Pretty privilege might give you the upper hand, but sometimes, being pretty can actually cost you a role. In a recent interview, The Princess Gambit actress Meng Ziyi recounted an incident during her rookie years where she was rejected for a role for being too pretty.
Beauty Standards in C-Drama: A Double-Edged Sword?
With her fair skin and big eyes, Meng Ziyi certainly fits the bill when it comes to Chinese beauty standards. However in her case, her appearance seemed to have been a hindrance when her ability to play certain roles was questioned due to her attractiveness. “You’re too beautiful and not suitable for the role”. Indeed when she first made her debut, Meng Ziyi was bashed for what Netizens called her “plastic surgery face” and didn’t land any acting projects for a time.
For an industry that’s known to cast artists based on their good looks and popularity, not necessarily for their acting skills, how confusing is that especially for a young actress that’s just starting out. Whilst some Netizens pointed out that perhaps the crew used being ‘too pretty‘ as an excuse to refuse her the role, Meng Ziyi shared that she could’ve accepted the rejection had they cited a more plausible reason instead of having her past efforts overlooked just because of her appearance. “They could’ve said I didn’t have the ability to handle this role at this point in my career or they could’ve said they were hoping to find a more popular artist. I would have been fine if they said this. However, if you say it’s because I’m too pretty as the reason why I can’t play the role, I’ll end up thinking it’s wrong to be pretty.”
Whilst she said that the prejudice that pretty actresses can’t act has improved in recent years, she says it’s important that the industry still pay attention to diversity when they’re casting for a role.
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lol
Girl que? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 they were actually saying you can’t pull the role but they were trying to be nice . How many stunning actress get roles 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 look at Nini she look alike a goddess but she get diverse roles 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Dix
Nini pretty but not the typical big double eyelids.
lol
Nini is a goddess without the double eye lids … not only that she commands presence. No matter the role you will not forget her !
I can list a million actress with double eye lids too who pull of complex roles. But the direct was letting her know she could not act .. her statement even makes it more painful. She should have said my beauty won’t stop me I will show you how versatile look! But na this woman is stiff, and pretty rubbish in acting but she is beautiful too look at.
It’s funny she actually said this and published . She needs to go the Glory route … debate and shock with your pretty face .
Panda
Nah, that take is wild. are you try to say she should’ve brushed off a shallow rejection and turned it into a beauty pageant pep talk? No. She responded with honesty and clarity, and you’re mad because she didn’t spin it into some performative “watch me prove you wrong” moment?
She acknowledged what the real issue should’ve been: her skill level or her popularity. That’s mature and professional. You saying she’s “rubbish in acting” is your opinion, fine, but if that’s the case, then why not say that was the reason instead of hiding behind the “too beautiful” excuse? Which is exactly what she called out. And calling her “too stiff” or telling her to go “debate and shock with your pretty face” is just petty and unnecessarily condescending. You’re not critiquing her craft, you’re basically mocking her existence. She’s in the industry working, learning, showing up. If she has areas to grow, great, let her know. But don’t sit here and clown her for daring to question a BS excuse.
Panda
That take is wild. You’re saying she should’ve brush off a shallow rejection and turned it into a beauty pageant pep talk? NO. She responded with honesty and you’re mad becasue she didn’t want to spin it into so performative “watch me prove you wrong” moment. She acknowledged the issue: her skill leve or her popularity. That’s mature. And you’re saying “rubbish acting” is your opinion, fine, but if that is the case, then why not say that was the reason instead of hiding behind the “too beautiful” excuse? That’s exactly what she called out. She’s in the industrworking and learning. If she has areas to grow, then let her know, and don’t sit here and clown her for daring to question a BS excuse.
Lol
Have you seen any of her dramas? look you can say someone acting sucks ! It’s not a bad thing. There is room for debate you can say well have you seen her in this or that etc she was great . to not receive criticism means no growth . That is why I gave the example of glory actress ! She was always told she was too pretty ! Code for she could not act to save her life . Which is why she had to break it… break tthat image. She faced herself ! It is growth .
Panda
I think you’re missing my point. I’m not saying actor’s shouldn’t face criticism. But pretending “too beautiful” is real feedback is one ass of a feedback. It is not even critique, just pure lazy defelction. If she did lack skills or popularity or whatever then, just say it so she can go and work on herself. Think of it like, if you are writing an essay and your teacher says “you can’t be in this class becuase your handwriting is too neat,” how the heck are you supposed to improve your argument, your structure, your analysis? You can’t. Because none of that was adressed. That is what this “too beautiful” line does. It dodges the real issues and hides behind something so superficial. It also undermines her credibility entirely. It reduces her to just a face and turns her appearance into a disadvantage, which is ridiculous. Especially in an industry that constantly places looks above everything else- casting based on aesthetics, packaging idols for visuals first. And now they suddenly want to act like acting skill is the priority?
Ash
Exactly. If she couldn’t even figure that out, then obviously, the casting director had called it right. The role is too complicated for her abilities. There are many others who applied for the role. Why should she made a big deal of being rejected, just to boast of her beauty. ? Faces like hers are a dime a dozen in Sinawood.
Cc
This is such a tone deaf complaint on her part. Lots of people complained that she had “influencer face” so maybe the producers using the “too pretty” excuse were just trying to let her down in a polite way. She is very pretty but let’s be honest, without her “prettiness”, she would not be landing any roles based on her acting skills only.
Yarnie
gurl…how about you take the hint…
Lisa
I actually like her acting, but why does she always put her foot in her mouth? she’s kind of ditzy in reality shows, so I can see her saying this without thinking. her agent must have to do a lot of damage control for her all the time haha
Coralie
I used to find her beautiful, and she’s still very pretty…but recently I find that she has the same ‘looks’ throughout her roles. She needs a new makeup artist and designer to spice up her image.
If that’s indeed what the director said, I don’t find any issues with it. She doesn’t have a versatile face that can suit different roles, just like some ‘cute’ face actresses won’t get mature roles because they have a baby face. Unless someone gives them a chance despite their profile, usually newbies won’t be given a role based on looks alone. But it’s also true that if her acting wowed a director, maybe they would’ve given her the role regardless of how she looks, but that’s too risky for a director.
It would suck to hear their face is the only reason they didn’t get a part, though. Like they can’t help how they look, but at the same time, looks play a huge part in audience favor ability
Kai
The “serious” dramas don’t rely on prettiness. “In the Name of Justice” just aired. Nary a pretty, young, girlie, handsome, cute face in sight. Even the FL is without glamour makeup and shows her real age – 40s. Men with uneven skin, pock-marks and all. Plenty of “elderly” actors They are all real faces, not plastic faces. And the drama is a hit !!
The “Like a Flowing River” series + the associated one, now airing “Created in China” is another example.
Coralie
she’s not some influencer actress tho. she has legit acting creds. but she doesn’t always get to choose what role she can audition for and/or what project to try. it’s really just about luck and role suitability. ppl hating on her for what the director said to her (verbatim) is wild.