The year 2025 marked a major turning point for many of China’s leading entertainment actresses, highlighting a clear shift in industry values and audience expectations.
The list of the ten most extraordinary actresses of 2025 represents more than beauty and popularity: it reflects a growing demand for strong acting skills, depth of character and lasting artistic impact. The public is no longer satisfied with surface-level celebrity. A new generation of female stars understands that true longevity comes from skill, while fame is the result of consistent, dedicated work.
Zhao Liying is the most representative example of a breakthrough in acting this year. Industry insiders even dubbed 2025 “the year of Zhao Liying,” as she dominated screens with three projects of completely different genres: What a Wonderful World, We Girls and The City Maker.
In the fantasy thriller short film What a Wonderful World, Zhao Liying challenged herself in the role of Jia Xiaoduo, a character who possesses seven distinct personalities. With minimal dialogue, he relied heavily on subtle eye movements and facial expressions to convey psychological changes, delivering what critics praised as a “textbook-level acting performance”. In We Girls, she played an ex-convict struggling to earn money to save her son’s life, showing a dramatic transformation. His blood-streaked short hair, raw emotional scenes and intense physical acting created a striking contrast to his previously gentle image. The film surpassed 10 million views within hours of release. In The City Maker, Zhao Liying took on the role of a civil servant in the 1990s, further demonstrating her range and adaptability.
Lan Yingying also experienced a notable career change. Long associated with villainous roles, she impressed audiences with her performance as Yin Zi in This Blooming Land. Her restrained emotional delivery and quiet portrayal of pain and resistance allowed her to break free from stereotyping and demonstrate her ability to handle psychologically complex characters.
The success of several hit television series in 2025 has also pushed several actresses to new heights. Chen Duling emerged as a standout with The Glory, where she played Zhuang Hanyan. The role allowed her to fully explore an emotional journey layered from vulnerability to strength, from victimhood to self-determination. The drama’s popularity helped solidify her position as a sought-after leading actress, overcoming earlier criticism that she had struggled to land leading roles despite her visuals and solid supporting performances.
Bai Lu was widely considered the “queen of the small screen” this year, thanks to an exceptionally packed schedule and notable genre diversity. Whether in fantasy, contemporary realism or historical dramas, including Moonlight Mystique, Northward and Feud, he has consistently made a strong impression.
Yang Mi continued to maintain his broad influence built over years of experience. His 2025 works This Thriving Land and The Lychee Road showcased a more mature and refined acting style, tackling roles that required emotional depth within complex historical and social contexts. He also earned praise for a small but impactful performance in the film She’s Got No Name.
Dilraba Dilmurat has remained a powerful presence in 2025, captivating audiences with her distinctive Eurasian beauty and stage presence. Her dance performance “Heavenly Girl Scattering Flowers” on Henan TV’s Mid-Autumn Festival program went viral, reintroducing her to a wider audience after a short hiatus. In addition to acting, she has continued to shape fashion trends, attracting the attention of industry professionals with each public appearance.
In film, Dilraba starred in two crime projects, Sword Rose and Love on the Turquoise Land, both of which focused on law enforcement themes. He underwent extensive training in combat, firearms and tactical movement to convincingly portray a police officer fighting human trafficking and fraud rings. The role required not only physical preparation but also psychological tension in dealing with criminals.
Sources: VTV
