Zhao Liying once went through a period of sublimation when she transitioned from an idol movie star to a recognized actress in the drama genre.
After "Hoa Thien Cot", "So Kieu Truyen", "Minh Lan Truyen", she gradually changed her image with "Hanh Phuc Den Van Gia", "Gio Thoi Ban Ha". The success of the direction change process helped Trieu Le Dinh win important awards such as Phi Thien, Kim Ung.
But from 2025 to now, this journey has begun to show signs of decline.
In the Human World" chose an experimental storytelling style, with complex psychological topics, making it difficult for the majority to access. In early 2026, "Little Success" is highly anticipated as Zhao Liying stars with Huang Xiaoming, and is also a key project group. However, the film's effects are not commensurate with the investment scale. The work closed with 6.4 points on Douban and received mixed opinions about the pace of the film and content.
Two consecutive works that did not explode made questions about Zhao Liying's appeal appear more often.
Space of more than a year
Another sign that caused Zhao Liying to be commented on as "out of breath" is the sharp decrease in filmmaking speed.
After completing "Tiểu thành đại sự" in May 2025, she has not announced her joining the new film crew for more than a year. This is a rather long break for the actress who is famous for her high work intensity.
Bang Ho Hai Chien" is one of the few remaining projects featuring Trieu Le Dinh, but she only plays a guest role. Meanwhile, information about the actress's new films is mostly still at the level of speculation, not officially confirmed by the crew.
This gap is even more noteworthy when compared to previous achievements. After having Phi Thien and Kim Ung, Trieu Le Dinh has entered the group of actors with both commercial attraction and professional recognition. Usually, this is a favorable time to continue to consolidate her position with large projects. But she has significantly reduced her frequency of appearance.
This can create risks. The Chinese film market is changing rapidly, new actors are constantly appearing. Without new works for a long time, even top stars may face the risk of reduced discussion.
Out of breath or actively slowing down?
However, just relying on the break to conclude whether Trieu Le Dinh is "out of fashion" or no longer stars in movies is too early. The bigger problem lies in choosing the next path.
At the age of over 30 and having won major awards, Trieu Le Dinh can hardly completely return to the ancient costume and romance formula that helped her become famous. But the realistic and drama film genre that she pursues is also not an easy choice.
Wind Blows Half Summer" once helped the actress prove her acting ability. That success also raised the standards for later roles. A safe character or repeating the image of a strong woman is very difficult to consider a step forward.
Meanwhile, "Tại nhân gian" and "Tiểu thành đại sự" show that choosing a different topic does not mean the work is definitely successful.
Some Chinese media sources believe that the actress is actively extending her break time, spending time on her personal life and choosing scripts more carefully. However, information such as her refusing dozens of scripts currently mainly comes from entertainment sources, without official confirmation, so it is difficult to see as a basis to prove that she is being strongly sought after.
Therefore, Trieu Le Dinh's current situation can be seen as a period of stagnation in the transition process, instead of the decline that has been shaped.
Two films that have not met expectations and a long break are signals that she no longer maintains continuous winning momentum. But the accumulated position from many years, awards and successful roles still help the actress have room to choose.
