On May 6, the ancient costume drama adapted from Ashes to Crown(Empress of Chu), the hit novel by top Qidian author Xi Xing, was officially announced. Titled Ashes to Crown, the series is directed by Yang Long, with Chen Duling and Zhou Yiran as the lead actors. After the official account of Ashes to Crown released the announcement post, the two lead stars reposted it simultaneously.
This historical drama centers on Chu Zhao, the daughter of a general. To avoid becoming a pawn in the power struggle of Xiao Xun, the Crown Prince of Chu, she takes initiative to rewrite her fate. She crosses paths with Xie Yanlai, a concubine-born son of the Xie clan, and helps him rise from an ordinary imperial guard to the Grand General Defending the Nation. Side by side, they thwart Xiao Xun’s ambitious schemes.
Later, witnessing the suffering of civilians amid wars, Chu Zhao returns to the city to assist the young imperial grandson Xiao Yu in ascending the throne. When Xiao Xun invites foreign forces to invade, she and Xie Yanlai lead troops to fight a desperate battle. They finally rid the Great Chu of internal turmoil and external threats, and Chu Zhao succeeds in changing the destinies of both herself and the people.
Chen Duling plays Chu Zhao, a valiant daughter from a military family who dares to fight for a better future. Zhou Yiran portrays Xie Yanlai, the concubine-born son of the Xie clan and a pivotal figure throughout Chu Zhao’s journey. The two support each other and grow together through all hardships.
Following the official announcement, discontent emerged among the two actors’ fans over issues mainly related to billing order. The production team noted that the cast list was arranged by the alphabetical order of surnames with no priority given to anyone. A number of Chen Duling’s fans argued that Ashes to Crown is a typical female-led drama, yet the equal billing arrangement failed to reflect this positioning.
Chen Duling rose to great fame after starring in Wild Goose Returns. Her fans had expected her to receive top billing for this new series. The final equal billing result disappointed many fans, and some even chose to stop supporting the actress.
Subsequently, the studios of Chen Duling and Zhou Yiran released a joint public appeal. The appeal called for respecting the artists’ decisions, urging everyone to fully support the drama and focus on promoting the series and its characters. It also emphasized respecting all cast and crew members, engaging in civil online behavior, viewing internet discussions rationally, refraining from gathering near filming locations, and staying focused on the work itself. The goal is to foster a rational and friendly discussion environment, ensuring the creative team can work without disruption.
At the same time, both Chen Duling and Zhou Yiran posted separate messages to reassure their fans. Chen Duling revealed that she was deeply drawn to the story of Ashes to Crown after reading it earlier this year. After discussing her vision with the creative team, she decided to take on the role. She mentioned that the team includes both familiar collaborators and new friends with whom she will embark on this journey, expressing her commitment to dedicating herself fully to the project, just as she has done with every previous work, and living up to everyone’s anticipation.
Chen Duling expressed her hope for positive interactions with her fans, wishing everyone to live fulfilling lives offline and grow into better versions of themselves together.
“It would be my great honor if my characters and works can bring you positive energy. But at the same time, I hope you all take good care of your own lives. If you ever feel troubled or upset because of me, please put down your phone and focus on the real world around you.”
Zhou Yiran, on the other hand, said he wants to work with everyone to cherish the industry environment, value collaborative partners, treasure creative opportunities, and hold dear the bond between all of us.
Past billing disputes in film and television have brought about numerous negative impacts. They have diverted the focus of promotional efforts, with a large amount of resources originally intended for highlighting the plot, production quality, and actors’ performances being consumed by discussions over billing order. As a result, the strengths of the works themselves have failed to receive adequate exposure, dampening audience anticipation and attention. In severe cases, such disputes can even undermine a drama’s broadcast performance and trigger negative reactions from viewers.
Billing conflicts can also strain relationships between actors, leading to unpleasant collaborations. The once harmonious working atmosphere may be disrupted, potentially giving rise to conflicts and estrangement during filming and promotions, which can harm future partnership opportunities. Excessive disputes over billing can also damage an actor’s public image and reputation. Audiences may perceive them as overly preoccupied with billing status rather than character development and dedication to the work, leading to negative assessments of the actors.
An overemphasis on billing order, viewership metrics, and commercial interests at the expense of quality and artistic value also hinders the healthy development of the industry as a whole, stifling the creation of outstanding works. To resolve billing issues, production teams may need to spend excessive time and energy on coordination, which can even affect filming schedules and production quality.
Overly engaging in billing disputes can also trap fans in unhealthy behaviors, consuming large amounts of time and energy that negatively impact their personal lives and work. Addressing billing conflicts requires collective effort from actors, production teams, fans, and the industry at large to establish correct values and prioritize the quality and artistic merit of works.