Zhang Weili is crossing over to each the massive and small display.
The UFC strawweight champion, who’s heralded as a large star and affect in her residence nation of China, is having her life story tailored into a brand new drama collection. The untitled mission received the greenlight from China’s largest streamer iQiYi with the announcement coming through the Beijing Worldwide Movie Competition witih manufacturing anticipated to start out quickly.
The Hollywood Reporter first revealed the information on Wednesday.
Along with Zhang’s life story being tailored right into a TV collection, the 35-year-old fighter can be crossing over into appearing after touchdown a featured position in a brand new film After Hurricane, which is directed by award successful filmmaker Li Yu.
The art-house drama options Zhang in a job the place she performs Ah Xi — “a girl with a tragic previous whose life is turned the wrong way up after she meets a younger stranger on a storm-threatened island.”
Whereas Zhang has stayed a lot busy along with her battle profession, she by no means actually thought-about appearing till she met Li and obtained the script for the movie that made her contemplate the position.
“In no way. By no means [considered acting],” Zhang advised The Hollywood Reporter. “It occurred unexpectedly, and since it occurred unexpectedly, I used to be initially towards it. Particularly as a result of this isn’t a battle movie, it’s not motion. It’s a really emotional movie, and I wasn’t actually positive to start out with how which may have an effect on me.
“I’m comfy preventing – that’s my world. However digging into drama, into feelings, is so very completely different from what I normally do. However the extra I considered it, the extra I favored the concept of taking over this problem.”
It seems, Zhang obtained the script for the movie across the similar time she was getting ready for a title protection towards Yan Xiaonan on the historic UFC 300 card. Whereas contemplating her appearing debut might have simply distracted the two-time UFC champion, Zhang says having the ability to concentrate on one thing away from preventing really helped her on the time.
“I believe it was really very useful when it comes to serving to me to loosen up,” Zhang mentioned. “Often, earlier than a battle, we’re all the time solely speaking concerning the tactical stuff, concerning the battle itself, however we might even have a dialogue concerning the script, and neglect for a short while about all the things else. It was a really attention-grabbing factor to do.”
Zhang defeated Yan at UFC 300 after which extra just lately dispatched beforehand undefeated challenger Tatiana Suarez in spectacular vogue at UFC 312 in February.
As of now, Zhang doesn’t have something booked, though there are many rumors swirling that she would possibly contemplate a transfer to flyweight to problem the winner of the upcoming UFC 315 co-main occasion between Valentina Shevchenko and Manon Fiorot.
Whereas preventing stays her fundamental precedence, Zhang admits she loved making her characteristic movie debut and now appearing is unquestionably one thing she is going to contemplate once more sooner or later.
“My focus is again on coaching now, however who’s to say what is going to occur sooner or later?” Zhang mentioned. “I believe if a very good position got here alongside, whether or not it’s motion or drama, I believe now I’d take it.”
