Sporting chance gives actor his big role

Three months prior to the release of the franchise's inaugural chapter, Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, which would later captivate audiences upon its July 2023 release, Yu marked his cinematic debut as a daring test pilot in the action-studded blockbuster, Born to Fly.

However, it is his portrayal of Ji Fa, the valiant and benevolent warrior, his role in Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, that propelled Yu swiftly into the limelight, solidifying his status as one of the country's most sought-after young stars.

The acclaim was further bolstered by his subsequent success in the popular TV series, To the Wonder, a lyrical narrative that features him as a herder of the Kazak ethnic group in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The discerning gaze of major international studios also fell upon him. Disney's Wish extended an invitation to him to lend his voice to Valentino, a pajama-wearing pet lamb, while the legendary Japanese maestro Hayao Miyazaki's classic Howl's Moving Castle entrusted him to bring to life the character of the enigmatic wizard Howl in the Mandarin version.

Earlier this year, Yu embraced a swift transition from a young actor to a mentor for aspiring actors when he was invited to serve as a jury member for the ReelFocus Fresh Blood Short Film Program, a segment of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival.

"I'm the kind of person who truly believes in fate. It feels like everything is intricately connected, one piece leading to the next," Yu told China Daily during an exclusive interview.

Now, amid a jam-packed schedule that scarcely allows the 27-year-old actor a few days off throughout the year, Yu takes a moment to reflect during the interview, contemplating the pressures, confusion, and perseverance through tough times, and the valuable lessons gleaned from sports and early acting training.