She is called "Ha Mei", an X generation girl persistently following the fashion trends of Korea, Japan and France. She favors McDonald's, is crazy about celebrity, wears unconventional clothing, and dreams of romantic love. She is capricious and naive, often making a fool of herself.
Last year's popular comedy TV series Pink Ladies introduced audiences to Ha Mei, a vivid stereotype of many of today's Chinese youngsters. As its sequel Rock Ladies is being shown on CCTV, Ha Mei has once again come to fore of viewers' consciousness.
Last week, Xue Jianing, who plays Ha Mei, was in Beijing. She met reporters in a quiet coffee bar, to shed a little light on her career so far.
It was a little surprising to see Xue, in a casual sweater and jeans, sitting calmly in the corner of the coffee bar. A huge contrast with her trendy and vivacious screen image, Xue is simple, placid and even carries a touch of melancholy as she talks.
"Before I played the role of Ha Mei, I was in fact a tragic actor, " smiled Xue.
After graduating with a drama major from the Shanghai Drama Academy, the 24-year-old played many tragic supporting roles, like the suicidal maidservant Ming Feng in Family, and the abnormal psychology teacher in Last Winter.
But when Xue was selected to play the character of Ha Mei, she began her "painful experience " of becoming a comic character.
"To begin with, because I couldn't get to grips with the role, I was often reduced to tears by the director," Xue recalled pensively.
But She refused to give up and studied piles of the fashion magazines and even stood patiently at subway exits to watch youngsters come and go.
"One day I noticed two girls at the exit, both in fancy crop tops and holding big ice creams, they talked and laughed heartily as if there was no one else present. It was at that moment I got my motivation," revealed Xue.
The role has acted as a springboard for her career. This year she played the leading roles in Wait in Sydney, I love shrew, as well as making her debut CD, which will be released next year.
But unlike other ambitious actors, Xue admits that she doesn't like setting too many goals for herself. "We actors are passive and don't have many choices. We don't know which role will be hot or popular. All I can do is to do everything well. "
Xue revealed that sometimes she even hates the exhausting life of an actor. She hasn't taken a proper vacation in years. She also admits that among the roles she has played, she doesn't like some at all, but "it is your job and you have no choice, " she confessed.
"Maybe one day if I become a superstar, I can arrange my own schedule and select the roles I like. But now I must seize every chance and do my best.
But Xue wasn't always so diligent. The promising star was a bad student and did poorly at college.
"I never thought of being an actor and my entry into the drama institute was a total accident," She said.
Since childhood Xue's dream was to be a TV anchor. In the second year of senior middle school, one of her friends took the entry exam at Shanghai Drama Institute and asked Xue to accompany her. While Xue waited outside for her friend, one of examiners spotted her and promised her that if she applied, she would be accepted.
At first Xue was quite hesitant. It was her mother who made the final decision for her.
"But I couldn't settle my mind on acting and had no interest in attending the acting classes," Xue recalled. This situation lasted for three years until her last year in college when Xue, for the first time, devoted herself to studying to make up for the missed lessons. She found herself suddenly absorbed by performance. When she finally graduated, Xue surprised everyone by gaining the highest marks.
"Though something may not be your first choice, it can often turn out to be your calling. I think life is full of such surprises and should be cherished," Xue philosophized before sinking back into her thoughts.
(China Daily December 23, 2005)
