Zhang Linghe, Song Weilong Lose! Top 10 Male Actors in Chinese Dramas with the Strongest Dialogue Skills Crowned: His Calm, Magnetic Voice Draws Viewers In Instantly—No Dubbing Needed, Yet He's Still a Breakout Star

In recent years, post-95s male actors have nearly dominated the Chinese historical drama (guzhuang) market. From Hou Minghao in 'Que Gu' and Zhang Linghe in 'This Second, Too Hot,' to Song Weilong in 'Wild Dog Bone' and He Yu in 'Hundred Flowers Kill,' along with popular actors like Wu Lei, Wang Hedi, and Ding Yuxi, every new drama release sparks online discussions about acting, appearance, and dialogue delivery. Among these, 'original voice dialogue' has become a key benchmark for viewers assessing an actor’s fundamental skills.

Recently, Chinese netizens compiled the 'original voice dialogue usage rate' for post-95s male actors in their leading historical dramas. Calculated by dividing the number of works using original voice by total works, the highest rate reached 100%. Notably, despite Zhang Linghe’s surging popularity in recent years through historical dramas like 'Ning An Ru Meng,' 'Yun Zhi Yu,' and 'Zhu Yu,' his original voice usage rate stands at only 37.5%, ranking him fourth. Hou Minghao ranks third with 66.6%. The top spot is shared by two actors—Tian Jiarui and Zhang Xincheng—both achieving 100% original voice usage, making them the most outstanding figures on this list.

Top 10 Post-95s Male Actors in Chinese Dramas by Original Voice Dialogue Usage Rate

#10 Chen Zheyuan – 16.6%: Clear, Magnetic Voice in 'A Smile for the Song'

Chen Zheyuan ranks 10th with an original voice dialogue rate of 16.6%. He has starred in six historical dramas, with only 'A Smile for the Song' featuring his original voice. While many viewers categorize Chen Zheyuan as an idol-type actor, his dialogue fundamentals are actually quite solid, especially evident in modern dramas where he frequently uses his original voice.

In 'A Smile for the Song,' Chen Zheyuan’s original voice attracted significant viewer attention. His articulation is clear, his voice steady, and his speaking pace moderate—making his lines easy to understand even without subtitles. Additionally, his vocal tone is one of his strengths. It carries a certain magnetism—deep but not overly heavy—and is distinctive when paired with historical drama characters. Some netizens even suggest his voice is well-suited for radio dramas or voice acting. However, with only one out of six historical dramas using his original voice, his overall rate remains at 16.6%.

#9 Song Weilong – 16.6%: Deep, Attractive Voice in 'Gentleman’s Alliance,' Though Articulation Criticized; Praised in 'Like the Sun'

Song Weilong also ranks 9th with a 16.6% rate. He has starred in six historical dramas, with 'Gentleman’s Alliance' being the only one using his original voice.

Song Weilong’s original voice has long been a hot topic online. His most notable feature is his deep, magnetic voice, which is inherently charming. However, he has also faced criticism in the past for articulation issues. Some viewers noted that his words tend to blur together, especially at faster speeds, making his dialogue sound muffled. Early in 'A Love So Beautiful,' his extensive scenes with Zhang Xincheng and Tan Songyun highlighted his dialogue shortcomings when compared directly.

However, Song Weilong’s dialogue skills have improved in recent years. In works like 'Wild Dog Bone' and 'Like the Sun,' his delivery feels more natural, and the need for viewers to replay scenes to understand him has diminished. While 16.6% isn’t high, his recent original voice performances show a clear upward trend.

#8 Wang Hedi – 20%: Challenges His True Voice in 'The Night Watch'

Wang Hedi ranks 8th with a 20% original voice rate. He has starred in five historical dramas, with 'The Night Watch' being the one where he used his original voice.

Wang Hedi’s original voice issue differs from Song Weilong’s—it’s mainly his accent. Wang Hedi has a Sichuan-Chongqing regional accent. In his breakout hit 'Love Between Fairy and Devil,' dubbing was used, so viewers rarely heard his real voice, creating a disconnect between the character’s voice and his own.

In 'The Night Watch,' Wang Hedi used his own voice extensively in a major historical drama role for the first time, putting his dialogue skills under direct scrutiny. Some viewers noted improvement in pronunciation, rhythm, and emotional control. Others, however, felt his accent and vocal intensity still need refinement.

Nevertheless, transitioning from dubbing to original voice is itself a challenge to an actor’s foundational skills. Wang Hedi’s willingness to gradually increase original voice roles has raised audience expectations for his future growth.

#7 Ding Yuxi – 22.2%: 2 Out of 9 Historical Dramas Use Original Voice; Netizens Puzzled: 'Why Not Use His Voice?'

Ding Yuxi ranks 7th with 22.2%. He has starred in nine historical dramas, with two—'Seven Lucky Gods' and 'Young Magistrate of Dali Temple'—using his original voice.

In fact, Ding Yuxi’s dialogue skills have long been praised. In modern dramas like 'Moonlight Variations,' he frequently used his original voice, delivering stable, emotionally rich performances with clear articulation. Even in emotionally intense scenes, he rarely mumbled or wavered in tone.

What puzzles viewers is why he still uses dubbing so often in historical dramas. After hearing his original voice in behind-the-scenes footage, many fans believe his dialogue skills are more than sufficient for historical roles. Some even openly question, 'His original voice is clearly great—why does the production team still dub it?' In 'Seven Lucky Gods,' Ding Yuxi’s original voice left a strong impression. While his current rate is only 22.2%, if he continues to increase original voice usage in future historical works, his ranking could rise significantly.

#6 Chen Xingxu – 33.3%: 1 Out of 3 Historical Dramas Uses Original Voice; Deep Voice in 'Starfall凝成糖' Becomes a Defining Trait

Chen Xingxu ranks 6th with a 33.3% original voice rate. He has starred in three historical dramas, with 'Starfall凝成糖' being the one where he used his original voice.

Many viewers know Chen Xingxu from 'East Palace,' but that breakout role used dubbing. In 2023’s 'Starfall凝成糖,' viewers were widely exposed to his real voice for the first time, sparking much discussion.

Interestingly, there wasn’t much negative feedback on his dialogue itself. Chen Xingxu’s articulation is clear, his voice strong, and his delivery rhythmic—his fundamentals are actually quite solid.

The real discussion point was his vocal quality. Chen Xingxu’s natural voice is deep and rich, even carrying a mature, righteous tone. This voice suits historical dramas, crime procedurals, or realistic genres well, but in xianxia (immortal heroes) dramas, some viewers felt it lacked the lightness and ethereal 'immortal aura.' In other words, the issue isn’t that Chen Xingxu can’t deliver lines—it’s that his vocal characteristics may not fully align with certain historical drama character styles.

#5 Zeng Shunxi – 36.3%: 4 Out of 11 Historical Dramas Use Original Voice; Non-Conservatory-Trained, Yet Remarkably Stable in 'Moon Scales Qi Ji'

Zeng Shunxi ranks 5th with a 36.3% original voice rate. He has a large number of historical drama leads—11 to date—with four—'Seven Nights of Snow,' 'Lotus Pavilion,' 'Tian Geng Ji,' and 'Moon Scales Qi Ji'—using his original voice.

Zeng Shunxi’s original voice performances are generally well-received. His articulation is clear, his voice strong, and he rarely suffers from weak delivery or mumbled words. More importantly, he adjusts his tone based on character emotion, rather than just reciting lines.

This is especially crucial in historical dramas, where dialogue often demands more attention to rhythm, tone, and pauses than modern dramas. If an actor simply reads lines word by word, the character loses emotional depth.

In works like 'Lotus Pavilion' and 'Tian Geng Ji,' Zeng Shunxi’s handling of character emotions through voice is evident. Additionally, Zeng Shunxi is fluent in Cantonese and previously used his original Cantonese voice in 'Line Walker 3,' earning praise. Though not traditionally conservatory-trained, his dialogue fundamentals already surpass many of his peers.

#4 Zhang Linghe – 37.5%: 3 Out of 8 Historical Dramas Use Original Voice; 'Zhu Yu' Went Viral, But Used Dubbing

Zhang Linghe is a highly discussed name on this list, ranking 4th with a 37.5% original voice rate. He has starred in eight historical dramas, with 'Ning An Ru Meng,' 'Yun Zhi Yu,' and 'Si Hai Chong Ming' using his original voice—three out of eight.

Notably, 'Zhu Yu,' the 2026 drama that catapulted Zhang Linghe to even greater fame, actually used dubbing.