The Golden Horse Awards have been announced. As expected, Li Bingbing became the Empress of Film, while Zhou Xun, who had already won numerous awards, surprisingly confirmed that she would not attend the Golden Horse Awards. According to informed sources, this year's Golden Horse Award was already predetermined for Li Bingbing. Therefore, Zhou Xun took it lightly and did not care about winning the title of Emp0ress of Film again, thus giving more opportunities to Li Bingbing. When someone asked Zhou Xun if she knew that the Golden Horse Award was already predetermined for Li Bingbing, Zhou Xun laughed it off and said it didn't matter, making Li Bingbing feel quite awkward. Did Li Bingbing win in such an embarrassing way?
For many years, not only in Huayi Brothers but also in the entire Chinese-language film industry, Zhou Xun and Li Bingbing have been recognized as idols with substance. Recently, audiences' evaluations of Zhou Xun have mostly focused on her scandals. Her performance in "The Message" was normal and not surprising. Zhou Xun herself possesses the ability to handle such roles with ease. On the other hand, discussions about Li Bingbing have mainly centered around her acting skills. Her character in "The Message" is undoubtedly a major breakthrough in her acting career so far. Especially the pivotal scene where her character is stripped and examined by Huang Xiaoming's character can be considered a milestone in Li Bingbing's acting career.
In fact, Li Bingbing's victory lies in her breakthrough. Compared to her previous roles, the character Li Bingbing portrayed in "The Message" is indeed a significant breakthrough. To achieve the director's positioning of the character being "in a state of anxious oppression," Li Bingbing, who has never touched tobacco or alcohol, broke her own rules and smoked and drank for the first time. In order to find the state of Li Ningyu after drinking, Li Bingbing even bought wine herself to get into character, which essentially meant torturing herself to find the right feeling. Indeed, her performance surpassed many aspects of her previous work.
There is no denying that Zhou Xun's performance was successful. However, the Golden Horse Award evaluates acting performances. Looking at Li Bingbing, she has grown significantly after such a long acting career. The success of "Cloud Water Love" was not accidental, and this performance serves as a strong proof. Li Ningyu's role in "The Message" had more screen time, and every detail of Li Bingbing's portrayal was outstanding. Whether it was her meticulous research on Morse code, her protective and devoted relationship with her sister, her willingness to sacrifice her dignity for love, her inner collapse, or her fierce condemnation of the enemy at the banquet, all were breathtakingly excellent. Friends familiar with Li Bingbing were pleasantly surprised to discover that her acting skills had made great leaps both longitudinally and horizontally.
Li Bingbing's winning of the Golden Horse Empress of Film title is truly deserved. When she went up to receive the award, Li Bingbing choked up, moved to tears, and bowed to thank the judges, saying "You've worked hard." On stage, she cried more heavily than before, perhaps because she felt she won in an embarrassing way. Originally, she could have competed here with Zhou Xun, but Zhou Xun laughed it off and proudly turned her head away, choosing to absent herself from the Golden Horse Awards. Li Bingbing indeed won in an embarrassing way, but her breakthrough in acting is undeniable. Winning the Golden Horse Empress of Film title is truly deserved.
By: Postscript