Behind-the-scenes footage of Zhang Linghe portraying general Xie Zheng has garnered tens of thousands of shares. The video shows Xie Zheng leading troops into battle, with both sides engaged in close combat. Zhang Linghe sits on a horse, wielding weapons, while staff operate a vehicle underneath to create a sense of movement. For scenes where the general mounts the horse, the crew uses cables to lift the actor, aiming to convey a proficient and poised demeanor.

Many viewers commented that the production team overemphasized creating a handsome image for Xie Zheng, neglecting acting and realism in action scenes. On Bilibili, viewers remarked: "There's no need to use cables to lift someone onto a horse," "With this filmmaking approach, the staff operating the machine underneath have a harder job than the actor," "If they keep making films like this, AI could replace actors," and "Even going to battle requires looking good first."

According to Sohu, the team utilized both real and fake horses to ensure the safety of all personnel. In many other scenes, Zhang Linghe completed filming on real horses himself.

The film premiered in early March, featuring male lead Xie Zheng, who appears scholarly and frail but is a talented general secretly investigating a family massacre and harboring a strong will for revenge. Zeng Qingjie directed the work, which also stars Tian Xiwei, Ren Hao, and Wan Ran.

In recent days, the topic "Zhang Linghe, the foundation general" trended across social media in several Asian countries, attracting hundreds of thousands of comments. Many viewers criticized Xie Zheng's styling as too clean, with heavily applied makeup on his face. The character's hair also appeared neat and shiny, deemed inconsistent with a general who had just endured a life-or-death battle.

Peter Ho's warrior general styling. Photo: Weibo

Amidst the controversy surrounding "Zhu Yu," videos of actor Peter Ho portraying Xiang Yu in "Legend of Chu and Han" resurfaced. Many viewers noted that Ho's makeup and styling exuded the power of a warrior general, highlighting the intense atmosphere of the battlefield. This attention boosted Ho's profile, with his Douyin followers increasing by one million in less than one week.

Nhu Anh