Chinese dramas and films

On March 31, 2026, Chen Xingxu celebrated his 30th birthday. Born in 1996 in Shenyang, he is one of the few child actors who not only grew up in front of the audience but also built a successful adult career, becoming a sought-after performer of complex and multifaceted roles. His first role came at the age of 4 in the series Years of Passion Burning (2001). Over the years, he has gone from supporting roles to leading man status, brilliantly portraying both tragic princes and modern-day heroes.

Throughout his career, this talented actor has had the opportunity to work with many wonderful actresses. Some on-screen pairs made viewers cry their hearts out, others made them laugh until tears rolled down their cheeks, while still others captivated with incredible chemistry that could be felt even off-screen.

In this article, we have gathered the main leading ladies of Chen Xingxu's career and share the most interesting stories behind these creative collaborations.

Peng Xiaoran: A Tragic Love That Won Millions of Hearts

The pairing of Chen Xingxu and Peng Xiaoran in Good Bye My Princess (东宫) (2019) became a true phenomenon. They played Li Chengyin and Xiao Feng — a love story that made millions of viewers around the world cry. The role in this drama was a breakthrough for both young actors.

The most touching moment behind the scenes:

In the scene where Xiao Feng commits suicide in front of Li Chengyin, Chen Xingxu was so deeply immersed in his character that even after the director yelled "Cut!", he remained on his knees crying. Peng Xiaoran, noticing this, ran to him, embraced him, and comforted him: "Save some emotion for the next scenes — if you use it all up now, you'll have nothing left."

Fun facts:

During the filming of a comical "rural" bonus episode, the actors chased after a piglet, and Chen Xingxu fell victim to... pig manure. "Now I smell like a piglet!" the actor joked self-deprecatingly.

In the same bonus episode, Chen Xingxu gallantly helped Peng Xiaoran out of a three-wheeled carriage by lifting her in his arms and proudly declared: "I'm taking my woman away!" — which delighted fans immensely.

Later, on Chen Xingxu's birthday, Peng Xiaoran specially posted a congratulatory message, delighting fans once again.

Li Landi: School, Swords, and Fainting on Set

In the fantasy comedy The Starry Love (星落凝成糖) (2023), Chen Xingxu and Li Landi played a couple who ended up in the "wrong" marriage. But their connection began long before filming. They are alumni.

Chen Xingxu and Li Landi studied together at the Central Academy of Drama (he was one year ahead). The actress fondly recalls how the martial arts instructor would use her senior as an example in class: "Look how skillfully Chen Xingxu fights — follow his example!"

On the very first day of filming, Chen Xingxu personally helped Li Landi practice her sword dancing. But what particularly impressed the actress was his attentiveness in scenes where she had to fall: "When I fell, he didn't just let go — he'd catch me with his knee first, support me, and then help me up. With him, I felt very safe," Li Landi shared.

Li Landi's character was very emotional and talkative. The actress gave her all during filming, so much so that during breaks she would just sit motionless with a blank expression to recover. Chen Xingxu noticed this and gave her the nickname "Mu Ji" — "Little Wooden Chicken."

During one scene of the "Heavenly Punishment Battle," Chen Xingxu held his breath so intensely that he... lost consciousness. After the director yelled "Cut!", he staggered and collapsed to the ground. Upon regaining consciousness, the actor first thought that filming hadn't started yet. "This was the first time I ever fainted on set," he later admitted.

Zhang Ruonan: Drunken Confessions and Red Ears

In the office rom-com My Boss (你也有今天) (2024), Chen Xingxu and Zhang Ruonan created the pair "strict boss — naive intern" that won viewers over with their authenticity.

In one episode, Zhang Ruonan's drunk character "harasses" the boss, grabbing his face and, while feeling his nose, blurts out: "Your nose is so straight... is it plastic surgery?" - and starts kneading his cheeks. The actor responds with a stern "You're fired tomorrow!" - but the threat comes off as so comical that viewers were delighted.

Why do the actor's ears turn red? Because it's hot!

During numerous kissing scenes (including the famous "closet kiss"), fans noticed that Chen Xingxu's ears would turn bright red. The actor explained it as the weather: "During filming in Shanghai, it was over 40°C - it was just really hot!" Zhang Ruonan, seeing his ears, would tease: "Oh, looks like someone's heart is racing..."

Lu Yuxiao: Cherry Blossoms and 27 Kisses

The drama Love Between Lines (轧戏) (2026) became a pleasant surprise hit in early 2026. In this romantic drama, Chen Xingxu and Lu Yuxiao created one of the year's most tender and cinematic pairs.

Their story began in an immersive detective roleplay set in the Republican era, where Xiao Zhiyu (Chen Xingxu) and Hu Xiu (Lu Yuxiao) met as a stern military commander and a spirited young lady. Later, they encountered each other in real life as a talented architect and an employee at his firm.

The main scene - "kiss under the cherry blossoms":

The most romantic scene, according to both actors, was the "kiss under the cherry blossoms." In the story, Lu Yuxiao's character, having eaten undercooked mushrooms, falls into a hallucination and, believing what's happening is a dream, whispers: "You have such a beautiful face," then tiptoes to kiss him. The actors filmed this moment at the peak of cherry blossom season. "The next day after filming, it rained, and all the flowers fell. We managed to capture them at their most beautiful moment - it was my dream," Lu Yuxiao shared. Chen Xingxu added that he enjoyed the filming atmosphere and only regretted not having time to take more beautiful photos.

The creators of the drama had promised viewers 27 kissing scenes from the start, immediately capturing the audience's attention. When asked about this in an interview, Chen Xingxu replied with surprise that he had never counted them. "For me, what matters is that such scenes appear at the right moment, when the story demands them," the actor explained. He also admitted that during filming, he often thought to himself, "This is so typical of director Mao Deshu."

The director, known as "China's most romantic director," added numerous visual details to the scenes - for example, the famous car window kiss was originally scripted simply as a "farewell kiss," but gained creative additions on set.

The scene where Chen Xingxu's character seats the girl on the car hood was memorable not only for its emotional intensity but also for the actor's touching care. Before each take, he repeatedly checked the temperature of the metal with his hand to ensure his partner wouldn't get burned on the hot surface. This gesture was later widely discussed on social media as an example of true professionalism and consideration.

At promotional events, the pair consistently delighted fans. When journalists asked the actors to reenact one of the kisses on stage, Chen Xingxu deadpanned: "You want to watch us kiss? That's a paid event," causing an explosion of laughter. However, they did recreate some sweet moments. Once during a recording, Lu Yuxiao lost her balance and began to fall - Chen Xingxu instantly caught her, earning a wave of applause. Fans called this gesture a perfect demonstration of "boyfriend energy."

Their joint interviews also drew attention. Lu Yuxiao admitted that working with Chen Xingxu was very comfortable, and the actor responded that they had clicked from the very beginning.

Chen Xingxu and Lu Yuxiao are watching their childhood videos

Wang Yuwen: 16 Years of Friendship and a Nightmare on Ice

This pair can be called the most unusual because their connection extends far beyond the set - they've known each other since childhood!

Chen Xingxu and Wang Yuwen attended the same class at the Beijing Dance Academy's affiliated middle school and have been friends for over 16 years, even appearing together in the same variety shows. They're called "frenemies": on air, they constantly tease each other; on red carpets, they compete to see who can jump higher to show off their height.

Chen Xingxu and Wang Yuwen did the copy‑paste challenge

In the drama My Page in the 90s (突然的喜欢), they played a couple, and half of China watched to see these old friends finally kiss.

The ice-skating rink kiss scene became a real trial for the actors. The director demanded deep, restrained emotion, but as soon as Wang Yuwen threw herself into her partner's arms, both burst out laughing. They reshot the kiss over ten times! At one point, Wang Yuwen complained, "Your stubble is scratching me!" to which Chen Xingxu replied, "If you want, I'll even knock out my own teeth for this kiss (let alone shave)!" — this exchange made the entire crew laugh.

During one interview, when discussing their new collaboration, Chen Xingxu suddenly said: "I wonder what our senior Liu Yifei would say if she knew what a funny online nickname you had in middle school?"

Wang Yuwen, who is a huge fan of Liu Yifei, was so caught off guard that she doubled over laughing and couldn't stop. "You're one to talk! I can also bring up your photos from the film Shining Red Star!" she retorted through her laughter. This exchange went viral on social media, and fans dubbed Chen Xingxu "the ultimate troll in Wang Yuwen's life."

Watch Wang Yuwen discuss whether Chen Xingxu is handsome here:

When journalists asked whether romantic feelings might arise between them after so many years of friendship and those kissing scenes, Wang Yuwen responded with characteristic bluntness: "We're professionals. We just grit our teeth and do our job."

Zhang Jingyi: The Most Awkward Promo in Drama History

In the 2021 Republican-era drama Fall In Love (一见倾心), Chen Xingxu and Zhang Jingyi played the pair "young marshal — heiress to a financial magnate." Their on-screen chemistry was full of sparks, but behind the scenes unfolded one of the most talked-about stories in the actor's career.

During filming in 2020, the relationship between the actors looked completely different than it did during promotional activities a year later. Surviving behind-the-scenes footage captured many touching moments:

• Chen Xingxu carefully supported Zhang Jingyi's back as she dismounted a horse and helped her down a wooden ladder during a rooftop scene.
• While filming a scene where the heroine had to fall to her knees, the actor insisted the crew give his partner knee pads.
• During a "drunk" scene, Zhang Jingyi drank some real alcohol for authenticity, and Chen Xingxu, noticing this, said to the camera with slight displeasure: "That's enough filming — I need to talk to her alone."
• In one episode, when the actors sat on opposite sides of a table, Zhang Jingyi made a coy "hmm" sound, and Chen Xingxu immediately took the hint and moved next to her.

In October 2020, paparazzi captured Chen Xingxu visiting Zhang Jingyi's hotel room two evenings in a row, staying for several hours. This sparked rumors of a romance, though the actors never confirmed the relationship.

When the drama aired in late 2021, the actors had to promote the project together. And then came what fans still call "the most awkward interview in Chinese drama history."

In one interview, the host asked: "What part of Chen Xingxu's face is the most beautiful?" Zhang Jingyi answered: "People rarely consider the nose the most beautiful," to which the actor tried to lighten the mood: "But I like my nose!" Zhang Jingyi rolled her eyes in response.

To the question "Which character would you choose in real life?" Zhang Jingyi answered: "Xu Guangyao" (the second male lead), adding that he was "more reliable." Chen Xingxu looked visibly flustered — it was a blow to their on-screen pairing right in the middle of promotional activities.

In an interview game where actors asked each other questions, Chen Xingxu asked: "The most memorable scene?" Zhang Jingyi replied: "When I slapped Chen Xingxu's character."

To the question "Favorite scene?" came the answer: "The last day of filming — because I could finally finish work."

The actors sat at a distance where "another person could fit between them," barely looked at each other, and everything about their body language said they wanted to stay as far apart as possible.

Throughout the promotional series, Chen Xingxu repeatedly tried to smooth things over. He praised his partner, tried to joke, and steer the conversation back to promoting the drama. But each time, he was met with coldness and detachment. By the last interview, he finally allowed himself to show slight irritation.

Fans noted that Zhang Jingyi was the first person who could provoke Chen Xingxu to the point where he stopped hiding his frustration.

The situation sparked heated debate. Opinions were divided:

Version 1: The actors had indeed dated during filming but had broken up by the time of the promotional activities and couldn't hide their mutual dislike.

Version 2: The interview clips were taken out of context, and the actors were exhausted. Zhang Jingyi generally comes across as reserved and detached in all her interviews, and this wasn't personal toward Chen Xingxu.

This story became a true phenomenon, and fans even coined the term "divorce energy" to describe such public interactions.

The actors themselves have never publicly commented on this story since.

Chen Xingxu has also worked with other wonderful actresses and beautiful women such as Hu Bing Qing (The Best of Times), Gai Yuexi (Truth), Victoria Song (Our Interpreter), Zhang Yuxi (A Beautiful Lie), and Dilraba (Love on the Turquoise Land). Each of these actresses brought out a unique facet of Chen Xingxu's talent.

Currently, he is working on the drama The Noble (金枝) with Li Yitong (Dream of the Past, Hurricane).

The filming of the drama The Noble (金枝) with Chen Xingxu and Li Yitong is now underway
[PHOTOS AND VIDEO] Chen Xingxu on the set of the drama The Noble

We eagerly await to see who will become his next on-screen love interest in future projects. Perhaps it will be Li Landi again in Reunion, or Meng Ziyi in General Chang Ning... but for now, these are just rumors.

Immortal meme: Zhou Ye, Chen Xingxu, and Wang Yuwen