Chinese costume drama The Noble has officially updated its cast lineup, becoming one of the first productions to adopt China’s newly introduced actor billing regulations.
Announced on June 16, 2026, the updated cast list places Chen Xingxu ahead of Li Yitong in the leading actor category.
The production team clarified that the order follows the new guideline of ranking actors based on the stroke count of their legal surnames.
Li Yitong, whose birth name is Li Xue, appears after Chen Xingxu under the revised system.
The update marks a notable change from the drama’s initial announcement in May 2026, when Li Yitong’s name was listed first and the cast order was labeled as having no ranking significance.
In addition to the revised billing order, several cast members have also seen changes to their roles.
Wang Hongyi, Huang Yi, and Liu Lin, who were previously introduced as lead actors, are now listed as special appearances.
Industry observers have pointed out that The Noble is among the first Chinese dramas to publicly implement the new actor credit guidelines following their release earlier this month.
The regulations were introduced to standardize cast billing practices and reduce disputes over actor rankings, commonly known as “fanwei” issues in the Chinese entertainment industry. (Overseasidol.com)
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