Zhang Chi (张翅)

Zhang Chi has risen to prominence as one of the most prolific and beloved actors in China’s booming micro-drama industry. A former extra and stand-in who worked his way up from the bottom, the 2001-born actor signed with major agency Huanrui Century and caught the public eye with standout roles in mainstream hits like The Long Ballad and Lost You Forever. But it was his explosive output of around 20 vertical micro-dramas in a single year — including viral hits like Three Marriages with the Demon Lord and Like Fireworks So Brilliant — that earned him the 2025 Hengdian Micro-Drama Night “Annual Influential Star Male Actor” award and cemented his status as a top-tier short-form leading man. What truly sets him apart, however, is his off-screen persona — a humble, grounded young actor who once turned off livestream donations and gently urged fans not to waste money on gifts, winning hearts with his self-deprecating humor and genuine warmth.

Breakthrough Role Zhang’s journey doesn’t follow a single explosive breakthrough but a steady climb built on grit and versatility. His early recognition came through memorable supporting roles in mainstream dramas: the poison-specialist Wen Liang in The Long Ballad (2022), a brief appearance in the hit Lost You Forever (2023), and the scholar Song Bo opposite Ren Jialun in The Unbound (2025). But his true breakthrough arrived in the micro-drama space, where he proved his range by tackling everything from self-destructive emperors in Attack from the Heart to the devastatingly heartbroken Pei Yanzhi in The Third Year of Madam‘s Departure, and even a rebellious white-haired youth in A Family of Three in the Same Class. His role as the dual-character Ling Yun / Jing Yun in Above the Clouds further showcased his chameleon-like ability, and his leading turn in Like Fireworks So Brilliant — which debuted at No. 4 on the Red Fruit chart with over 65 million views — marked a commercial high point.

Public Perception Zhang Chi occupies a uniquely endearing space in the Chinese entertainment landscape: a micro-drama star who is simultaneously a “grassroots success story” and a “serious actor” in the making. Industry peers and audiences alike respect his unconventional path — starting as a film extra and stand-in, then slowly building a career through sheer volume and dedication. His 2024 selection for the 10th “Wenrong Award” Young Actors Support Program signaled growing mainstream recognition. Yet it is his personal character that has truly won him public goodwill: fans affectionately call themselves “Chi Bao” (wing delicacies), and his livestream decision to refuse gifts — along with his playful Henan dialect rap and self-mockery — has made him feel refreshingly authentic in an industry often defined by curated images. Some still debate whether he has fully shed his “supporting actor” label, but with a steady pipeline of projects including The Seventh Day Cicada and Gradual Dye in 2026, Zhang continues to prove that talent, hard work, and genuine humility can build a lasting career — one micro-drama at a time.