Zhang Weili is crossing over to each the massive and small display.
The UFC strawweight champion, who’s heralded as an enormous star and affect in her residence nation of China, is having her life story tailored into a brand new drama collection. The untitled mission acquired the greenlight from China’s greatest streamer iQiYi with the announcement coming in the course of the Beijing Worldwide Movie Pageant witih manufacturing anticipated to begin 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 Storm, which is directed by award profitable filmmaker Li Yu.
The art-house drama options Zhang in a job the place she performs Ah Xi — “a lady 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 loads busy together with her struggle profession, she by no means actually thought-about appearing till she met Li and acquired the script for the movie that made her contemplate the position.
“Under no circumstances. By no means [considered acting],” Zhang informed The Hollywood Reporter. “It occurred unexpectedly, and since it occurred unexpectedly, I used to be initially in opposition to it. Particularly as a result of this isn’t a struggle movie, it’s not motion. It’s a really emotional movie, and I wasn’t actually certain to begin with how which may have an effect on me.
“I’m comfy combating – that’s my world. However digging into drama, into feelings, is so very completely different from what I normally do. However the extra I thought of it, the extra I preferred the thought of taking over this problem.”
It seems, Zhang acquired the script for the movie across the similar time she was making ready for a title protection in opposition to Yan Xiaonan on the historic UFC 300 card. Whereas contemplating her appearing debut may have simply distracted the two-time UFC champion, Zhang says having the ability to deal with one thing away from combating truly helped her on the time.
“I feel it was truly very useful when it comes to serving to me to loosen up,” Zhang stated. “Often, earlier than a struggle, we’re all the time solely speaking concerning the tactical stuff, concerning the struggle itself, however we may even have a dialogue concerning the script, and neglect for a short while about the whole lot else. It was a really fascinating factor to do.”
Zhang defeated Yan at UFC 300 after which extra just lately dispatched beforehand undefeated challenger Tatiana Suarez in spectacular style 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 combating stays her important precedence, Zhang admits she loved making her characteristic movie debut and now appearing is unquestionably one thing she’s going to contemplate once more sooner or later.
“My focus is again on coaching now, however who’s to say what’s going to occur sooner or later?” Zhang stated. “I feel if a great position got here alongside, whether or not it’s motion or drama, I feel now I’d take it.”
