There have been many examples of late bloomers throughout the ages, but if you debuted in your 60s and succeeded in your 70s, is it a bit too late?
Today we are going to talk about the tens of billions of box-office grandma Wei Qing , who rivals the 72-year-old Prime Minister Jiang Taigong.
You may not have heard of Wei Qing's name, but you must have seen the movies she starred in.
In two popular domestic movies, the scene where Wei Qing appeared was when the whole theater burst into tears.
In " I'm not the God of Medicine ", Wei Qing said to Zhou Weiqi :
"Leader, I'd like to ask you a favor, please stop pursuing Indian medicine, okay?"
"Who can't help meeting a patient? Can you guarantee that you wonât get sick in your life? If you take him away, we all have to wait for death. I donât want to die, I want to live, okay?â
The two words âokayâ directly ignited the tears of the audience. Everyone watching the movie had a sour nose and shed tears.
In "Wolf Warrior 2", Wei Qing, as a martyr mother, cried to the people who came to force her to move: "I can't let him come back and find a home!" It was even more tear-jerking and touching.
With the blessing of these two movies that have super high box office in China, Wei Qing is affectionately called the "Ten Billion Box Office Grandma" by the audience.
Many people only noticed Wei Qing after "I'm Not the God of Medicine". Everyone speculated that she must be a national-level actor and, at the end of the day, a practitioner in drama-related industries.
The fact has shocked many people: Wei Qing is just an ordinary little old lady who comes from a grassroots background and has not received any professional training.
The only unusual thing is that she only picked up her bags and became an extra in Beipiao when she was over 60 years old.
Wei Qing's original name was Chai Zhengrong , and he was born in Pingdingshan, Henan in 1948.
Wei Qing is a socialist successor with a strong roots. Her father was an old Red Army soldier who climbed snow mountains and walked on grass .
Wei Qing has been deeply influenced by his father's patriotism since he was a child, and he loves the Party and the motherland wholeheartedly. At the age of 13, she followed in her father's footsteps and signed up to join the army, becoming a green flower in the army.
She has loved singing and dancing since she was a child, and has a cheerful and generous personality. After joining the army, she quickly became close to her comrades. She has gained great popularity and is also the artistic backbone of the army.
A year later, Wei Qing was recommended by the leader to work in the Provincial Military Region Art Troupe. She was learning and doing at the same time, and she was very good at it. Standing on the stage, I can not only sing about the motherland and the party, but also sing two Henan opera and model operas.
After returning from the army, Wei Qing was spotted by the Lushan County Radio Station and asked her to serve as an announcer.
In Taili, Wei Qing is active and enthusiastic at work and has strong professional skills. She is deeply loved by her leaders and colleagues. As a result, many enthusiastic elder sisters began to recruit potential partners for her.
After several blind dates, Wei Qing was not moved. Until I met Mao Qinglin. When the introducer appeared in front of Wei Qing with Mao Qinglin, her girlish heart was immediately touched by the spring breeze.
Mao Qinglin is a reporter for a local newspaper. He is fair-skinned and quiet, with a bookish air, which was rare in that era.
Mao Qinglin also fell in love with this girl who loved to talk and laugh at a glance. Her eyes were lively and vivid, which captured Mao Qinglin's soul.
Two people move and the other is silent, one is good at singing and dancing, the other is talented, they are a match made in heaven. The two wrote love letters, walked on the street, and went to the park. After talking about their partner for a while, they went to get the little red book.
Not long after the marriage, Wei Qing became pregnant, and Mao Qinglin was so happy that he couldn't sleep for several days.
Wei Qing got it right in one step and gave birth to a pair of twins. Mao Qinglin and his wife had a son and a daughter overnight, which was simply the pinnacle of their lives.
The daughter was born a few minutes earlier and was named Maomao, while the younger brother was called Maobai .
Yes, it is Xiao Mao in "The Story of the Cooking Class ".
's sister Maomao inherited the genes of her father Mao Qinglin. She is very quiet and loves reading and thinking. The younger brother Mao Hai imprinted his mother Wei Qing's ability to sing and dance in DNA.
My elder sister was reading comic books and short stories at home, while my younger brother was listening to radio programs and singing along.
The school organizes cultural performances, and the furry children are always the first to raise their hands to sign up. A break dancing competition was held in the city, and the boy practiced quietly at home and won the first prize.
Wei Qing understood how much this child loved performing, so why didnât she herself?
Although Wei Qing has been engaged in literary and artistic work in art troupes and local units, she also likes singing and dancing very much, but in her heart she yearns to be an actor.
She didn't know how much she envied the actors in the movie, but there was no chance in those days.
So Wei Qing tried his best to fulfill his son's dream. When Mao Hai told his mother that he wanted to be an actor, Wei Qing immediately found his sister who worked in the provincial song and dance troupe.
With the help of his aunt,
became a young student in the film and television training class of Henan Provincial Song and Dance Theater.
has studied professional courses for two years, and Maohai is looking forward to moving to a higher platform. He was determined to apply for the Central Academy of Drama.
Wei Qing took her child to take the exam in Beijing. The smart furry boy performed well and won the recognition of the teachers present. But he was still rejected because he was not tall enough.
Wei Qing went to the teacher in charge of admissions to intercede, thinking that she could win for her son. The admissions office didn't listen to her at all and issued an eviction order.
After going out, Wei Qing, who was about to cry without tears, happened to meet a teacher who was judging the Maohai exam. The teacher was very optimistic about the furry child's intelligence. She believed that the child was still young and could still grow.
Under the exceptional admission of this Bole teacher, Maohai became a student of in the Chinese Opera Performance Department of as a self-funded student.
Even though Maozi is small, his energy to study and practice hard is not small at all.
During his college years, Maohai often appeared on the stage of dramas to play the role of "little warrior", but every time he "received the box lunch" before the last scene.
At that time, Mao Hai's biggest dream was to play a role that would survive to the end.
During his sophomore year, he was loaned to Kongzheng Repertory Theater to play the role of a little soldier. The familiar furry boy shone brightly and was praised by the leaders of Kongzheng Repertory Theater.
In order not to lose talents, the Kongzheng Repertory Theater went through layers of approvals and finally poached the corner of the drama - and brought in the hairy boy.
As a result, Mao Hai became an artist in the Kongzheng Repertory Troupe, and his career began to set sail.
During the Air Force period, Mao Hai participated in many dramas and TV series performances, and also won the Army TV Drama Gold Star Award.
In 2002, the Kongzheng Repertory Theater launched China's first military-themed sitcom "The Story of the Cooking Class", which triggered a ratings frenzy that year and became a classic sitcom of a generation.
Mao Hai played the role of Xiao Mao, a soldier from Henan Province, and was recognized and loved by audiences across the country.
Immediately afterwards, Kong Zheng Repertory Theater took advantage of the victory and filmed the second part. Mao Hai won the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Actor for "Little Mao".
The image of this stubborn little donkey warrior with a Henan accent has been remembered by countless viewers. Maohai once again guest-starred as the cute thug Jiang Xiaodao in "Wulin Gaiden", and his career as a comedy comedian has officially begun.
Just when Mao Hai was so proud and ready to show off his ambitions, he received a call from his hometown. Mao Hai's father burst into tears on the phone.
Wei Qing and Mao Qinglin were just like other parents who reported good news but not bad news to their children who were far away from home. At that time, Wei Qing was already very ill.
Wei Qing developed severe emotional illness after retirement, and she was in menopause and her mood fluctuated greatly. She was diagnosed with depression .
Mao Qinglin initially thought that his wife was in a bad mood after retirement, so he didn't pay much attention to it. He just silently shouldered all the housework at home.
He naively thought that if he served her with delicious food and drinks, his wife would slowly get better.
It was not until Wei Qing showed suicidal tendencies that Mao Qinglin realized the seriousness of the matter. This was not a disease that could be cured at home.
At that time, Mao Mao's sister was not in his hometown in Henan. After Mao Mao graduated from the Department of Military Art Directorship, he also stayed in Beijing to work. After receiving the news, the siblings rushed back to their hometown overnight.
The two children took their mother back to Beijing forcefully. Accompanied by her husband and children, Wei Qing sought medical treatment in time to recuperate.
Mao Qinglin can't always take care of Wei Qing, and Maomao's career has just started, so he can't just let it go.
The furry kid was obligated to put down all the high-quality resources at hand and take turns taking care of his mother with his father.
For fur babies, nothing is more important than their mother.
After Mao Hai's careful care, Wei Qing's mood gradually improved.
At this time, the furry unit is preparing to start filming " Cooking Class Story 3". It hopes to use the original cast and crew and wants the furry to return to the team.
The boy suddenly had an idea. His motherâs dream when she was young was to be an actress, so letâs take her to the set. At that time, Mao Hai just wanted Wei Qing to go watch the excitement and relax.
After Wei Qing followed Mao Hai to the crew, she forgot all her unhappiness. She had dreamed of being an actress her entire life, but this was her first time on the crew. Just watching other people take photos made Wei Qing excited.
Maohai quietly went to discuss with the director to see if there were any soy sauce characters that could make Wei Qing happy. Later, Wei Qing guest-starred as the mother of the character Maozi in the play.
Suddenly, Wei Qing's emotional illness was cured, and all the haze was swept away. Every day since then, she has become more energetic and in better and better condition.
Mao Qinglin was deeply relieved to see his wife return to his former talkative and laughing self. Once upon a time, he was so afraid of losing the woman who had been with him for most of his life.
The hairy boy saw that his mother was so happy because she had a cameo role, so he secretly decided to help her.
During the filming of the TV series "Ren Changxia", there was no suitable candidate for the role of an old lady who speaks in dialect. Mao Hai and the director recommended Wei Qing.
The story of Maohai giving up his career to accompany his mother for medical treatment while he was popular was widely circulated in the industry, and the director also heard about it.
He admired the young man's filial piety very much, so he agreed to let Wei Qing come to audition.
When Wei Qing received the notice, he was so excited that he didn't sleep all night and set off at dawn the next day.
The makeup was set on the first day after arriving on the set, and Wei Qing's scene was filmed on the second day. The director was very satisfied with Wei Qing.
He felt that it was a miracle that a person who had never studied acting could have such freely retractable acting skills.
The director sincerely told Wei Qing: "You must go to Beijing to film, it would be a shame."
Wei Qing was so inspired that he packed up his things when he returned home that day and prepared to go to Beijing. The attitude of his wife Mao Qinglin is also expected: As long as Wei Qing is happy, he can do anything.
Mao Qinglin carried large and small parcels and followed Wei Qing to Beijing together.
Wei Qing is no longer young. Although she is recognized by a big director, she also has self-awareness. With my age and experience, it would be great if I could get into the role.
She didn't aim too high, but approached the crew one by one. No matter if there were lines or not, or a few seconds of footage, as long as they could film her, she would do it.
During this period, Wei Qing played a supporting role in many dramas and accumulated a certain amount of shooting experience. Mao Qinglin was always beside him, holding a thermos cup and a thermos lunch box as a personal assistant.
Wei Qing does not pursue the number of roles or the amount of money she will be paid. She is happy as long as she can act.
Later, Lin Yongjian and Hai Qing's masterpiece " Wang Gui and Anna " was ready to start filming, but Lin Yongjian's "mother" in the play never had a suitable actor.
Lin Yongjian was very worried at the time. He and the director were looking for an old lady who was down-to-earth and could speak Henan dialect.
Moreover, there is veteran actor Zhang Shaohua in the play, so his acting skills cannot be too bad and he must be able to catch the scene.
Just when Lin Yongjian was most angry, one day he came home and his wife was watching TV and chasing dramas. He sat on the sofa in a daze and told his wife about his troubles.
My wife kept her eyes on the TV, pointed at the screen and said lightly that the old lady acted very well.
Lin Yongjian looked back lazily. What was playing on the TV was Wei Qing's scene in "Ren Changxia". Lin Yongjian looked at it for a while and was very pleasantly surprised.
He found the director early the next morning and named the "Aunt Kou".
So Wei Qing came to the crew and officially accepted a TV series. But this is a big challenge for Wei Qing, who is 60 years old.
Especially for her lines, she has no systematic training and no skills in memorizing lines. Coupled with her old age and poor memory, it is easy to imagine how difficult it is to memorize large sections of lines.
Wei Qing could only use a stupid method: copying the lines. Like a primary school student memorizing text, Wei Qing carefully copied, recited, and dictated his lines.
In order to better understand the character's heart, she kept thinking about it at home: what is this person's origin, what kind of image and personality should he have, and what kind of emotion should he say when he speaks...
Mao Qinglin was sitting aside. Do the logistics work quietly and protect your wife's dream.
"Wang Gui and Anna" became a hit drama of the year after it was aired. The old rural lady played by Wei Qing also attracted the attention of many people.
From now on, Wei Qing no longer has to go out to meet the crew, because all the drama appointments come directly to her door. After turning 60, Wei Qing realized what it was like to realize a long-cherished wish.
In the TV series "Red Sorghum", "Parental Love", " Iron Flower ", and "River God", Wei Qing has important roles.
In "Wolf Warrior 2", she played the mother of the martyr Yu Fei, and her acting skills exploded in a few lines. Not only did she become one of the teardrops of the film, she also got the attention of Xu Zheng.
So when the filming of "I'm Not the God of Medicine" started, Xu Zheng found Wei Qing to play the role of the old lady who was a patient. The same few lines, the same explosive acting skills, Wei Qing once again became a god. This year, Wei Qing is 70 years old.
Since then, Wei Qing's performances can be seen in dozens of film and television dramas such as "An Jia", "Heshan", "Human World" and so on.
Wei Qing is so popular. You can say that she plays the role as she is, but you have to admit that she plays the same role of an old lady, but she has created a different image.
can be stubborn and simple, exaggerated and unruly, naughty and kind... Wei Qing can switch between them with ease without any sense of disobedience.
Looking at Wei Qingâs superb performance, itâs hard to believe that this is a story about an old man in his sixties who became self-taught.
But this billionaire box office grandma is really just a "layman". She reached the peak of her life in her later years and realized her life's dream due to her enthusiasm.
Nowadays, Mao Hai's career has set sail again. If it had not stagnated in those years, his development might have been even more limitless. But for Mao Hai, nothing is more important than the health and happiness of his mother Wei Qing.
Wei Qing is indeed a strange woman. She raised two children, one is a director and the other is an actor. After she became successful, she became the most popular grandma with tens of billions in box office in movies and TV dramas.
If you think you still have dreams, if you are not satisfied with your current life, but you dare not make changes.
Then look at Wei Qing, who started from scratch after retiring, embarked on a journey of dreaming in his sixties, and caught the tail of his dream in his seventies.
With such a lovely old lady as a role model, what right do we have to say it is too late?
Wei Qing used his own efforts to perfectly interpret this sentence:
The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago, and the second best time is now.
