Empress1.jpg (Photo : www.chinadaily.com.cn)
Fans of X-Men star Fan Bingbing are in for a treat as the trailer for her new TV series "The Empress of China" has been released in the mainland on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
A 90-second video clip showcasing the Chinese actress and the rest of the cast of the highly anticipated historical TV drama was released Wednesday by Bingbing's own production studio.
In her return to the television, Fan Bingbing would be portraying Wu Zetian from the Tang Dynasty who was considered as the only woman in the history of the country to rule ancient China as an emperor.
The television series, though fictional, is based on actual events in the 7th and 8th centuries, beginning during the rule of Emperor Taizong, played by Zhang Fengyi, who initially took Wu Zetian as his 14-year-old concubine.
Like any other historical drama series, "The Empress of China" involves plenty of trials on love, politics and power as Bingbing's character would later have a lengthy reign as the all-powerful leader of ancient China after she wins over the successor Emperor Gaozong, portrayed by Aarif Lee.
She rules the country until her death at the age of 81.
Though many might wonder if Bingbing can live up to portraying Wu's long life, the Chinese actress herself considers it as a challenge and is eager to conquer it.
"An actress who does not want to play Wu Zetian is not a good actress," she said, adding that Wu's character might very well be every actress's dream role.
"The Empress of China" is Bingbing's first television role since she starred in the 2009 Chinese drama "The Last Night of Madam Chin."
The Chinese TV series is the third television series funded by Bingbing's production studio, with a production cost estimated at 300 million yuan (almost $50 million).
The show's date of release is yet to be confirmed.
