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| Zhao Lusi Admits Working With William Chan Felt ‘Different’ After Fairy Tale |
Zhao Lusi’s on-screen magic strikes again — this time through her latest C-drama Love’s Ambition (许我耀眼) alongside Hong Kong actor-singer William Chan.
The drama quietly dropped in late September without any huge marketing push, yet somehow caught fire almost overnight.
Within days of its release, it smashed streaming records, with the first episode alone scoring a popularity index of over 27,000 before shooting past 32,000 — overtaking The Story of Rose starring Liu Yifei.
Over on Netflix, Love’s Ambition is already leading the global Asian drama charts, proving that word-of-mouth power still reigns supreme.
In the series, Zhao Lusi takes on the role of Xu Yan, a woman trying to rebuild her life after walking away from a painful marriage.
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Her performance in the divorce scene from episode one — where she leaves everything behind to reclaim her self-worth — had viewers emotional right from the start.
Many fans even called it her “most realistic and mature” role so far, showing just how far Lusi has come since her early romantic-comedy days.
Appearing on the behind-the-scenes show Into the Role (入戏), Rosy shared how excited (and a little awkward) she was to reunite with William Chan after their earlier reality show Fairy Tale (童话).
“I used to call him ‘big brother’, but now I had to call him ‘husband’,” she joked, laughing at the change in dynamic.
“At first it was weird, but once filming got going, it felt really natural.”
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William Chan, on the other hand, confessed that he wasn’t immediately keen on joining another project as a cold CEO-type.
“I didn’t want to play another boss who just stares at people all day,” he said with a laugh.
“But after talking with director Chen Chang — and especially after hearing that Zhao Lusi would be the lead — I knew it was something special.”
He also praised Zhao Lusi for her professionalism and positivity on set.
“She can film all day, do promos at night, and still show up smiling the next morning. The entertainment world is tough, but she handles it with such grace.”
William Chan added that one of the reasons he admires her is her integrity: “When she says she’ll do something, she sticks to it. No excuses.”
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Zhao Lusi’s involvement went beyond acting — she also contributed ideas for her character’s looks and emotional presentation.
“I think how Xu Yan dresses or looks reflects where she is emotionally,” she said.
“When she’s broken, she doesn’t need to look beautiful. But when she finds herself again, that’s when she really shines.”
This subtle attention to storytelling through appearance earned her praise from netizens, who applauded her for bringing realism and depth into the character.
Interestingly, reports suggest Zhao Lusi turned down another high-profile drama, Shine on Me, to fully focus on Love’s Ambition.
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The move allegedly caused some friction with her agency, Galaxy Entertainment, which even chose not to invest in the show.
But in hindsight, Zhao Lusi’s bold choice clearly paid off — both the ratings and the global buzz speak for themselves. With Love’s Ambition, Zhao Lusi has proven once again that she’s not just a trending name — she’s a powerhouse actress who can lead emotionally charged stories while maintaining mainstream appeal.
Her chemistry with William Chan also turned out to be one of the drama’s biggest talking points, with fans already begging for a reunion project.
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