"Mother Song" leaves without taking away "old things in the south of the city" Zheng Zhenyao, a two-time Golden Rooster Award winner, died of illness

Yesterday, the National Theatre of China released an obituary: Zheng Zhenyao, a member of the China Dramatists Association, former president of the Central Experimental Theatre and a famous performing artist, died of illness at 17:30 on May 22, 2023 in Australia at the age of 86. Tian Qinxin, president of the National Theatre of China, Feng Yuanzheng, president of the Beijing People's Art Theater, and many netizens expressed their deep condolences for Zheng Zhenyao's departure, and they will not forget the classic roles she created in the movies "Old Things in the South of the City", "Beautiful Shanghai", TV series "I Love My Home" and other works.

Stills from "Old Things in Seongnam"

Stage stills

"Classical Beauty" played Mother Song

Zheng Zhenyao was born in Anhui in 1936. Her acting career coincided with the founding of New China, and in 1949 she was admitted to the "China Welfare Society Children's Theater Troupe" sponsored by Soong Ching-ling and became a young actress. In 1952, Zheng Zhenyao came to Beijing for the first time to perform Lao She's "Eliminate Germs" for national leaders at Huairen Hall in Zhongnanhai, where she played a mosquito. During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, at the age of 16, she rushed to the front line of North Korea with the condolence team, performing in the mountains in the open air in the cold winter, she performed in a one-piece costume, and at the end of each performance, her clothes and shoes were frozen and could not be taken off. In 1954, Zheng Zhenyao was admitted to the acting department of the Central Academy of Drama. In July 1958, she entered the former Central Experimental Theater and starred in classic dramas such as "Big Thunderstorm", "Peach Blossom Fan" and "Princess Wencheng", which won the recognition and love of the audience and won the title of "Classical Beauty". Since then, she has been active in the drama stage, creating a large number of unforgettable classic stage images. In 1987, Zheng Zhenyao was appointed director of the Central Experimental Theater. He retired in December 1991.

Zheng Zhenyao's first "electric shock" was in 1973, Bayi Factory started filming "Shining Red Star", deputy director Shi Wei selected her to play Dongzi's mother, all of which had already been filmed, and suddenly replaced her again. This is not the first time she missed the opportunity to act in a movie, as early as 1963, when the Western Film Studio started filming "Peach Blossom Fan", Zheng Zhenyao missed the opportunity to play Li Xiangjun because of pregnancy and was replaced by Wang Danfeng. When filming "Man to Middle Age" in the early 80s of last century, it was originally planned to be played by Zheng Zhenyao as Lu Wenting, because he looked older at the audition, and finally Pan Hong got the role and won the Golden Rooster Award. After Zheng Zhenyao officially set foot in the film industry, she made films such as "Flying Symphony", "Ruyi", "Neighbors", "Old Things in the South of the City" and "Burning the Old Summer Palace", ushering in the peak of her career. Beijing Film Studio director Huang Jianzhong believes that Zheng Zhenyao is an "oriental type of woman", and asked her to play the declining aristocratic woman Jin Qiwen in the film "Ruyi", Zheng Zhenyao interprets Jin Qiwen's melancholy temperament and twists and turns and bizarre love with superb acting skills in detail, which is really touching.

"Old Things in the South of the City" director Wu Yigong chose Zheng Zhenyao to play the maid Song Ma, which was quite controversial at the beginning. Because Zheng Zhenyao used to perform roles such as princesses, noblewomen, and intellectuals, she had never played a northern rural woman like Song Ma. But it turns out that Wu Yigong's vision is right, and Zheng Zhenyao has a very accurate grasp of the role of Song Mama from the shape to the inner world, and won the "Best Supporting Actress Award" at the 3rd Chinese Film Golden Rooster Awards. Huang Zongjiang once commented on her performance in "Old Things in the South of the City": "A very cultured person plays an uncultured person; A very good person plays a layman. Someone once asked Shen Jie, who played Xiaoyingzi, what she wanted to do when she grew up, and Shen Jie said: "I want to be an actor like Mother Song."

"Short-term work" won the Golden Rooster Award twice

In the 80s of last century, Zheng Zhenyao was one of the most popular actors by directors, when Li Hanxiang filmed "Burning the Old Summer Palace" and "Listening to Politics", he specifically proposed to meet her, and when he saw her, he didn't let her go, personally made her hair, made up a few lines, and let her go up to act. In addition, Zheng Zhenyao also participated in TV series such as "Imperial City Root", "I Love My Home", "Southbound Record", "Pengjun Fengyun", "Chinese Flight Attendant", "Wrong Love for Life" and other TV series. Many viewers remember her role as "Aunt Hu" with performance artist Ying Ruocheng in "I Love My Home", thinking that she "played the arrogance of the aristocracy".

In 2004, Zheng Zhenyao starred in the movie "Beautiful Shanghai" with actors such as Wang Zuxian and Feng Yuanzheng. The mother played by Zheng Zhenyao has a cold and eccentric appearance, with ups and downs in her life, experiencing prosperity and wealth and family decline, hiding her mother's love in a gloomy calm. In order to play this old Shanghai woman born in the twenties and thirties of the last century, Zheng Zhenyao refused the fake hood and insisted on dyeing her hair white. It was also her last film act.

Zheng Zhenyao won the Best Actress Award at the 24th Golden Rooster Awards for her superb performance in "Beautiful Shanghai". When accepting the award, she was very excited: "I really didn't expect to win this award, the first time I was in the 80s of the last century, when I first came to the film industry to work as a short-term worker, I played Song Mama in "Old Things in Seongnam" and won a Golden Rooster Award for Best Actress." Today, the film industry loves me again and gives me this award. I'm really excited, really appreciated! ”

Classic characters remain in the hearts of the audience forever

Although Zheng Zhenyao has passed away, the many works and classic characters she left behind will forever remain in the audience's memory. Tian Qinxin, president of the National Theatre of China, expressed his deep condolences and remembrance for Zheng Zhenyao's death: "As a performance artist, whether in the drama stage or in film and television dramas, Mr. Zheng has created many vivid images that are well-known with his superb acting skills. I remember in "Old Things in Seongnam", she played Aunt Song, simple, loyal and infectious. As a troupe manager, she devoted her life to directing the Central Experimental Theatre, the predecessor of the National Theatre of China. Now that I am the dean, I understand that it is not easy to balance administrative work and artistic work, and she must have put in a lot of hard work for the administrative construction of the theater and the creation of the repertoire. The name of Zheng Zhenyao and her dedication to the theater will forever be engraved in the history of the National Theatre of China. Feng Yuanzheng, president of the Beijing People's Art Theater, also mourned with affection: "Teacher Zheng has gone all the way!" Mom in "Beautiful Shanghai". ”

Many audiences also remembered Zheng Zhenyao's performance, and netizens commented on Weibo: "Zheng Zhenyao is gone, such a big actor." In the movie, she plays many supporting roles, but her gentle face, even if she stands in a corner, is very eye-catching... Regardless of age and appearance, she is one of the few actresses who can perform the light of reason. Too many directors choose her, and it is estimated that they also fancy her. Her strength is also calmly as if she was a soldier to block and cover the water. Among Chinese actresses, Zheng Zhenyao is the only existence. ”

Source: Beijing Evening News reporter Wang Run

Process Editor: U031

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