Chinese actress Meng Ziyi recently drew attention after sharing an unusual casting experience on Phoenix TV’s talk show Fei Chang Dao. During the interview, she revealed that she once lost an acting role simply because she was considered too beautiful.
“You could say I wasn’t capable enough to handle the role yet, or that you preferred to choose a more popular actress. But if you tell me I didn’t get the part because I’m too beautiful, I have to ask—what’s wrong with being beautiful?” she said.
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In the same interview, Meng Ziyi also emphasized that beauty is subjective and widespread in the industry. “I believe everyone in this industry is beautiful in their own way. Almost everyone I’ve met, all the close friends around me, they’re all very beautiful,” she added.
Trending on Weibo, #MengZiyi told a story where she was once rejected for a role because the other side said that ‘she was too beautiful’. pic.twitter.com/Hy3uLRIxW3
— Layar Hijau (@layar_hijau) June 30, 2025
Her remarks quickly went viral on Weibo under the trending hashtag #孟子义曾因为太漂亮失去角色, igniting mixed reactions among netizens.
Some users supported Meng, saying her looks do stand out and that such an explanation may have genuinely been given. However, others were more skeptical and offered comparisons to common rejection lines in dating.
“It sounds like a polite excuse, similar to when someone says ‘you’re too good for me’ just to turn someone down gently,” one Weibo user wrote.
Another commented, “If you were rejected, just say you were rejected. There’s no need to disguise it as a compliment to yourself.”
Others questioned the logic behind the claim: “Many actresses are beautiful, yet they still land roles. So is that really a valid reason?”
Despite the backlash, some viewers urged others to consider the full context of the interview. They argued that Meng Ziyi’s words had been taken out of context and used unfairly against her when she was simply describing a personal and painful experience.
The controversy has reopened discussions about beauty standards in China’s entertainment industry and how physical appearance can be both an asset and a limitation for performers.
