"I was only 45 years old in the first season, and I could jump through the ceiling at that time! Why did you only remember to look for me when you were 51?" Cao Ying said half-jokingly.
On the stage of "Ride the Wind 2025", 51-year-old Cao Ying finally showed up wearing high heels.
Cao Ying
Standing on the competition stage as a contestant for the first time, Cao Ying, who has experienced many ups and downs, also seemed very nervous for the first time. After the show was broadcast, her straightforward and daring character was fully revealed.
On the first stage, Cao Ying, dressed as a suave young man, sang "Bo Hu Shuo". His figure and charm won unanimous praise from the sisters in the audience. "51 years old and still so cool" also became a high-frequency word in the barrage.
First stage performance: Bo Hu Shuo
In an exclusive interview with The Paper, Cao Ying said, "The popular singing style nowadays is different from before, and I must adapt and change quickly." She can feel that she is racing against time to participate in "Riding the Wind 2025". But no matter what the result is, her attitude is very clear: "I will survive as long as I can!"
Before the first stage performance, Cao Ying almost slipped because she was dancing in thick-soled boots. "All my attention was on the soles of my feet, and my facial expressions were completely messed up!" she recalled afterwards. But during the official recording, she managed to hold the stage steady with her "small steps".
I have to say, she is still that "hard-working woman".
After more than 30 years of debut, 51-year-old Cao Ying has had many highlights in her life, and she believes that she is still at the age of "making a breakthrough". The first highlight of Cao Ying's life was hosting the CCTV Spring Festival Gala for three consecutive years from 2000 to 2002 at China Central Radio and Television, and hosting the Hunan Satellite TV Spring Festival Gala for seven times from 2004 to 2012. Her second highlight was winning the 19th China TV Golden Eagle Award for the Most Popular TV Actress for her role as Ding Jie in the TV series "No Trace of Snow". After that, Cao Ying became a host, and in the third year, she had broken 20 million fans.
Cao Ying has been known as a "hard worker" throughout her career. In the show, she said that she almost always slept in the car, and even did a live broadcast for 14 hours straight. But no one's body is made of iron, and she has had various problems. Maybe God also thinks it's time for Cao Ying to stop and take a rest.
After becoming a mother, her focus completely shifted. When her son was 7 months old, she was separated from her husband due to work, which made her decide to temporarily leave the screen and accompany her child's growth wholeheartedly. "I disappeared for seven or eight years, but it was worth it." It was not until her son started elementary school that she gradually returned to her career.
Now her son is handsome and sensible. During the phone call segment of "Riding the Wind", almost all the sisters called their celebrity friends, but Cao Ying called her son. His tone was like that of a little adult. He told her to relax and gave her enough confidence and encouragement. Just a few words moved Cao Ying to tears.
Perhaps it is because she became a mother that she has the ability to manage her emotions today. In an interview, she told reporters that her teammates called her "Capibala" (a popular Internet meme, symbolizing emotional stability). In the face of pressure, she still said casually: "Except life and death, there is nothing that cannot be solved." This calmness is not only the accumulation of years, but also the gift of motherhood experience.
Cao Ying once quickly became popular with everyone by bringing chili sauce into the group. She is a real social gangster. When talking about how to chat, she revealed: "When I was young, I didn't dare to speak in public." When she was a makeup teacher in her early years, she cried and went back to the office because of a student's backtalk. Later, she forced herself to go on stage, and then she slowly developed a thick skin.
She chose to accept the challenge of "Riding the Wind 2025" for a simple reason: "Every actress has a dream of singing and dancing." For Cao Ying, this is not only a cross-border attempt, but also a journey of reconciliation with age. She admitted that when she was young, she was busy hosting and filming, and had never been exposed to singing and dancing in a systematic way. She even joked that "there is not even R&B and rap in the music library." However, the "hell-level" competition system of the program team caught her off guard: learning a difficult dance in three days, rehearsing for 12 hours a day, and keeping balance on the wet stage in thick-soled boots...
"Each slope is higher than the last, and it's really tiring to climb." She said with a smile that this experience was like "paying back all the sins I committed as a host in the past few decades."
At the age of 51, she has redefined age and possibilities with her "imperfect" truthfulness and pragmatic open-mindedness. As she said in an interview: "Stability, open-mindedness, and spiritual practice - my second half has just begun."
Cao Ying
【dialogue】
Live streaming taught me to face criticism
The Paper : You also said in the program that there are still big differences in every aspect between 51 and 45. Why did you still come?
Cao Ying : When I was young, I always thought that opportunities were endless, but as I got older, I wanted to seize the present moment even more. This time, I came to "Riding the Wind 2025" to prove that 50 is not the end, but a new starting point. Even if I can't jump anymore, at least I tried. The director said, "Sister, you can still hold on." I thought: OK, let's try! Anyway, 50 is not the end, the worst that can happen is that I can go home if I can't jump anymore!
The Paper : What is the biggest difficulty you encountered in the program?
Cao Ying : Physical strength! Learning a dance in three days and rehearsing for 10 hours a day is simply "hell" for someone who never exercises. To be honest, I have never exercised so much in my life. I got a song full of backbeats and R&B, and I couldn't find the tune at all! I complained to Xie Na: "This is not Lang Jie, it's military training!" But I don't want to drag down the young people, so I can only bite the bullet and practice. As a result, my muscles hurt all over, and in the end even the director shouted: "Sister, slow down!"
The Paper : What do your family members think of your participation in "Riding the Wind 2025"?
Cao Ying : My son laughed at me at first: "Mom, you finally understand how hard it is to work in a training class, right?" But then he said seriously: "Enjoy the process, don't worry about the result." This sentence made me cry. My husband was calm and just said: "Take it easy, don't hurt your knees." My family is most worried about my health, after all, I can't stop once I start working hard.
The Paper : Can you share some interesting things about getting along with other sisters?
Cao Ying : Our group is the "noisiest group". I am the oldest among the three sisters, but my voice is not small at all! When choosing the team, I secretly observed who would send me flowers, but I missed sister Ye Tong. Now I regret it very much. When I was a host, I was discovered because I interviewed her and sister Zhao Yazhi.
The Paper : After the show aired, your overly direct conversation with your sister caused some discussion. How do you balance your true self and your public image?
Cao Ying : Live streaming has taught me to face criticism directly. In the past, I was always packaged as an artist, but now I can go crazy and go without makeup, but the bottom line is to convey positive values. Being true to yourself does not mean being outspoken, but rather expressing your personality with a "positive outlook on life, the world and values".
The Paper : During your live broadcasts, you always advise fans not to be anxious about their appearance. What do you think of the sisters’ image management in the show?
Cao Ying : I don't wear makeup without makeup. I respect the audience. But when I was recording the dormitory scene, I dared to appear on camera with a mask on. A 50-year-old has his own beauty. Don't force yourself to look like a lightning bolt. Health is the most important thing.
I hope there will be more vivid stories about women.
The Paper : Do you plan to return to the film and television industry in the future?
Cao Ying : Of course! Most of my current roles are "parents of young people", but I want to play a flesh-and-blood mother. I appeal to directors that Cao Ying can still act, and please don't think I've retired! (laughs)
The Paper : Some actors are very resistant to live streaming, believing that it will reduce the actor's sense of mystery and will not be good for shaping the character. What do you think?
Cao Ying : When I host variety shows, I can interact more with guests and audiences. Live streaming makes me more real, but when I act, I have the confidence to shape different types of roles according to the script and the director's requirements.
The Paper : In recent years, there has been an explosion of female-themed films and TV dramas. How do you view this change?
Cao Ying : This is a good thing! In the past, female characters were too monotonous, but now screenwriters dare to write about "imperfect" women. I hope that in the future there will be more complex and vivid female stories, not just the foil of the love line.
The Paper : How can you summarize your life at this stage using three key words?
Cao Ying : Stability, open-mindedness, and cultivation. My family and career are stable, and my mentality is open, but my life is only halfway through, and I have to continue to cultivate the second half!
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