The popularity of a drama can often be gauged by the level of excitement at its “full cast gathering.” ‘The Birth of All Things’ has evidently delivered a perfect score: topping both TV and online viewership ratings, with both lead and supporting actors frequently trending on social media. Even the celebration banquet, held long after the show’s airing, has become a hot topic across the internet. Amidst the clinking of glasses under the crystal chandeliers, the smiles of the actors reveal the joy of a hit drama, while their positions in group photos unexpectedly unveil the true ecology of the film and television industry in 2025.
What moved people the most at the celebration banquet was Chi Peng, surrounded by Yang Mi, Lin Yongjian, and others. This veteran actor, who has been in the industry for 40 years, has previously been nominated for awards multiple times but has always missed out on the trophies. It was only with her role as “Big Foot Mother” in ‘The Birth of All Things’ that she truly entered the public eye.
In the drama, the “Big Foot Mother” is hunched over, her eyes filled with the simplicity of someone who has never left the mountains. The tension in her scenes with Lin Yongjian is palpable, and her interactions with Yang Mi are so delicate that they touch the heart, earning her the title of “the most heart-wrenching mother-in-law in the entire drama” from the audience.
Interestingly, when the drama first aired, Chi Peng’s name was not even listed in the cast. It wasn’t until the 12th episode, when audience demand became overwhelming, that the production team added a note for her “special appearance.”
Even more impressive is that the director was initially hesitant about the role of “Feng Er,” but it was Chi Peng who recommended Lin Yongjian, stating, “No one else can play this role but him.”
This story of “veteran actors supporting each other” not only created the most relatable scenes in the drama, but even Ni Ping couldn’t help but post online to “ride the wave of popularity,” cheering for her old classmate. Now, at the celebration banquet, Chi Peng is surrounded by everyone, a glory earned through her 40 years of acting.
If Chi Peng represents “accumulated strength bursting forth,” then Yang Mi embodies a “comeback from adversity.” Previously, her leading roles in ‘Fox Spirit Matchmaker’ and ‘Harbin 1944’ had both encountered setbacks, with both reputation and resources declining. ‘The Birth of All Things’ became her “lifeline.”
To portray the rural girl “Xiu Xiu” authentically, Yang Mi immersed herself in a Shandong village for three months, learning to plant seeds and do farm work, getting sunburned and shedding the aura of a top idol. This “immersive performance” ultimately did not disappoint; netizens commented, “She brought Xiu Xiu’s transformation from innocence to maturity to life, and in the final episode’s crying scene, even the trembling of her fingers was acting.”
At the celebration banquet, Yang Mi looked fantastic, dressed in a simple black T-shirt and jeans, with her wavy hair styled playfully, embodying the essence of “red energy nurturing people.”
After the group photo was revealed, she also posted a message to “Tian Niu Miao”: “We will make our lives brighter from now on!” This statement instantly awakened the audience’s memories of the drama and announced her successful transformation from a “traffic idol” to a “capable actor.”
When everyone thought the C position belonged to Yang Mi, the group photo revealed a different answer: standing in the center were Gong Yu, the founder of “Kiwifruit,” and Liu Jiacheng, the director of ‘The Birth of All Things.’
It turns out that Yang Mi voluntarily gave up the C position, leaving the core spot for the platform’s leader and the creative core. This seemingly unexpected positioning actually conceals the underlying logic of the industry: although Chi Peng and Lin Yongjian stood at the edges, their acting skills have long been etched in the audience’s hearts, and their strength does not need to be proven by positioning. Yang Mi’s proximity to the investors is both a respect for the platform’s support and a testament to her market value after her transformation. The presence of Gong Yu and Liu Jiacheng in the C position is the best interpretation of “content is king”: without a good production team and platform support, even the best actors cannot sustain a hit drama. Industry observers aptly state: “The success of ‘The Birth of All Things’ is not accidental, but a necessary outcome of the film and television industry’s ‘deflation.'” When production teams no longer blindly chase traffic, when actors are willing to immerse themselves in their roles, and when creators can maintain creative control, only then can truly moving works be produced. The celebration banquet for ‘The Birth of All Things’ is less a celebration and more an industry revelation.
It shows us that the perseverance of veteran actors will eventually be recognized, that the transformation of top stars can earn acknowledgment, and that the true core will always be quality content. In the future, there may be countless more celebration banquets, with new “edge sitters” and “unexpected C positions,” but the lessons left by ‘The Birth of All Things’ will not change. When the industry sheds its restlessness and focuses on stories and characters, good dramas will naturally flourish like spring grass. And those who invest their hearts will eventually shine on their own stage.