In July 2025, Zhao Lusi (赵露思) ignited social media by confronting plastic surgery rumors head-on during a live broadcast. Viral unedited photos had sparked debates comparing her current sharp jawline and sculpted nose to the round-faced "Chen Qianqian" (陈芊芊) from her 2020 breakout drama The Romance of Tiger and Rose (传闻中的陈芊芊). Facing mounting scrutiny, the actress dismissed claims with wit and makeup tutorials, reframing the narrative around artistic growth rather than cosmetic alteration. Her response reveals a star strategically navigating fame in China’s image-obsessed entertainment industry.
Defining Transformation
The discourse began when side-by-side images from The Romance of Tiger and Rose and recent public appearances flooded Weibo. In 2020, Zhao’s cherubic cheeks and soft features defined her "sweetheart" persona—a label cemented by her character Chen Qianqian’s infectious grin and relatable charm. Fans likened her to "melted cotton candy" for her approachable radiance.
By 2023’s historical drama Love Like The Galaxy (星汉灿烂), subtle shifts emerged. Behind-the-scenes stills showed refined contours and elevated nasal bridges, contrasting with earlier roles. Critics dissected screenshots claiming "unnatural stiffness," while plastic surgeons weighed in on forums about possible jawline reduction.
Zhao’s team previously attributed changes to weight management and maturing bone structure. Yet the 2025 controversy intensified as netizens unearthed a 2019 interview where she declared, "My round face is genetic!" This fueled theories that contradicted her natural narrative, pushing her toward a public response.
Livestream Rebuttals
Facing accusations on July 15, 2025, Zhao turned her livestream into a masterclass on visual illusion. Demonstrating with a contour palette, she recreated her signature "drama-ready" bone structure using shading techniques. "This ‘birthmark nose contour’ trick took me months to perfect," she laughed, blending pigments to emulate depth.
She spotlighted transformative makeup choices: double-eyelid tapes for wider eyes in Love Like The Galaxy, strategic highlighter placement for ethereal roles like Hidden Love (偷偷藏不住), and lip overlining to balance facial proportions. "Yesterday’s ‘marshmallow cheeks’ became today’s ‘goddess angles’ through blush placement alone," she asserted, swatching creams across her face.
Pulling up pre-2020 videos, Zhao highlighted past experiments with dramatic lashes and overlined lips—proof her features always adapted to projects. "If I altered my face permanently," she challenged, "why would I spend hours daily on temporary enhancements?" The session ended with her sharing a tutorial titled "3-Dimensional Face Without Surgery."
Reinvention Strategy
Beyond cosmetics, Zhao’s shifts reflect deliberate career recalibration. After The Romance of Tiger and Rose, she avoided typecasting by embracing complex roles: a resilient war survivor in Love Like The Galaxy, and an immortal in Hidden Love. Each character demanded distinct aesthetics, pushing her image beyond "cute."
Industry analysts note her collaborations with avant-garde stylists like Zhang Yuhao (张宇豪), who redesigned her public silhouettes with structured gowns and minimalist accessories. This sartorial shift—from playful florals to monochromatic tailoring—visually echoed her expanding range. Brand endorsements surged 40% post-2024, targeting luxury skincare and high fashion rather than youth-centric products.
Fan demographics evolved accordingly. Early "sweetheart" stans now share space with cinephiles praising her dramatic range. As one follower tweeted: "Her face doesn’t just change—it tells stories." This rebranding fortified her position; where peers stagnate in archetypes, Zhao leverages visual fluidity as an actor’s toolkit.
Artistic Metamorphosis
Zhao’s case transcends gossip, highlighting entertainment’s evolving standards. Where actresses once denied all cosmetic procedures to preserve "authenticity," she normalizes skilled enhancement as part of creative expression. Her transparency about makeup’s power—notably in an industry promoting unattainable ideals—resonates with Gen-Z audiences valuing agency over perfection.
The controversy also underscores changing beauty norms. Zhao’s initial round face symbolized approachability amid 2020’s "escape entertainment" trend, while her sharper 2025 look aligns with audiences seeking formidable female leads. Each transformation mirrors viewer appetites, proving an actress’s adaptability is as crucial as talent.
Ultimately, her livestream didn’t just debunk rumors—it showcased control. By directing the narrative toward artistry, Zhao reframed scrutiny into a testament of her craft. As roles diversify and cameras intensify, this metamorphosis may be her most compelling performance yet.
