Chinese actress Zhu Yuanyuan speaks at the 2nd Global Times "My Reading Life" book-sharing event, which was held on April 20, 2024 in Beijing. Photo: Global Times

The nominations for China's TV-drama focused Magnolia Awards - one of China's top three ­television honors - at the 31st Shanghai Television Festival were revealed on Tuesday. This time, what has struck a chord with countless netizens is a name enclosed in a text box - Zhu Yuanyuan.

In China's film, television, and literary traditions, framing the name of a deceased artist with a text box is a quiet, unspoken tribute; an industry convention that speaks louder than words. In May 2025, well-known actress Zhu Yuanyuan passed away following a fight with cancer. This time, she has been nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her final on-screen performance in Small Town, Big Story. 

In her final work, she embodies Gao Xuemei, an ordinary grassroots woman who leads rural embroiderers through adversity to build a ­business of their own. This positive, inspiring character has been well-received by audiences. Beyond her professional acting skills, what enabled Zhu to move so effortlessly between herself and the character of Gao Xuemei was the ­unwavering sincerity that defined who she was. And that, ­ultimately, is why this late actress continues to touch hearts through the role she left behind.

"What moved me is that she herself, like so many of the characters she brought to life, carried an unchanging sincerity," one netizen posted on Sina Weibo. 

News of Zhu's nomination has become a trending topic on social media.

Bringing her sincerity into art, Zhu left behind countless classic portrayals throughout her acting career. 

Whether it was the resilient yet down-to-earth "daughter-in-law" in a realist drama, or the dignified and graceful Soong Ching-ling in a historical drama, Zhu once shared with the Global Times about why she was able to embody them so successfully. 

In April 2024, Zhu participated in the second Global Times "My Reading Life" book-sharing event as a key speaker. At the event, she shared how reading had inspired her acting career. ­Classic literary works such as Four Generations Under One Roof, she revealed, helped her find the literary roots embedded within the art of performance.

At the event, she explained the importance of literary cultivation for actors. She noted that in her early acting career, reading classics had become a "required course" to help her pass her exams at performance school. Without reading, she said, she wouldn't have been able to select the appropriate excerpts from books to adapt into performance assignments.

The transition from her school days to a professional acting career taught Zhu that there are no small roles - only small actors. 

That is why many of the characters she brought to life were ordinary people. Zhu herself once told the Global Times when it came to stories of ordinary people, "their destinies and nuanced emotions, set against a broader social and cultural backdrop, touched me deeply." One of her favorite dramas was also one that depicted ordinary people: A Lifelong Journey.

The Magnolia Awards are yet to be revealed. Zhu is no doubt a special one on the nomination list, because her trust in "ordinary roles" made the late actress an extraordinary anchor in the industry she loved.