Yi Yangqianxi (Jackson Yee), 24, became the youngest winner of the Best Actor of Golden Rooster Awards in its history for his performance as Liu Chunhe in Big World.
"Recognized by so many forerunners in the industry, which gives me the power to keep moving forward, I feel honored, and it means a lot to me," he told China Media Group (CMG) in an exclusive interview after receiving the award in Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian of east China, on Saturday.
Big World tells the story of Liu Chunhe, a young man with cerebral palsy, who overcomes challenges to fulfill his grandmother's dream.
Once a teen pop idol, Yi worked hard to portray this character that requires emotional restraint, physical transformation and a will to dismantle his idol aura.
"I think this character is definitely one of those once-in-a-lifetime roles for me. I'm lucky to work with this creative team, these great partners. Together with them we managed to nail this difficult project," Yi said.
Unlike many commercial films, Big World is stripped of spectacle. It focuses instead on the rawness of everyday survival, which distinguished the project from the clean, handsome screen persona audiences often associate with Yi. Taking on such a role meant confronting and discarding that comfort zone, but Yi did not hesitate to challenge his public image.
"I honestly didn't think too much about those things. Actually I just delved myself into this very demanding role. I didn't consider my image or anything like that at the time," the young actor said.
Yi won the award on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema, which added symbolic weight to the trophy. For Yi, the experience offered something beyond the industry recognition.
"The biggest gain for me is that I came to realize my own boundaries. I'm keen on choosing a role that is slightly beyond where I currently am every time I have the chance. Getting the audience's recognition is the greatest gift for us actors. I hope I can continue to live up to everyone's expectations," he said.
24-year-old becomes youngest Golden Rooster best actor
