Xiao Zhan delivers bad news: He misses out on all Best Actor nominations, becoming a laughing stock among Chinese netizens.

Page 163 reports that the organizers of the Hong Kong Film Awards have officially announced the list of nominees for the 44th edition. However, Xiao Zhan's name is conspicuously absent from the list.

Specifically, the film *The Legend of the Condor Heroes*, starring Xiao Zhan and directed by veteran director Tsui Hark, failed to win any of its 18 nominated categories. The lack of a single nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards was a major shock to both the production team and fans. On Weibo, keywords related to the film's failure quickly garnered over 50 million views. However, contrary to expectations of defending their idol, the majority of viewers felt the result was "completely deserved" given the quality of the work.

Released during the Lunar New Year of 2025, *The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero* was expected to be a blockbuster martial arts film that would dominate the box office. The film grossed 689 million RMB – a considerable sum. However, according to experts, this revenue was still insufficient to cover the enormous production costs and the expenses for promotion and securing screenings during the most fiercely competitive film season of the year. As a result, the film was considered a financial and reputational failure.

From its release, the film faced much criticism. Audiences felt it overused special effects but lacked the spectacular martial arts sequences that are Tsui Hark's "trademark." The film's color palette was criticized as too dark, many shots lacked sharpness, and the special effects were deemed artificial and lacking in sophistication. The elements that had made the renowned director famous seemed to have been underutilized in this project.

However, the biggest point of contention revolves around Xiao Zhan's portrayal of Guo Jing. The classic character from Jin Yong's novels is typically depicted as tall, with thick eyebrows, a masculine and imposing demeanor. In contrast, Xiao Zhan possesses a small, slender build and a scholarly face. His rugged appearance in the film fails to convey the heroic image and has been criticized as "unattractive" and lacking in charisma.

The actor's performance also sparked much controversy. Many of Xiao Zhan's expressive scenes were edited by netizens into satirical memes. Numerous viewers felt he failed to convey the depth of Guo Jing's emotions or his growth through various events. This failure somewhat tarnished Xiao Zhan's image, despite his previous status as one of the top-tier stars in Chinese television.

Nevertheless, the fact that the film received no nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards is still disappointing for many, as Tsui Hark is a legend of Hong Kong cinema. Many viewers had hoped that the director's reputation would help the film receive some "consolation" nominations. However, the final result shows that this year's jury prioritized artistic quality above all else.

Conversely, this year's Golden Horse Awards nominations list is dominated by many big names. Louis Koo attracted attention by securing 2 out of 5 nominations for Best Actor with his roles in "The Private Detective" and "A Journey to the West" (also known as "The Time Machine"). In the Best Actress category, Zhang Ziyi received a nomination for "The Legend of the Xiangyuan Garden". Meanwhile, Shu Qi made a strong impression by simultaneously receiving nominations for Best Director and Best New Director for her film "Girl".

Xiao Zhan follows Wang Yibo's example, submitting a Best Actor nomination but sparking controversy. Khánh Linh16:38:39 15/01/2026Despite only having submitted his application for the Best Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards for his work in *The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero*, Xiao Zhan has already sparked mixed reactions. Many believe he is imitating Wang Yibo.