He Nan (鹤男)

He Nan rose to prominence as a versatile young actress with a string of memorable supporting roles in major productions, from the heartfelt teacher Zhang Xue'er in Xiao Shed to the clever palace maid Tong Yun in The Story of the Golden Wing . But it was her 2025 performance as Princess Mu Tianji in the hit xianxia drama The Journey of the Cloud that truly launched her into the spotlight, earning her the "Annual Breakthrough Young Actress" award at the 11th Hengdian Wenrong Awards . With a sweet appearance and a growing portfolio of critically acclaimed work, she has quickly become a recognizable face in Chinese costume dramas .

Breakthrough Role He Nan's breakthrough came in 2025 with the xianxia drama The Journey of the Cloud (Ru Qing Yun), in which she played Princess Mu Tianji of the Jixingyuan kingdom . The role demanded a performance spanning the character's full emotional arc — from a young girl to a powerful ruler — in a story of star-crossed lovers who grow from childhood friends to bitter rivals . Her tearful scenes in the drama became a trending topic, with audiences praising her performance as "a textbook example of pearl-like crying" . The role elevated her to the ranks of popular leading actresses, and she was subsequently named to the 2025 "Starlight" Young Actors Program, recommended by screenwriter Zhang Ji .

Public Perception He Nan's current standing in the entertainment industry is complex and increasingly controversial. On one hand, she has built a solid filmography spanning nearly 30 roles — including The Story of the Golden Wing, The Adventures of Youth, and the upcoming Feng Huang Tai Shang — and earned industry recognition through awards and nominations . She is widely seen as a promising young actress with considerable range. However, her public image has been severely damaged by a series of scandals. In early 2026, she was accused of privately meeting a male fan and treating older and newer fans with starkly different attitudes — catching up with long-time followers while leaving newcomers sidelined . This led to a massive wave of fan disengagement, with reports that 600 veteran fans left and her official fan club was disbanded and restructured . The controversy has also reportedly affected her career, with her starring drama Gong Yu allegedly losing its male lead due to the fallout . For now, He Nan remains a talented actress who is "more famous for her scandal than for her work" — a cautionary tale of how quickly public goodwill can evaporate .