting newbie. I like her.
Joni
I like this Chen Xiao actor. But what is so interesting about him going bald for real for a role? Plenty of other actors doing Qing Dynasty dramas have done the same thing. Quite common after all.