LayarHijau– The costume drama Pursuit of Jade (逐玉), starring Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei, has become a major hit, boosting not only its lead actors but also bringing significant attention to its supporting cast. Among them, Deng Kai has emerged as one of the biggest standouts thanks to his portrayal of the “mad prince” Qi Min.
Deng Kai gained widespread recognition for his intense and emotionally layered performance. He brought Qi Min to life as a complex antagonist—portraying both his disturbing, obsessive attachment to Yu Qianqian, played by Kong Xueer, and the deep vulnerability of a man shaped by a cruel royal fate. This duality made the character compelling and memorable, leading to a surge in Deng Kai’s popularity, with a reported increase of approximately 1.159 million followers across social media platforms.
Next articles
Interestingly, Deng Kai was not the original choice for the role. He was brought in at the last minute just before filming began. Despite the sudden casting, he immediately committed himself fully to the character. In interviews, he revealed that he discussed with the director whether he should lose additional weight to better match Qi Min’s frail and psychologically unstable image. Within just a few days, he underwent an intense weight-loss regimen and successfully shed 7 kilograms before entering the production.
Beyond his physical transformation, Deng Kai also paid close attention to the character’s visual identity. After studying the script, he believed that Qi Min would be more striking with silver hair and personally suggested the idea, which was approved by the director. However, maintaining this look came with a price. During filming, he had to bleach his hair up to three times a week, which caused scalp damage and persistent pain, especially in the later stages of production, drawing concern from the crew.
His dedication extended to physically demanding scenes as well. In one particularly challenging sequence where Qi Min falls into an icy pond and nearly drowns, Deng Kai refused to use a stunt double. To meet the director’s vision of capturing the scene in a single continuous take, he remained immersed in freezing water for nearly three hours. By the end of filming, his body was trembling uncontrollably from the cold, yet he endured until the scene was completed, earning praise even from the director for his professionalism.
Qi Min’s storyline is equally tragic. He is the emperor’s grandson and the legitimate son of Crown Prince Chengde, portrayed by Ye Zuxin. However, due to the emperor’s jealousy and fear of being overthrown, the crown prince’s family becomes the target of political oppression. To survive, Qi Min is forced to swap identities with another prince’s son during a devastating fire. Years of trauma and suppression gradually twist his personality into something dark and unstable.
At one point, Qi Min nearly dies by drowning before being saved by Yu Qianqian. From that moment, he falls in love with her. However, his love is far from healthy. Shaped by his painful past, his feelings turn obsessive and destructive, ultimately setting the stage for a tragic romance.
Following the release of behind-the-scenes stories, many viewers have praised Deng Kai’s dedication. He is widely seen as an actor who treated a supporting role with the same level of commitment as a lead. For many, his rapid rise in popularity is no coincidence, but the direct result of the extraordinary effort he put into bringing Qi Min to life in Pursuit of Jade.
