The actor Wang Baoqiang, who rose to fame through the TV series "Soldier Assault," is a prime example. He comes from a grassroots background and represents the struggles of post-80s youth. Born in 1984 in a rural area of Hebei, he pursued his "movie dream," starting martial arts training at Shaolin Temple at the age of 8, and heading to Beijing at 14, becoming part of the 'Beijing drifter' generation.
In Beijing, he worked as a migrant laborer, sharing large dormitories with over ten people. To pursue his acting dream, he became an extra, often without appearing on screen. When others pretended to fall, he would fall for real to make the performance authentic. This determination earned him more opportunities as an extra. Life as a drifter was far tougher than imagined, especially for a rural boy without money, education, or good looks. Sometimes, he survived on cold steamed buns when he earned nothing. Fate did not favor him, yet he endured the toughest days with resilience, ultimately achieving success.
He was chosen by director Li Yang and won the Best Actor award at the 5th Deauville Asian Film Festival for the movie "Blind Shaft," as well as the Best New Actor award at the 40th Taiwan Golden Horse Awards and Best Actor at the 2nd Bangkok International Film Festival. His career then took off. From the rustic Sha Gen in "A World Without Thieves," to the gifted Abing in "Conspiracy," and the ever-evolving Xu Sanduo in "Soldier Assault," Wang Baoqiang, an ordinary rural boy, entered the entertainment industry, earned the favor of many top directors, became an idol inspiring countless youth, and was named the top post-80s influential figure of 20xx.
