At the Weibo Cinema Night 2026 event held in mid-June, actress Liu Haoran suddenly became the focus when she frankly said in front of a large number of directors and producers: "If there is a film project, find me".
This statement appeared after actress Wen Qi shared that publicly seeking career opportunities before brought positive effects. Immediately, Liu Haoran responded with a similar call.
The actor's move surprised many viewers. At the age of 29, he is considered one of the most prominent faces in the young generation of Chinese actors. Liu Haoran made his mark through a series of hit movies such as "Detective Chinatown", and also has box office achievements in the leading group of actors born after 1990.
However, he is not the only artist to publicly admit the lack of projects. At the same event, actor and director Dong Zijian also attracted the audience's attention when he introduced himself as "actress Dong Zijian" and said he "is very free".
Meanwhile, female artist Trinh Tieu also repeatedly mentioned that her current schedule is quite empty and wants to receive more work opportunities.
The fact that many artists of different generations and positions publicly "apply for jobs" is considered a rare image in the Chinese entertainment industry. Previously, stars often avoided mentioning the lack of projects because this could affect their image and commercial appeal.
According to many industry experts, the reason stems from the sharp decline of the film and television market in recent years. The number of projects started continuously decreased, while investment capital for the entertainment sector is no longer as abundant as in the previous boom period.
If a decade ago, the story of actors receiving fees of tens of millions to hundreds of millions of yuan used to appear densely in the media, now the market has changed significantly. Investors have become more cautious, the number of projects has decreased sharply and the requirements for commercial efficiency are increasingly strict.
In addition, the rapid development of artificial intelligence and short content on digital platforms also creates more pressure for the traditional entertainment industry. Many experts believe that increasing competition makes even famous artists proactively look for opportunities instead of waiting for invitations from producers.
From Liu Haoran's story, many viewers believe that the Chinese entertainment industry is entering a new stage. Reputation and achievements are still advantageous, but no longer absolutely guarantee job opportunities as before. In that context, artists willing to publicly express their desire to work may become a more familiar image of Chinese showbiz in the future.
