Actress Zhu Lin recently garnered significant attention at the Beijing International Film Festival. According to Sohu, she attended the closing red carpet last weekend, where a video tribute featured prominent Chinese stars through various eras, including Zhu Lin. The festival organizers highlighted her as an actress whose beauty "has been preserved by time, whose grace is difficult to imitate, and whose acting and demeanor defined a period of Chinese cinema". They likened her grace to that of a peony.

Zhu Lin appeared in a striking black and white outfit, maintaining her signature short hairstyle. Videos of her on the red carpet circulated widely, attracting numerous comments from fans on the social media platform Red Note. Admirers lauded her, with comments such as: "The queen walks as gracefully as the wind", "Her grace is truly rare; at 74, she remains as charming as ever", and "It's a pity she retired from acting early".

The actress has largely been absent from the film industry for over 10 years, making only occasional appearances for poetry recitation programs or cultural events. In her daily life, she enjoys reading and traveling. Beijing News reports that Zhu Lin maintains good health by exercising daily, playing basketball, and swimming. Her travels take her to many places, where she captures the scenery and people that move her. The actress states she is always curious and excited before visiting new destinations.

Actress Zhu Lin. Photo: Red Note

Zhu Lin keeps her personal life private, having married before joining director Yang Jie's "Journey to the West" film crew. Her on-screen romance with Tang Monk, played by Xu Shaohua, led to persistent divorce rumors involving her and her husband, which caused them considerable distress. The actress once clarified that she and her husband trusted each other, and their relationship was unaffected by such speculation. Zhu Lin and her husband do not have children.

Born in 1952, Zhu Lin graduated from the Chinese Medical Academy in 1978. Her path shifted to the arts in 1981 when she enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy, majoring in performance. At 30, she joined the cast of director Yang Jie's "Journey to the West", taking on the iconic role of the queen of women's kingdom, a character deeply enamored with Tang Monk.

The film's portrayal of the queen of women's kingdom storyline differed significantly from the original novel, particularly regarding Tang Monk's emotional state. While the novel depicts Tang Monk as completely unwavering in the face of romantic feelings, the film shows him occasionally flustered by the queen. The director explained that this change aimed to portray Tang Monk as a mortal, emphasizing that he ultimately set aside all personal feelings for his sacred pilgrimage to obtain scriptures.

Nhu Anh