Chinese actress Liu Xiaoqing's casting in the new war film has drawn flak from netizens. Photos: Liu Xiaoqing/Weibo, Handout
Chinese actress Liu Xiaoqing has left netizens baffled after playing a character five decades younger than her in the war movie, Ice Sniper 2.
Set in 1947 after the Siping Campaign in China, the film tells the story of platoon leader Yang Jianfeng who assigns bandit leader Dan Niang to eliminate the different factions of mountain bandits in Northeastern China.
Liu, 67, stars as Dan Niang, who's 17 years old in the movie.
Following the release of Ice Sniper 2, many netizens on Weibo expressed disbelief at the casting, lamenting that Liu's portrayal seemed "unnatural".
Some also questioned if there were no other younger actresses who could take on the role.
The casting caused such a stir to the point it entered Weibo's hot search list.
Netizens were also in shock that the actors who play Liu's on-screen father, Ren Qing An, and love interest, Wang Xin Jun, were 15 younger than her at 52.
Many social media users have since bombarded Liu's recent posts on Weibo with snarky comments.
"I find it amusing how an actress who's almost 70 years old is calling an actor much younger than her 'dad'," one netizen said.
Another added: "When you are 80, you must act as a five-year-old."
According to Korean entertainment portal Kbizoom, Liu previously portrayed a 16-year-old girl named Ouyang Feiyan in the 2014 drama, Heroes Of Sui And Tang Dynasties 3. She was 58 then.
In an interview at the time, Liu said she enjoys trying different roles and refuses to be "fixed on a certain image".
"I'm not young, but my passion and pursuit for acting remain unchanged. I want to show different charms by constantly challenging myself," she added.
