Universal appeal

Switching between characters presented its challenges, but the film set was filled with joy. The chemistry between Zhang and Zhan, honed during their reality show experiences, shone brightly on set. The actors, who both come from Anshan, Liaoning province, consistently sparked fresh dialogue and interaction.

Zhang says the atmosphere on the production team was different compared to his previous experiences.

"Everyone, from cinematography to art direction and lighting, was deeply devoted to enhancing the story," the 30-year-old says. "The realistic set helped us, as actors, to dive deeper into our roles and performances."

Many other actors from Super Sketch Show also make guest appearances in the series, injecting more creativity into the script. "Their involvement enriched our stories," Zhang says.

Lately, familiar faces from both seasons of Super Sketch Show have been popping up frequently, entertaining audiences not only on China Central Television and local channels during the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival galas, but also in film and TV projects.

These most notably include the comedy film Johnny Keep Walking!, which has already raked in nearly 1.3 billion yuan ($180.6 million) at the box office, and the TV series Run, Gousheng, which has been well-received by viewers.

With years of comedy experience, Wang is thrilled to see fresh comedic talent emerging. She believes that making people laugh is no easy feat, and that exceptional comic actors are hard to come by. She says that the good ones can shine in any genre of film or television.

"Comic actors naturally exude charm and humor," Wang says.

Facing a packed schedule due to the show's popularity, Zhan plans to continue his stand-up comedy career in the long term, and he hopes to find time to develop his stand-up routine, which is drawn from a wealth of stored materials and ideas on his phone.

"I've got plenty of material waiting to be turned into full-fledged routines," Zhan says, with a grin. "But when I do have downtime, you might just catch me playing video games."