[2010] Huan Zhu Ge Ge (还珠格格) remake

[idarklight]

Title: New My Fair Princess
aka: New Huan Zhu Ge Ge
aka: New Princess of Returning Pearl
Production: Ouyang Changlin
Director of System: Wei Wenbin
Art Director: He Xiu Qiong
Screenwriter: Qiong Yao
Genre: Costume Comedy
Production Begins: June 2010
Production Period: 6 months
Begin Broadcasting: Winter 2011
Estimated # of Episodes: 80 Episodes

Company:
Hunan Satellite TV
Shanghai Chong Yi Culture Communication Co., Ltd.
Hua Sheng Beijing Film Culture Communication Co., Ltd., as

CAST

See English descriptions of the characters and cast on the New HZGG official facebook group here

Li Sheng 李晟 as Xiao Yan Zi 小燕子
Hai Liu 海陆 as Xia Zi Wei 夏紫薇
Zhang Hangrui 张航睿 as 5th Prince Yongqi 永琪
Li Jiahang 李佳航 as Fu Erkang 福尔康
Benjamin 潘杰明 as Benjamin 班杰明
Lu Hong 路宏 as Fu Ertai 尔泰
Zhao Liying 赵丽颖 as 晴儿 qing'er
孙耀琦 饰 金琐
高梓淇 饰 箫剑
王今铎 饰 柳青
周放 饰 柳红
邱心志 饰 乾隆
刘雪华 饰 老佛爷
Ruby Lin as Xia Yu He (Zi Wei's Mom)

[idarklight]

no one in that show as really impressed me with their acting yet...

Given the fact that none of them have yet acted (except as inanimate objects or in goofy skits)...it's pretty hard to discern their acting abilities. I do find that HuITaiLang guy pretty goodlooking, though.

I am, though, really impressed with how entertaining and "fang-de-kai" Ma Xueyang is in that show. I always thought him a little quiet before this.

and of course, Li Mao is so much fun.

[Hera]

no one in that show as really impressed me with their acting yet...

To be honest, the actors from the original HZGG weren't impressive either, and some may even consider them simply bad actors. Every other Chinese actress who has achieved film status level is better than Zhao Wei. Zhao Wei has a nice personality, but acting-wise she hasn't improved at all and she always does this glazed over faraway look when she wants to look serious in her films that drives me nuts. And it annoys me that the only reason she gets to do movies is due to the rabid following she acquired from HZGG. The only one I like from HZGG is Alec Su, and that was only with more recent roles.

HZGG = all idol dramas, it's the well-written characters that makes or breaks the drama, not the acting. This is one of the worst things that come from idol dramas. Mediocre actors with huge fanbases. You can tell me HZGG was a good show, and I'll probably agree but please stop trying to tell me the actors were good. Irreplaceable my butt.

/rant not directed at any particular person, just built up after hearing so much love for it over the years and "OMG, no one can replace the original actors!" *shudders*

[idarklight]

I definitely think Zhao Wei had a level of personal charms to her, especially back then (now she just seems a bit lost...). But the other people are definitely replaceable...Zhou Jie, Ruby Lin, and Zhang Tielin are all either not that goodlooking or not very good actors, and I would be quite willing to trade them. Alec Su had charm and decent acting, but he's not irreplaceable. Qing'er would be the next hardest to replace, but I'm sure they can do it with so many talented film school grads.

There have definitely been people on Mango Training that I've found to be more attractive/better actors. Like the HuiTaiLang guy...so much better than Zhou Jie.

Qiong Yao is the only essential character in the role..

[ChiKiMonki]

i feel like they might pick the people with the biggest fan base for the roles
why else would they do a reality show like this?

[idarklight]

Well, it's a good way to earn money while training people at the same time... that will cover the costs of the training.

Plus, I'm secretly hoping that they're training TC to become actors in the process...

Plus, Qiong Yao handpicks all her females (and male?) leads. She may be old, but she's powerful and has the final say in pretty much everything.

[Lilly]

Lol, I'm one of those rabid fangirls that insist "everyone is irreplaceable". To me, it's the chemistry the characters that's irreplaceable. I didn't used to think like this, but I definitely changed my mind after HZGG3. Ma Yilin and Di long were great actors, but they just didn't seem to fit as well as Ruby Lin and Zhang Tielin. I really tried to give #3 a chance, but whenever I see the characters, I start remembering the original actors and get really confused. The emotional attachment was just not there anymore. The original actors were iconic (they were just everywhere), and for many people, Zhao Wei IS Xiao yan zi. They still remember the way she acted, her costumes and even her exact lines. For most hardcore fans, HZGG represents nostalgia. Seriously, it was one of the fondest memories of my childhood.

I hope the new series can be popular and make a deep impression in this new generation of kids though. Unfortunately, I don't think any of the people "fit" my mental image of the characters. I guess I'll have to see the show to decide.

I hope they have good music for the new version. The music for HZGG has always been top notch. I still have all the songs from all 3 on my iPod. Everytime I hear "Dang", I still get all teary-eyed.

[idarklight]

But HZGG3 was just crap in terms of scripting. It almost reached Twilight levels in terms of overused female fantasies that are just so unrealistic and ridiculous. HZGG 1 is like the perfect fairytale, HZGG turns into a melodrama, and HZGG3 loses all of the original HZGG charms - like a bad Disney sequel (Mulan 2, Pocahontas 2...eww)

Zhang Tielin is definitely replaceable. But then, I have a personal grudge against him by taking a role that I love but he found "boring" as a favor to the director and then ruining the series by with the grossest "romantic" kissing scene ever. He kissed a girl young enough to be his granddaughter while pretending to be handsome and suave (as if).
I'm not that fond of Ma Yilin, though. Or Huang Yi. But there are plenty of actresses that could've filled the void and better.

HZGG is one of the fondest memories of my childhood, too, but rewatching the series, I definitely see many of the actors as replacable.

[idarklight]

Thoughts on casting?

No doubt, Hunan TV will use some their own people (ie. the cast of Meteor Shower, Chou Nv Wu Di, and the Super Boy/Girls)

Of those:
I think Meteor Shower lead Zhang Han would be really good as ErKang. ErKang was arguably the worst-casted member of the four originals, and I think ZHang Han has both the looks and acting skills to trump the other guy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2pjhFa3cKI


Super Girl [purple]Huang Ying[/purple] would be perfect as Princess Fragrance Han Xiang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYufV-xES_o


Super Girl Li Yuanxi as Princess Saiya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-34fA8jCSJA


Meteor Shower Supporting lead Zhu Zixiao as Xiao Jian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSyHWOQfdZY


Dreams Link lead Zhang Jiani as Qing'er
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZRncPeDNZQ

[Hera]

Should we move some of the posts from the Top Combine thread over here?

[idarklight]

Are we allowed to split comments ? Because several of the HZGG-posts are combined with TC-stuff (like pictures of them).

[idarklight]

SARFT approved the new drama.

It's suppose to be 30-episodes and is titled Huan Zhu Ge Ge - Yan Er Pian Pian Fei (还珠格格之燕儿翩翩飞). It's going to film from May to November of this year.

The plot looks similar, except for the introduction of a Western guy called Benjamin who also fell in love with Xiao Yan Zi. I'm curious ... the show didn't have any "western guys," although there was one hot guy who looked just like William Leo.

http://dsj.sarft.gov.cn/tims/site/views/applications/note/noteTable.shanty?id=0127add5f96503ea4028e4a227a4f119

[Ivana B. Anonymous]

no one in that show as really impressed me with their acting yet...

To be honest, the actors from the original HZGG weren't impressive either, and some may even consider them simply bad actors. Every other Chinese actress who has achieved film status level is better than Zhao Wei. Zhao Wei has a nice personality, but acting-wise she hasn't improved at all and she always does this glazed over faraway look when she wants to look serious in her films that drives me nuts. And it annoys me that the only reason she gets to do movies is due to the rabid following she acquired from HZGG. The only one I like from HZGG is Alec Su, and that was only with more recent roles.

HZGG = all idol dramas, it's the well-written characters that makes or breaks the drama, not the acting. This is one of the worst things that come from idol dramas. Mediocre actors with huge fanbases. You can tell me HZGG was a good show, and I'll probably agree but please stop trying to tell me the actors were good. Irreplaceable my butt.

/rant not directed at any particular person, just built up after hearing so much love for it over the years and "OMG, no one can replace the original actors!" *shudders*

Con-freaking-cur. You have voiced my angst against Zhao Wei in every respectable way. Thank you.

[idarklight]

Hera is going to be happy about this...

according to this sina article, Huang Ming will play the Fifth Prince (main lead).
Zhang Jiani is playing Zi'wei.
Li Chen and Yang Rou might play Xiao Yanzi...

http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/m/p/2010-06-02/10092975844.shtml

But this article could just be the cast of "Li. Ai" trying to be famous since it's kind of odd that all three of the leads just happen to be currently filming together.

[kworldstyle]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm probably not gonna watch it...
HZGG 1 and 2 were too big of a part in my childhood...
I'm about to sound like an over crazed fan
the original cast is irreplaceable..!!!

[Phixster]

This is really going to be a last minute decision for all the cast - no one has been confirmed yet and everything is really kept secretly.

Li Chen looks exactly like Zhao Wei...

[clichique]

I really don't want to watch this, just out of a personal desire to protect the little shrine HZGG (the original) holds in my heart. LOL.

That said, I will agree Zhao Wei isn't the greatest actress. But she brought Xiao Yanzi to life - I think her personal charm in that role played a huge part in the whole fandom over her. Too bad that personal charm seems to have been lost... I think because she tries too hard to be serious in movies. Sad.

Though since they're making a new HZGG, please recast Er Kang. He needs the most recasting. I hated Zhou Jie's Er Kang. He pissed me off like none other, though I'm sure it had in part something to do with the Er Kang character to begin with, and Zhou Jie didn't help either. I haven't read the book, but Zhou Jie's Er Kang gave me such a needy boyfriend impression.

Zi Wei (I love Ruby Lin)... Iono, she became too perfect at times and then too weak in a damsel in distress way. I can understand - such characters would make more sense in the historical setting, but I guess it got tiring. Oh well. To be anticipated how the new Zi Wei will turn out.

But Wu Ah Ge... oh my god, probably one of my FIRST EVER drama crushes. LOL. I love Alec Su's version of Wu Ah Ge. He's another character I think I'll hate to see recasted just because he holds such a special place in my heart, LOL.

I wish they hadn't gotten rid of Er Tai - I loved that kid. Why'd they get rid of him?!?! Maybe he'll have a bigger part in this one, if, as you say, Qiong Yao is personally penning a modified script?

[clichique]

Also, what is this trend of commercializing the casting of huge hyped dramas with an entire show dedicated to it... LOL. It's like Dream of Red Chamber all over again.

It does make money, though. Makes sense.

[idarklight]

Ruby Lin as Xia Yuhe (Ziwei's mother) in the new remake:

[Phixster]

Have they started filming already? who is what character?