Demand for child actors faces minor hiccups

Intense competition

As the short drama industry expands, more families are bringing their children into the field to explore performing while building discipline, confidence and life experiences.

In the first half of 2025, short dramas featuring child characters accounted for 5.56 percent of total favorites across all short-drama genres, ranking seventh among major content categories, data from Detawen Technology showed.

For Zhang Jieyu from Taiyuan, Shanxi province, acting has become less about chasing fame and more about helping her 8-year-old son Chen Jinyuan grow up.

He entered the entertainment world at age 3 in 2021, when renowned film director Zhang Yimou was filming Full River Red in Taiyuan. His family brought him to the set as a child extra to let him experience something new.

His first real production came around age 5. "At that time, he was still very young and could not sit still. He was playful in the waiting area and even talked back when a director reminded him to behave," said Zhang.

Afterward, she gave him a serious talk about rules, discipline and teamwork on set. "That was probably the first time he truly understood the importance of respect and cooperation," she said.

Jinyuan now works on two or three productions a month. Some shoots last only a day, while others can continue for a week.

Zhang said competition among child actors is intense.

"Some roles are clearly suitable for your child, but in the end, they may still go for children connected to investors or producers. Ordinary families are often at a disadvantage, but we still believe hard work will eventually be noticed," said Zhang.

To improve Jinyuan's chances, Zhang is in charge of his photos, video clips and audition materials and updates his portfolio regularly.

Although she understands public concerns about child actors, she hopes people will not assume every family is pushing their child too hard.

"There are families who treat children like tools to make money. But for us, acting is part of his education. We care about his studies, his character and his happiness far more than whether he becomes famous one day," said Zhang.