Being pretty isn’t always a privilege. Just ask Chinese actress Meng Ziyi.

The 30-year-old recently revealed on talk show Ifeng Talk that she was once rejected for a role simply for being “too pretty”.

Yes, apparently, in a world where looks open doors, hers slammed one shut.   

Ziyi, who rose to fame in period dramas like The Untamed (2019), Blossom (2024), and Love in Pavilion (2025), has had to deal with negative press for much of her decade-long career.

Her looks were a double-edged sword. Her hard work was overlooked and she was even labelled a "vase". 

Ziyi said during her rookie years, she lost out on a role for being “too pretty and not suitable” for it.

She was dumbfounded. “I am pretty but you can say I am not suitable for the role, or that I can’t carry it at this stage, or that you want someone more popular. I’ll accept it! But saying I can’t act because I am too pretty? That made me question — is it wrong to be beautiful?”

"Being beautiful shouldn’t be a sin!” she added.

The internet was divided over Ziyi's remarks.

While some netizens supported her, others were skeptical, speculating that it was just a polite way of rejecting her.

“Maybe her acting wasn’t good enough and the producers just wanted to let her down easy,” suggested one user.

Another said: “There are so many beautiful women in showbiz. Her looks aren’t that out of this world.”

Maybe Ziyi should take what the producers said about her with a pinch of salt?

The Princess's Gambit

Photos: Meng Ziyi/Weibo, 非常道