The classic version of "Journey to the West" in 1986 has become the memory of countless people's summer vacation, and the melody of "You carry the burden, I lead the horse" has accompanied the growth of generation after generation. There are a large number of film and television works adapted from the classic IP of the four masters and apprentices, some of which are praised by the audience as masterpieces, and some are criticized as bad movies.
Twenty-two years ago, "Journey to the West" was one of the controversial works. Although the show is flawed in some ways, it is a childhood memory in the hearts of many people. Back then, the plot of Sun Wukong's death made countless viewers cry. Sun Wukong is not omnipotent, he can also be injured and even face threats to his life. In this drama, the roles of Buddha and Guanyin have also been reshaped, bringing the audience a new look and feel.
Now, twenty-two years later, the characters and actors in the play have undergone tremendous changes. Cao Rong, the actor of Monkey King, with his unique action design, makes the audience remember it vividly. Cao Rong is from Hong Kong, and in his early years, he played Toshio Akino in "Huo Dongge", thus entering the showbiz.
He won the Golden Horse Award for Best Action Direction for "A Good Man", and also played the role of emptiness in Jet Li's version of "Heaven and Dragon Slayer". However, after filming "Journey to the West", he had a conflict with screenwriter Qian Yanqiu, and since then he has turned behind the scenes, and few masterpieces have come out. In recent years, he has chosen to settle in the countryside and live a comfortable life of raising pigs and feeding cattle.
And Tang Seng's actor Huang Haibing presented the audience with a different martial arts image from the past. When he was young, he was a smash hit costume student, and he was the only actor who played Jin Yong, Gu Long, and Liang Yusheng's martial arts. He has refused to appear in "Huanzhu Gege" three times, and has also refused to be the host of "Happy Camp". In 1992, Huang Haibing was admitted to the acting class of ** Drama Academy, and became a classmate with "Xie Dajia" Yu Yuexian. When he was a sophomore, he was selected by the director to play the role of Chen Jialuo in "Book of Swords and Enmity".
In the midst of his busy life after graduation, Huang Haibing became famous for a play. At that time, the students were still interviewing for job hunts, and Huang Haibing had already become a popular actor in costume dramas, and the film appointments continued. In the years that followed, he took over many hit dramas such as "The History of Martial Arts" and "The Shadow of Ping", but it is a pity that he missed the opportunity of the "Huanzhu Gege" series.
After entering the age of 30, Huang Haibing's career began to decline. Although the film contract has not been interrupted, it has lost its former glory. He experienced a failed marriage, and then remarried actor Zhen Xi and had a lovely daughter. Zhen Xi entered the showbiz because of his appearance in "New Bright Sword". Today's Huang Haibing's figure is no longer what it used to be, and he appears more in supporting roles in costume dramas.
Let's talk about Qiao Linger, the role he played in "Journey to the West". Qiao Linger gave up love for all sentient beings, just like the Supreme Treasure in "Journey to the West", he became Sun Wukong in order to save Zixia, but this also means that he has no chance with Zixia completely. This drama is Wu Jian's first TV series work, and he became popular the following year with the roles of Shi Zhongyu and Shi Potian in "Chivalrous Journey". Despite his continuous works, he has never been able to reach the status of a big hit. It wasn't until 2022 that his outstanding performance in "Special Warfare Honor" became known to the audience.
Regarding the role of the Buddha of Heavenlessness, there is no absolute distinction between good and evil. The white-clothed lawless has a compassionate heart, while the black-clothed lawless is cruel. As it is said that "put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the ground", the transformation of good and evil in the heavenless world is only in an instant. As an actor, Kuroko can play vividly no matter what role he is. Natulu in "Dog Stick", Feng Tiannan in "Flying Fox Gaiden", Huo Du in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" and other characters are all plump and three-dimensional. Whether it is an upright hero or a sinister villain, he performed just right and left a deep impression on the audience.
In real life, Kuroko is a delicate and good man. After more than ten years of long-distance love, he and his wife entered the marriage hall after the economic foundation was stable. The mother-in-law was very satisfied with him, and even treated him as her own son. Kuroko's mother-in-law is also an amiable person, she always cares about the lives of her daughter and son-in-law, and tries her best to create a happy environment for them. In the family, the golden-winged Roc eagle is also one of the indispensable roles. His mana is so powerful that he can fly over 90,000 miles in the air with just a flap of his wings. His presence adds a sense of mystery and power to the whole family.
In this drama, the characters' styling is very gorgeous, especially those blonde hair and eyebrows, which are eye-catching. And actor Yu Zhen, a top student of the ** Drama Academy, is known as a tough guy on the screen, and he has played an important role in many anti-Japanese war-themed film and television works, such as "Group Five" and "Chinese Band of Brothers". But for some reason, his performance has gradually been classified as a "thunder drama" in the hearts of the audience, no matter what drama he starred in, some people will always say: "This drama must be another thunder drama." ”
And Yu Yuexian, who was unknown at the time, also played a supporting role in many popular TV series. Although she is a professional actor who graduated from Chinese opera and has the fashion temperament of an urban girl, this does not match her brother-in-law Zhao Benshan's rural drama style, so she has not been able to get a suitable role.
It wasn't until 2006 that she got a role in "Ma Dashuai", which allowed Zhao Benshan to see her professionalism. So, in "Country Love", she was arranged for the role of Xie Dajiao. In order to better interpret this role, she did not hesitate to gain weight and go deep into the countryside to experience life, successfully changing her image and winning the love of the audience.
It's a pity that Yu Yuexian suffered a misfortune during a filming in August 2021 and died of serious injuries due to hitting two camels. On January 12, 2023, "Country Love 15" will be broadcast, and the audience will once again see the figure of their beloved "Aunt Bigfoot", which can't help but be sentimental.
In addition, there are many other impressive characters in the show. For example, Biyou Fairy (Juanzi), she is Qiao Linger's lover and is full of persistence in love. As an actor, Juan Zi also starred in many film and television works well-known to the audience, such as "The Wrong Sedan Chair to Marry the Right Lang" and "Thirty Years After Marriage", and at the peak of his career, he chose to get married and lived a happy life with a husband and children.
Another character, White Lotus (Ma Yashu), was originally a bandit on Crested Mountain, but was later influenced by Qiao Linger and fell in love with her. As an actor, Ma Yashu has experienced two marriages, her ex-husband is Wu Qilong, and now she focuses on her family, occasionally participating in the filming of some film and television works and variety shows.
After more than 20 years have passed, many of the actors in the show have rarely appeared in the public eye. For many viewers, the characters in "Journey to the West" are still vivid, but time flies, and we have all grown up. "Journey to the West" has left a deep memory for many people, and its influence even exceeds that of the original "Journey to the West". The scenes of those "ghost animals" are unforgettable, and many people were keen to follow this drama back then. Comparatively speaking, the current situation of the heroine of "The Legend of Deer and Ding" is very different, some husbands have been imprisoned, and some people have collapsed in the hospital for surgery due to illness.