Jackson Yee (Yi Yangqianxi), one of China’s most acclaimed young actors, has once again proven his unshakable popularity. His latest film, Crazy Age, which also stars Shu Qi, Mark Chao, and Li Gengxi, surpassed 100 million yuan (~$14 million USD) in presale earnings, setting a new personal milestone.
With Crazy Age, Jackson has now led eight consecutive films that each broke the 100 million yuan mark in presales—a remarkable feat, especially amid a general downturn in China’s film industry. Even top-tier comedians struggle to fill seats these days, yet Jackson continues to draw audiences in droves.
He boasts a 100% success rate, with all of his lead roles—including Better Days, A Little Red Flower, The Battle at Lake Changjin, Miracle: Stupid Kid, Water Gate Bridge, Full River Red, and A Little Something About Me—surpassing 1 billion yuan at the box office. At just 25 years old, Jackson has also surpassed 15 billion yuan in total box office revenue, making him China’s highest-grossing actor of the 2000s generation.
In Crazy Age, Jackson takes on a bold challenge, portraying five different roles. Directed by Bi Gan and praised for its dream-like narrative, the film earned the Prix Spécial at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. While the storytelling may feel abstract for mainstream viewers, the presale success proves the audience’s unwavering trust in Jackson’s performances and script choices.
According to QQ, this level of presale revenue is rare for an arthouse film, where even full-run earnings often don’t exceed 10 million yuan. Jackson’s star power has transformed him into a guarantee of both critical acclaim and commercial success.
Earlier this month, Jackson won Best Actor at the 38th Golden Rooster Awards for his role as Liu Chunhua in A Little Something About Me. This marks his fourth Best Actor nomination after prior nods for Better Days (2020), A Little Red Flower (2021), and Miracle: Stupid Kid (2022). He became the youngest actor in Golden Rooster history to win the award and the first born in the 2000s to do so.
In just five years of focusing on film, Jackson Yee has not only earned critical recognition but also redefined what a box office king looks like in modern Chinese cinema.