According to Chinese media, actor Truong Lang Hach is attracting great attention after being said to have cut nearly 40 million CNY in cat-xe to participate in the historical drama "Axis of Jade".
This decision initially surprised the entertainment industry, but is now considered a strategic step for the actor's career.
The movie "Axis of Jade" starring Truong Lang Hach and Dien Hi Vi has a total production cost estimated at 400 million CNY.
According to sources in the industry, despite being the male lead, Truong Lang Hach only received about 3.5 million CNY - significantly lower than his previous projects.
When participating in the modern movie "Love You", he was paid 12 million CNY; while the historical drama "Do Hoa Nien" (starring with Trieu Kim Mach) brought Truong Lang Hach about 17 million CNY in salary. This shows that the male actor's salary in "Axis of Jade" has decreased sharply.
Instead of prioritizing personal income, Truong Lang Hach chose to let the producer spend more budget on improving the overall quality of the film, including setting, costumes, makeup and post-production.
Dien Hy Vi also only received a relatively modest cat-xe of about 3 million CNY, showing the consensus of the cast towards the project.
This decision quickly received praise from netizens, many people said that good scripts and high production quality often bring longer-term value than high cat-xe from the beginning.
And this "gamble" seemed to be successful. After "Axis of Jade" aired, the popularity of both Truong Lang Hach and Dien Hi Vi increased sharply, leading to many advertising contracts and increased commercial value.
The film itself has also become one of the most discussed works recently, contributing to elevating the career of the two main actors.
Another noteworthy detail is that fans discovered that the production company behind "Axis of Jade" had the capital contribution of many big stars such as Do Thuan, Ly Than, Tran Hach, Trinh Khai and Phung Thieu Phong.
Although not directly involved in acting, they are said to still benefit from the success of the film, showing that the influence in the entertainment industry does not only come from their roles on screen.
Truong Lang Hach's decision also reflects the general trend of the Chinese entertainment industry today, when management agencies tighten regulations on excessively high remuneration for actors.
Therefore, projects are increasingly focusing on quality rather than star fees, and actors are also starting to see participating in films as a long-term investment rather than short-term benefits.
With "Jade Axis" causing a fever, Truong Lang Hach's bold move is now considered a strategic success. By sacrificing immediate income, he has consolidated his position in the industry and proven that sometimes receiving less than initially can bring greater long-term benefits.
