The new drama Love’s Ambition <許我耀眼>, starring Zhao Lusi (趙露思) and William Chan (陳偉霆), recently premiered unannounced — yet it quickly dominated both viewership and word-of-mouth charts.
Receives Warm Reception
Not only has it topped China’s Maoyan drama popularity rankings, it also surpassed The Journey of Legend <赴山海> starring Cheng Yi (成毅), and secured the No. 3 spot on Netflix Taiwan, just behind the Korean hit Bon Appétit, Your Majesty and the Japanese series Alice in Borderland.
However, when Zhao Lusi filmed Love’s Ambition last year, the situation was far from optimistic. She had turned down a major romance drama adaptation of a well-known IP — renowned novelist Gu Man’s (顧漫), Shine On Me <驕陽似我>, to take on this role. The actress reportedly took on the role because she loved the script and trusted the director, with whom she previously worked on the well-received 2020 romance drama Dating in the Kitchen <我，喜歡你>. The director reportedly approached Zhao Lusi directly for negotiations and bypassed her agency in the process.
Reverses Public Opinion With Her Good Eye for Viral Dramas
Confused, fans also thought her transition too rushed since her co-star William Chan is 13 years older, and her abrupt style change — a shift from her trademark sweet style to a sophisticated, elegant socialite look drew netizens’. Even her own management company withheld support, choosing not to invest in the project.
Zhao Lusi rose to fame with Love Like the Galaxy <星漢燦爛> and Hidden Love <偷偷藏不住> cementing her position as one of the leading post-’95 generation actresses in Chinese dramas. But during the filming of Almost Lover <戀人> last year, she suddenly fell ill and was later diagnosed with aphasia, depression, and anxiety. After taking a short break of over a month, she returned to work — only to have a public fallout with her agency, Tianjin Galaxy Cool Entertainment. With no new projects lined up, many believed her acting career might be on the decline.
Love’s Ambition’s unexpected premier and viral success once again proved Zhao’s ability to carry a drama, marking a stunning comeback and silencing those who had doubted her, with netizens hailing Zhao Lusi’s exceptional instinct for choosing the right projects. In fact, Zhao Lusi took on The Romance of Tiger and Rose <傳聞中的陳芊芊> purely out of her own will, even though expectations for the drama were low before it aired. Unexpectedly, it became a huge hit upon release and even helped the production company, “Galaxy Cool Entertainment,” avoid bankruptcy.
Later, before she joined The Long Ballad <長歌行>, her manager strongly opposed the idea, but Zhao Lusi insisted on fighting for the role of the second female lead, Princess Leyan. After the drama aired, her on-screen chemistry with Liu Yuning (劉宇寧) became widely adored. Similarly, her role in Love Like the Galaxy was also secured through Zhao Lusi’s own initiative — she personally auditioned for it and once again achieved massive success after the series aired.
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