 |
| Bai Hua Sha in Chaos: Meng Ziyi’s Lead Role Cut for Newcomer Actress? Fans Say “No Thanks!” |
Let’s talk about the hot mess currently unfolding behind the scenes of upcoming C-drama ‘Bai Hua Sha’. It stars Meng Ziyi—yep, that rising queen from hits like Blossom and Love in Pavilion—but instead of glowing headlines about her performance, the show’s trending because... well, drama inside the drama.
Word on the street is that Meng Ziyi’s supposedly solo lead role as Shen Xihe just got sliced in two. The past-life version of her character, Gu Qingzhi, is now reportedly being played by a fresh-faced newbie. Not only that, the newbie’s screen time isn’t just a flashback or two—it’s allegedly ballooned to cover a whopping 30% of the entire series.
Yikes.
Naturally, fans are fuming. The whole appeal of the role was seeing Meng Ziyi carry both versions of the character—past and present—like a full-circle reincarnation arc. But now? Feels more like someone’s trying to turn the show into a two-lead spotlight just to sneak-launch a newcomer into the spotlight.
Cue hashtag chaos.
On Weibo, tags like #NoDoubleLead and #ProtectMengZiyi were blowing up for days. One viral comment hit the nail on the head: “We’re not watching this for someone’s soft-launch debut. We’re here for Meng Ziyi. Full stop.”
The drama’s based on the well-loved novel Wo Hua Kai Hou Bai Hua Sha by Jin Huang, with Zhong Qing in the director’s chair. He’s no stranger to controversy—his earlier show 'In Blossom' also went the double-actress route, sparking fan backlash when supporting roles outshined the actual lead. So yeah... fans are connecting the dots and calling out what feels like a copy-paste strategy: use one big-name star to boost another’s career.
The backlash got so loud that on May 20, Meng Ziyi’s own studio dropped an official statement. They said: no worries, the Gu Qingzhi scenes will still feature Meng, just shot in a way that hides her face (think over-the-shoulder, shadows, dreamy filters). Oh, and nope—there’s no “two female leads” situation going on. Everything’s still centred around Meng Ziyi.
But that statement didn’t exactly pour water on the flames.
Fans are still demanding the cast list be corrected and that Meng Ziyi is properly credited for playing both Shen Xihe and Gu Qingzhi. They're saying it's not just about face time—it’s about maintaining narrative consistency and respecting her work.
Meanwhile, the plot of 'Bai Hua Sha' itself is shaping up to be juicy: set in a politically charged palace era, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong (played by He Yu) and Princess Shen Xihe (Meng Ziyi) are caught in a tangled web of corruption, forbidden love, and a soul-searching reincarnation arc. It’s got everything—romance, revenge, royal chaos—but fans are worried that all this behind-the-scenes drama could overshadow what could’ve been Meng Ziyi’s big moment.
The real question: will this move come back to bite the producers? Or will the buzz end up working in everyone’s favour?
Either way, 'Bai Hua Sha' isn’t just building hype—it’s carrying the weight of a fandom that’s tired of marketing tricks and bait-and-switch casting. One thing’s clear: the drama hasn’t aired yet, but the real fireworks already popped off behind the scenes.