LayarHijau – Chinese actor He Yu has opened up about the demanding physical transformation he underwent to play Crown Prince Xiao Huayong in the hit Chinese drama Blossoms of Power. In a recent interview with Sohu Entertainment, he revealed that achieving the character’s distinctive appearance was one of the biggest challenges of the role.
Looking Frail While Staying Strong
According to He Yu, Xiao Huayong is meant to appear sickly for much of the story. Beneath that fragile exterior, however, he is actually the most skilled martial artist in the entire series. That meant He Yu had to strike a delicate balance between looking physically weak and convincingly powerful.
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“The first thing I had to do was lose weight,” He Yu said. “Xiao Huayong is supposed to look sick, so it wouldn’t make sense if I showed up with huge muscles while pretending to be weak.”
Simply slimming down wasn’t enough, though. Since Xiao Huayong is the strongest fighter in the drama, his physique also needed to reflect years of martial arts training.
“At the same time, I also had to build muscle. Those two goals can be pretty contradictory,” he explained.
The Workout Routine Behind His Defined Physique
To achieve the right look on camera, He Yu followed a special routine before filming key scenes.
“I usually do a quick pump workout right before filming, then cut back on water so my muscle definition shows up more clearly on camera,” he revealed.
The transformation helped create one of Xiao Huayong’s most memorable visual contrasts. Fully dressed, he appears like a frail crown prince suffering from chronic illness. But when the costume comes off, his lean, muscular physique tells a completely different story.
Small Character Details That Made a Big Difference
Beyond changing his body, He Yu also created subtle physical habits to make Xiao Huayong feel more believable.
One of those details was frequently touching his forehead, a gesture he viewed as the character’s “muscle memory” whenever he was enduring pain. He also designed Xiao Huayong’s habit of tucking his hands inside his sleeves during the early part of the story because the prince is constantly cold due to his illness.
According to He Yu, those small gestures not only reflected the character’s condition but also helped him stay relaxed while performing.
Peter Ho Praised His Muscular Physique
He Yu’s physique even earned praise from veteran actor Peter Ho (He Rundong), who stars alongside him in Blossoms of Power.
“We work out at the same gym,” He Yu shared. “Peter would tell me, ‘Wow, Xiao Yu, your muscles look great.’ But there’s no way I can compare myself to him. He’s much bigger.”
For He Yu, Peter Ho remains someone he deeply admires.
“His physique is something everyone who enjoys fitness looks up to. I have a lot of respect for him,” he said.
A Love for Martial Arts Since Childhood
During the interview, He Yu also reacted to fans calling him a “natural-born martial artist” because of his smooth and convincing fight scenes.
He laughed and admitted he was thrilled by the compliment before revealing that his passion for martial arts began when he was a child.
“I used to watch martial arts heroes on TV and copy all their moves,” he recalled. “I’d jump from the couch onto the coffee table and even knock over cups.”
He believes many boys naturally dream of becoming martial arts heroes.
“When you can perform an action sequence in one smooth take and truly bring the character to life, it’s an incredibly rewarding feeling,” He Yu said.
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