Instant Commentary | Using Real Names, and Finding True Intentions

Instant Commentary | Using Real Names, and Finding True Intentions

By Li Qinyu, The Paper's Chief Commentator

On June 23, a video platform's "2026 Annual Release" event unveiled its program lineup, with multiple celebrities publicly revealing their real names. The hashtag #MultipleCelebritiesLoseStageNames went viral across the internet, sparking heated discussion among netizens.

The concentrated exposure of celebrities' real names caught many netizens by surprise: Ding Yuxi reverted to "Ding Zhoujie," Song Zu'er changed back to "Sun Fanqing," Sun Li used her birth name "Sun Li," Feng Shaofeng returned to his real name "Feng Wei," Ying'er went back to her original name "Liu Ying," Wang Yinglu's birth name is "Wang Lulu," and Nazha's full name is "Gulinazhaer Baihetiyaer." The artists were listed strictly according to stroke order of their surnames.

Previously, the China Television Production Industry Association, the China Network Audiovisual Program Service Association, and the China Federation of Radio and Television Social Organizations' Actors Committee jointly issued a "Notice on Standardizing Actor Credit Naming in TV Series (Web Dramas)" to member units, aiming to root out the chaotic practice of "billing rivalry" and guide the industry back to authentic artistic creation, fostering a clean and upright cultural ecology.

The notice requires that actors' credits should, in principle, use their legal names. If a widely recognized stage name needs to be used, it must follow the standardized format of "Real Name (Stage Name)," and stage names, English names, or nicknames may not be used alone.

The fact that all artists, regardless of their fame, uniformly used their real names at this event demonstrates a positive response to the policy and proves that the relevant authorities are taking real action to address industry problems.

Some actors and celebrities have stage names that everyone is very familiar with — so why must their real names be included in credits?

In truth, the issue has never been about names, but about the superficial vanity hidden behind fame. In recent years, who gets top billing in a TV series, who stands in the C position at public events — these topics always stir up considerable commotion on social media and spark bitter arguments. There is no shortage of hype or trending topics; the entertainment industry appears bustling, but what truly deserves questioning is: does a higher billing position actually bring better work to audiences? If this superficial frenzy is not eliminated, can industry professionals truly focus their minds on earnest artistic creation?

The biggest dark horse in the film and television industry this year is undoubtedly A Letter to Grandma. The film not only moved countless audiences to tears but is also reshaping the underlying logic of the entire industry.

First, today's audiences no longer care whether a production features big-name stars or renowned directors — what matters is whether the actors' performances are competent and the directors' storytelling compelling. Second, blockbuster productions with investments of hundreds of millions no longer win over audiences — they want to know where the money was actually spent. Third, blindly using big data to tailor content and relying on social media trending topics only distances productions from genuine human emotion.

A Letter to Grandma is certainly not flawless, but its sudden rise sends a clear signal that the entire film and television industry is undergoing transformation. Compared to hype and traffic — these "superficial fires" — today's audiences only want to see the sincere and honest creative attitude of cultural artists.

Recently, multiple top-tier actors in the entertainment circle have complained on various occasions about lacking work opportunities. However, the public's response to their grievances has been cold, with many netizens making blunt remarks: "If your acting isn't good enough, isn't it normal to not get work?"

When these two phenomena are considered together, the message is clear: compared to "empty fame," more and more audiences trust their own judgment, value content quality, and care about creative substance. Whether it is fan groups' idolization and cheerleading or social media's hype and promotion, these may heat up some productions and celebrities temporarily, but in the end, it remains self-entertainment within niche circles. Not only does it fail to move the general audience, but it also severely disrupts normal creation and harms the industry's ecosystem.

Many netizens joked on social media that numerous celebrities might "lose their stage names" from now on. But what a name is has never been the most important thing. Requiring artists to use their real names is also a reminder for them to find their true intentions. In a word: move the audience with sincere creation and heartfelt performance, let well-polished, honest, hard-earned quality work speak for itself — that is far stronger than any empty fame.

Originally from: 澎湃新闻