On November 15, 2025, Yi Yangqianxi (aka Jackson Yee) 易烊千玺 won Best Actor at the 38th Golden Rooster Awards for his portrayal of Liu Chunhe, a teenage boy with cerebral palsy, in Big World 《小小的我》. At 24 years old, he became the youngest Best Actor winner in the award’s history, breaking Liu Ye’s 21-year record and becoming the first post-00s actor to receive the honor. This was Yi’s fourth nomination following Better Days, A Little Red Flower, and Nice View.
Onstage, Yi looked back on his 12-year journey in the public eye: “I debuted at 12, and it’s been exactly 12 years. I’ve lived under high attention and high pressure the entire time,” he said. He added that the road ahead would be long: “I hope to earn the audience’s genuine respect through my work and my effort.” He closed his speech with a call to support his upcoming film Resurrection, which he described as “a very beautiful movie,” set to release on November 22.
To take on the role of Liu Chunhe, Yi spent three months living in a special education facility, observing patients’ physical patterns and daily routines. He lost nearly 20 pounds, trained to replicate tremors and irregular breathing, and even after filming, his body retained some involuntary movements. The performance, which includes long stretches with no dialogue, was praised for its emotional precision, relying on controlled facial muscles, breathwork, and eye acting. Critics called it “a restrained portrayal of life’s quiet resilience.”
Zhang Yimou, chair of the jury, commended Yi’s courage in tackling such a demanding role at such a young age, saying both the ambition and execution were “remarkably rare”. Veteran actor Chen Daoming waited backstage to congratulate him with a handshake, while fellow actors Huang Xiaoming and Da Peng embraced him immediately after the announcement. Directors and actors across the industry, domestic and international, celebrated the win, with Japanese filmmaker Shunji Iwai praising his “boundless potential”.
Some online commentators questioned the fairness of the result due to Yi’s past collaborations with jury members such as Zhang Yi and Zhang Yimou, and accused media outlets of prematurely posting award entries. Others argued that playing a disabled character offers an “awards advantage”, though film critics countered that Yi’s performance went far beyond mimicry.
Yi responded with humility: “Many senior actors won international awards at 22. I don’t think winning now makes me particularly special.” He emphasized that he focuses only on each script he receives and has no interest in manufacturing an image of being overly hardworking.
Debuting at 12 and rising to fame with TFBOYS, Yi gradually reshaped his public image through roles in The Longest Day in Chang’an, Better Days, and other critically acclaimed projects. He has since become the first post-00s actor to cross 10 billion yuan in cumulative box office revenue. Beyond the awards season, Big World has helped promote the “Moss Flower Agreement”, a job-creation initiative supporting people with disabilities in partnership with more than 400 companies.
More online comments:
“Yi Yangqianxi!! Best Actor!! I won’t miss any of his films!”
“Congratulations to Qianxi for winning the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actor!!! He moves forward without fear and lets his work speak for itself! You are the best.”
“He truly deserves it! If it weren’t for those ridiculous limits people put on age and seniority, he should have won Best Actor five years ago for playing Xiao Bei. This time, his role as Liu Chunhe has been one of the hardest and best performances in recent award seasons. With his perfect acting, he even crossed cultural and language barriers and became popular overseas. In videos with millions of likes, people from many countries praised his acting in dozens of different languages. This is what a true Best Actor looks like.”
“How can someone be this outstanding? Twelve years ago almost no one believed in you, but you proved everyone wrong.”
“We hope the dignity and value of the character Chunhe can truly be seen and recognized. Qianxi, you did it. This award is not only recognition of Chunhe, but real respect for a true actor. Congratulations, Qianxi!”
“In these twelve years, you’ve carried pressure and challenges and still achieved so much. I’m really happy for you. You’ve earned the audience’s sincere respect. When you talked about the meaning of ‘respect’, your words were powerful. That strength, that is so Yi Yangqianxi. The future is bright. Best Actor, may you always be happy and stay true to yourself.”
“The first time he appeared on Happy Camp, I felt this kid was different—calm and steady. That’s why I liked him. After watching A Little Red Flower, I felt his acting was absolutely at Best-Actor level. Amazing.”
“So many senior actors look at Yi Yangqianxi with such kindness. This kid is truly excellent.”
“When I watched this movie, I knew he would win an award. The role of Chunhe is extremely difficult, but he portrayed it perfectly. After a busy day, seeing this trending topic made me so happy. But I know this is only the beginning, his era will last a very long time.”
