Actress Criticized for Appearing Older Returns Looking Even More Stunning

Zhou Xun faced age-shaming backlash back in 2018 for playing both older and teenage versions of her character in Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace. She was 42 at the time of filming.

The criticism hit hard. Zhou Xun later opened up on the talk show The Readers about the toll the comments took on her. She said it caused anxiety, lowered her confidence, and made her think about getting anti-aging plastic surgery. But she didn’t go through with it.

“You’ll begin to look at yourself, [and think] ‘Oh, why is this area sagging, should I do something about it’. There’ll be a period of time where you’re worried [about aging]. And then you’ll begin to slowly accept it, and then slowly… [you’ll think] ‘Screw you, I’ll just leave it like this.’”
— Zhou Xun

Fast forward to 2025, Zhou Xun is 49 and back with major attention for her visuals on Weibo after her latest miniseries Imperfect Victim. Fans say she looks more confident than ever.

She hasn’t appeared in new dramas since but has four movies lined up: The First Taste of Loneliness, Lost in Memory, The Weary Poet, and Moonlight Blade.

The controversy began when people doubted her ability to play both young and old versions of the same character. Soon after, Zhou Xun shared her struggles with the pressure society puts on women to stay forever young.

As the situation stands now, Zhou Xun appears to have shut down critics with grace and confidence — proving age is just a number in showbiz.

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