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| “Born to Be Alive” Drops First Look: Yang Zi Gains 10kg and Learns Yak Riding for New Role |
Yang Zi’s gone fully method for her next big project, and fans are already buzzing. The first official stills from upcoming drama Born to Be Alive have just dropped — and it’s not your usual polished image of the actress. Instead, we see a down-to-earth Yang Zi as Bai Ju, dressed in thick weathered clothing, makeup-free, and visibly sun-darkened from the elements of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
She’s sporting a rounder face too — and that’s no camera trick. Turns out, Yang Zi gained 10kg specifically for this role, and even moved to Qinghai half a year in advance to properly prep for the character. The actress spent months learning Tibetan, riding yaks, and soaking up the local lifestyle in full.
In Born to Be Alive, Yang Zi plays Bai Ju — a girl who was lost as a child and later adopted by a Tibetan family.
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She grows up surrounded by the mountains, eventually becoming a strong-willed policewoman rooted deeply in the land that raised her. Starring alongside her is veteran actor Hu Ge, marking a reunion fans are eager to see.
But it’s Yang Zi’s work ethic that’s really got people talking. According to the production team, she refused to use a body double for physically demanding scenes, opting to perform them all herself. Director Li Xue had nothing but praise, calling her “one of the few young actors who can truly endure hardship.”
It’s a far cry from Yang Zi’s usual urban characters, but fans are loving this more rugged side of her. On social media, many pointed out her willingness to let go of vanity for the role: “Not every actress dares to go bare-faced in high-altitude sun for months!”
With its dramatic setting, raw storyline, and Yang Zi’s total transformation, Born to Be Alive is shaping up to be one of the year’s most ambitious dramas. No release date has been locked in just yet, but this first-look already has people counting the days.