In 1956, in an ordinary family in Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, Yan Shikui was born and began his life. Despite his poor birth and difficult upbringing, the boy became famous for his title of "Ordinary Actor".
Since childhood, he has tasted the hardships and bitterness of life.
In the era of material scarcity, Yan Shikui's family economic situation did not improve. The hard work of his parents and the plight of his family are the deepest memories of his childhood. However, it was in this harsh environment that the young Yan Shikui showed extraordinary tenacity and love for literature and art.
Although his family was poor, Yan Shikui's parents did not stop him from loving art. On the contrary, they have always encouraged and supported him to participate in literary and artistic activities. In such a family environment, the young Yan Shikui began to contact and try various forms of literature and art, especially developed a strong interest in drama performance.
Every time he has the opportunity to participate in regional drama performances, Yan Shikui always shows great enthusiasm. Standing on the stage, it was as if he had found another world that could allow him to escape from the predicament of reality for a while.
His immature face is filled with a pure love for acting, and although he is not mature enough, he has already shown the potential to become an excellent actor in the future.
However, despite Yan Shikui's talent, the burden of life has not been lightened. At a young age, he learned to be strong and to find hope in the face of adversity. Every time he stood on the stage and immersed himself in the role, he temporarily forgot the hardships of reality, and also let him see a wider world.
This hopeful but challenging childhood experience laid a solid foundation for Yan Shikui's future acting career. This experience not only gave him a love for acting, but also cultivated his tenacity and character.
This love and courage in the face of difficulties became his supporting force in difficult times, paving the way for his success in the entertainment industry.
1978 was an important turning point in his life for 22-year-old Yan Shikui. With his outstanding cultural class results and acting talent, he was successfully admitted to the Beijing Film Academy and stepped into this school that has cultivated countless film and television elites, as if he saw the door to his dream slowly open.
During his study and life at the Beijing Film Academy, Yan Shikui showed his diligence and outstanding talent. His thick eyebrows, big eyes, angular appearance, supplemented by solid acting skills, made him quickly stand out among his classmates.
Yan Shikui is full of enthusiasm for every course, he works hard to hone his acting skills, and knows that only by constantly improving himself can he go further on the road of acting in the future.
During his studies, Yan Shikui has already shown a unique understanding of performance. He does not pay attention to gorgeous stage performances when performing, but is committed to showing the inner world of the characters truly, and this unpretentious but highly infectious style has laid the groundwork for him to become an "ordinary actor" in the future.
After graduating, Yan Shikui got a series of acting opportunities and gradually grew from a supporting role. In film and television works such as "Guo Chunming" and "Latent", although he is not the protagonist, he has left a deep impression on the audience with his dedicated performance.
However, on the road to becoming an excellent actor, Yan Shikui has not been smooth sailing. As a newcomer, he has also experienced days of obscurity. Sometimes, a small role may only have a few words, but he never takes any opportunity to act.
At this stage, he gradually figured out his own approach to acting, striving to inject a unique vitality into each role.
Although Yan Shikui has experienced setbacks, his love for acting has never wavered. He firmly believes that as long as he sticks to his dreams, he will be recognized one day. This kind of persistence and persistence has become the driving force for him to continue to move forward on the road of acting.
In the late 80s and early 90s, Yan Shikui's acting career ushered in its first peak, and he won the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Supporting Actor for his outstanding performance in the movie "On the Sun Mountain".
This award is not only an affirmation of Yan Shikui's years of hard work, but also a strong motivation to motivate him to continue to move forward The moment he stood on the podium, Yan Shikui felt the joy of his dream coming true, and also saw a broader future of acting.
However, life is like a drama, there are always ups and downs. In the mid-90s, Yan Shikui's career encountered an unprecedented bottleneck. The film and television industry is changing, and the aesthetics and needs of the audience are constantly changing.
He was once hot, but gradually found that he couldn't keep up with the pace of the times, and there were fewer and fewer roles suitable for him, and the opportunities to appear in him also decreased.
When his career entered a low point, Yan Shikui felt extremely lost, and his self-doubt made him deeply reflect on his acting skills and his position in the industry. During this time, he was often alone at home, flipping through his previous works, trying to find a way to break through.
Every time he sees a once glorious performance, he feels both nostalgic and melancholy.
However, Yan Shikui was not crushed by setbacks. He deeply understands that on the road of acting, only by continuing to learn and make breakthroughs can he gain a firm foothold. As a result, he began to focus on researching new acting techniques, experimenting with various types of roles.
He firmly believes that as long as he holds his original intention, he will one day win the recognition of the audience again.
In order to regain his foothold, Yan Shikui made unimaginable efforts. He began to take on some inconspicuous small roles, even at the expense of reducing his salary. On the shooting site, he is always the first to arrive and the last to leave, proving his professionalism and dedication with practical actions.
Although this trough period is painful, it makes Yan Shikui's acting skills more proficient and his heart stronger. He learned to maintain hope in the face of adversity, and this resilience also laid the foundation for his future career as an "ordinary actor".
Yan Shikui's efforts are beginning to bear fruit. His superb acting skills in works such as "Love in the Courtyard" have won unanimous praise from the audience and industry insiders. His acting skills did not decline but rose during the trough period, and he deeply understood the role, making the performance more infectious and detailed.
Yan Shikui's acting skills were honed in the process of his rise from peak to trough and then to re-emergence, and this process also shaped his tenacious character. Yan Shikui has won the reputation of "ordinary actor", and has also won the respect and love of the audience, which stems from his spirit of not giving up in the face of adversity.
On the colorful stage of Yan Shikui's life, there has always been a vacant position - that is, the other half of his life. In 1986, Yan Shikui's career was gradually rising, and he met actor Chi Ling at this stage.
In the process of their cooperation, their relationship gradually warmed up and began an enviable relationship.
Yan Shikui was 30 years old at the time, and his career was gradually on the right track. Chi Ling is a newcomer in the film and television industry, young, beautiful, and full of vitality. The two met on the set and soon became interested.
Yan Shikui was fascinated by Chi Ling's youthful vitality, while Chi Ling admired Yan Shikui's maturity and stability.
However, the end of this relationship had a profound impact on Yan Shikui. Since then, he has not had a public romance. The 67-year-old is still single and has no children.
Whenever asked about his feelings, he just smiled indifferently and skimmed it lightly, but those who knew him well knew that under his calm appearance, perhaps hidden disappointment in love and habits of loneliness.
Perhaps it is this emotional shortcoming that Yan Shikui has invested all his enthusiasm in his acting career. He fills the emptiness in his heart with superb roles, and comforts the wounds of his feelings with his dedication to acting.
From his point of view, the profession of an actor is his most loyal companion in this life.
Yan Shikui's 88-year-old mother is extremely worried about his single status. Once in a show, Yan Shikui said that he hoped to find a "woman who can accompany the elderly".
What he said revealed was not only the desire for affection, but also the planning for the future and filial piety to his mother.
Although there are some regrets in his emotional life, Yan Shikui did not become depressed, but transformed this emotion into a love and pursuit of career and art. Perhaps in his opinion, playing thousands of roles and experiencing thousands of lives is his unique love story.
Yan Shikui experienced the ups and downs of his career, but he did not give up. He began the path of self-reinvention, knowing that only by learning and progressing can he find a foothold in this unpredictable film and television industry.
Yan Shikui began to challenge different types of roles and set foot in areas that he had never tried before. He is no longer limited to the previous performance mode, but strives to breathe new life into each role.
That effort quickly paid off, and in recent years, his performances in works such as "Love in the Courtyard" have received critical acclaim from audiences and industry insiders alike.
Yan Shikui's acting characteristics are known as "ordinary actors", he does not pursue gorgeous appearance, does not deliberately create a star halo, but impresses the audience with unpretentious performances. Under his interpretation, every ordinary character glows with extraordinary brilliance.
Yan Shikui's acting skills are inseparable from the transformation of his mentality, he discovers the extraordinary from the ordinary, embodies the profound from the simple, and runs this attitude through his performance and life.
In addition to focusing on his acting career, Yan Shikui also actively participates in public welfare activities. On October 28, 2023, he attended the opening ceremony and award ceremony of the 2023 China Children's Film Week. At the event, 67-year-old Yan Shikui was dressed in a brown mountain suit, with gray hair but good spirits, showing a positive and optimistic attitude towards life.
Yan Shikui released the good news of the success of the Children's Film Week on social platforms, and expressed his sincere wishes to every child who is chasing their dreams, wishing them all the best to make their dreams come true and realize their own values.
This behavior not only reflects Yan Shikui's concern for the younger generation, but also shows his love and sense of responsibility for his acting career.
Yan Shikui once said: "Don't define yourself. You can do whatever you want without setting any limits on yourself. This quote is not only an open-minded and inspiring advice for young people, but also a true portrayal of his own life.
This open-mindedness towards life has enabled him to show extraordinary achievements from the ordinary, and has won the respect and love of the public.
In the course of Yan Shikui's 67-year life, there is a role that has always occupied an important position, that is, his 88-year-old mother. For Yan Shikui, he has always remained single, and his mother is the person he is closest to and most concerned about.
Every time he talks about his mother, Yan Shikui's eyes will reveal a gentle light. He often said that his greatest wish was for his mother to live a carefree old age.
However, the fact that he has never been married has also become the biggest worry in his mother's heart.
On his mother's 88th birthday, Yan Shikui affectionately expressed his love to his mother and expressed his wish that his mother would live a healthy and long life until he was 100 years old.
The mother also showed a kind smile in the video, and although the traces of time made her a little old, her smile still brought warmth.
Yan Shikui once said in a show that he hoped to find a "woman who can accompany the elderly". This sentence not only expresses his desire for affection, but also reflects his deep concern for his mother.
He hoped that after his death, he would have someone to take care of his elderly mother.
On September 3, 2023, Yan Shikui's mother ushered in her 88th birthday. On social platforms, Yan Shikui posted a photo with his mother, with a text expressing his blessings and gratitude to his mother. In the photo, the mother and son are full of happy smiles on their faces, although the years have left traces on their faces, but the family affection is still as warm as ever.
This pair of mother and son, who depend on each other, interpret what family affection is in the most simple way. On the stage of Yan Shikui's life, his mother is always the most important audience and the source of his motivation for perseverance.
Despite the ups and downs of his career and love life, the presence of his mother has always been the warmest consolation in his life.