After more than two decades in the entertainment industry, Liu Yifei still remains one of the top stars, highly sought after in China. Additionally, she is praised for her conduct, with a gentle personality befitting her title of “fairy goddess.” Her “once-in-a-millennium” beauty, combined with inner grace and professionalism, has propelled Liu Yifei to the peak of fame, allowing her to maintain her top-tier status for many years.
However, throughout her artistic career, the actress has not always received glowing reviews from those around her. One male artist, Bao Bei’er, once criticized Liu Yifei for being arrogant and demanding on set. This incident caused a public uproar in 2016. Bao Bei’er was the only artist who did not fear Liu Yifei’s powerful backing, her popularity, or her large fanbase, as he openly exposed her attitude, expressing his irritation towards the actress.
Bao Bei’er had the chance to work with Liu Yifei on the project “The Return of the Condor Heroes” (2006). At the time, Liu Yifei played the lead female role of Xiaolongnü, while Bao Bei’er worked behind the scenes. According to him, his job on the project allowed him to witness many of Liu Yifei’s off-putting behaviors.
“People should not be fooled by Liu Yifei’s angelic exterior. Her true nature is not as good as many think. As someone who has worked with her, I can affirm that Liu Yifei was arrogant and acted like a diva when she was just 19,” Bao Bei’er accused.
According to the actor, Liu Yifei often appeared aloof and unapproachable on set. After just a few years of fame, she made unreasonable demands on the production of “The Return of the Condor Heroes” (2006). On set, she repeatedly complained about being allergic to the lighting, disrupting filming to rest in her dressing room, to the point where even the director gave in.
She even complained that the large number of people on set made it chaotic and noisy, which she found disruptive. According to Bao Bei’er, at that time, no one in the “Return of the Condor Heroes” crew liked Liu Yifei. If not for respect for the director, he and the staff would have confronted the actress and taught her a lesson.
Bao Bei’er’s public criticism of Liu Yifei was believed by many. This is because around the same time, Liu Yifei was also revealed to have a diva-like attitude and unprofessionalism, with little respect for colleagues during a press conference for the film “Love in Disguise”. According to research by Sina, Liu Yifei and her mother deliberately arrived 30 minutes late to the event because they were dissatisfied with the wardrobe prepared by the team. Her tardiness forced the press conference to be shortened from its original schedule.
After the press conference ended, Liu Yifei had a minor accident, slipping in the dressing room and sustaining some scrapes. The actress caused a stir, demanding that several staff members immediately take her to the hospital to assess her injuries. Later, she announced she would cancel all promotional activities for the film, citing the need for rest, and would only reappear under strict protection to prevent similar incidents.
However, at that time, the media captured her leaving the event venue with a single bandaged finger, with no other significant injuries visible. After the photos were released, the public criticized Liu Yifei for being overly dramatic and displaying an unacceptable attitude.
Following the controversies, Liu Yifei changed. Now, her image is different from before. The aura of arrogance is gone, and everything about her now appears very simple. According to fans, everyone has a past with flaws, and Liu Yifei, at 19 or 20 years old, was no exception. What matters is that she has worked hard to improve herself, avoiding repeating old mistakes and negatively affecting others.
Evidence of her growth came recently when actress Regina Wan (Wan Qian), who starred alongside Liu Yifei in the movie “The Tale of Rose”, publicly praised Liu Yifei’s dedication after their collaboration. According to Regina Wan, Liu Yifei never used her phone while working. Instead, she would find a quiet spot to read. In addition, Liu Yifei would also never leave the filming location, avoiding situations where the director might need her and she would not be around, wasting time for others and forcing them to look for her.
Source: K14