C-Drama Fans Are Hoping Leo Wu Will Be on the Cast of Nirvana in Fire Season 3

Leo Wu, known by his Chinese name, Wu Lei, became a household name in China when he portrayed the role of Fei Liu in the massively popular wuxia drama, Nirvana in Fire season 1, released in 2015. It was the same year that Wu Lei starred in another sports drama hit, Whirlwind Girl.

He has been acting since he was three years old and had numerous breakout roles throughout his young career. He won his most prestigious acting award in 2011 at the age of 10, The Flying Apsaras Outstanding Child Actor Award for his remarkable role as a naughty kid in Naughty boy Xiaotiao Ma. Flying Apsaras Award is one of the most prestigious and biggest acting award-giving bodies in China. 

Wu Lei as Fei Liu in Nirvana in Fire season 1

But it was really in Nirvana in Fire that Wu Lei achieved his meteoric rise to stardom and international popularity status. He eventually earned the title, "China's nation brother". Viewers began noticing his martial arts skills and his excellent portrayals in historical drama.

Wu Lei as Fei Liu and Ashile Sun

The phenomenal success of Nirvana in Fire also highlighted the unique brotherhood of Hu Ge, who portrayed Mei Changsu, the lead role in Nirvana in Fire, and Wu Lei. It was their second collaboration. Wu Lei portrayed the young Hu Ge in "The Young Warriors" in 2006 when he was only six years old.

Hu Ge and Wu Lei in Nirvana in Fire

In 2020, when the original male lead of Dilraba Dilmurat in The Long Ballad backed out from the drama due to some management issues, the production got Wu Lei as a replacement to play the male lead, Ashile Sun. 

Turns out, a perfect decision, because Wu Lei portrayed the role flawlessly. It also marked his foray into serious acting roles. Unlike other series that Wu Lei starred in after Nirvana in Fire, The Long Ballad is not an idol drama, it's a mature wuxia series where Wu Lei was playing a serious, adult role. 

Wu Lei as Ashile Sun in The Long Ballad

Most critics and drama reviewers would agree that Ashile Sun in The Long Ballad is Wu Lei's most serious drama role so far, a major milestone of his acting career. Ashile Sun is so memorable and unforgettable because it was not a typical historical drama hero, it was a character that's rarely portrayed in Chinese historical series.

You can watch tons of C-Drama historical male leads essaying the role of a Han dynasty prince, a Tang dynasty, or a Qing dynasty Crown Prince but not so much about a nomadic prince or a grassland hero from the Khaganate stock, which made Ashile Sun's character a rare commodity in a C-drama. 

Wu Lei as Ashile Sun in The Long Ballad

The Ashile tribe in The Long Ballad was based on the Ashina tribe, a nomadic royalty in the grasslands that rose to power during the early period of the Tang dynasty in the early 7th century. Ashile Sun was based on the character of one of the nephews of the tribal Ashina leader, the Great Khan.

Dilraba Dilmurat and Wu Lei in The Long Ballad

Wu Lei really did his best to give justice to the role of Ashile Sun. And he nailed it! Now, drama fans are realizing how much the teenage Fei Liu in Nirvana in Fire has grown up into a young hot guy.  

He is more than ready to go on serious adventures in the martial arts world, not just in the idol drama genre where the storyline is merely to tickle teenagers' fantasies. Wu Lei deserves better than that.

Dilraba Dilmurat and Wu Lei taking the lead roles in The Long Ballad

After portraying the role of Ashile Sun in The Long Ballad, most drama fans are hoping Wu Lei will star in a more serious historical drama to see his mature evolution in acting. 

And that's why some drama fans are hoping and keeping their fingers crossed Wu Lei would be included in the lead cast of Nirvana in Fire season 3.

As one of the original cast members of Nirvana in Fire drama franchise, nothing is more exciting than to hear he would be in the next installment of the series. 

Nirvana in Fire season 1

Nirvana in Fire season 2

We heard Nirvana in Fire season 3 is currently in the initial stage of developing the script. No cast members have been announced yet. But some are hoping the production would get Wu Lei to play the main role. 

While others are not comfortable seeing Wu Lei portraying a more mature role (Hu Ge was already 32 when he played the role of Mei Changsu, the male lead in Nirvana in Fire), some are arguing that Wu Lei is already seasoned in his acting craft to play more serious roles in a high-quality wuxia drama.

Wu Lei as Ashile Sun in The Long Ballad

But it seems whoever takes the lead role in a Nirvana in Fire sequel is badly criticized. For instance, Huang Xiaoming, who played one of the main roles in season 2, was lashed out by viewers and critics for his mediocre portrayal (although in our opinion Huang Xiaoming did justice to the role). We're hoping the reception would be different for Wu Lei.

The storyline of Nirvana in Fire season 2 is not a continuation of season 1 also. The story picked up years after the events in Nirvana in Fire season 1. So it would be most likely also that season 3 is not related to Nirvana seasons 1 and 2 and could be a different plot.

Wu Lei as Ashile Sun in The Long Ballad

Hope fans will stop associating the chronological age of actors in taking drama roles. Age is not really a huge factor in portraying a role. It's the capability of the actors to play the role effectively that always makes a big difference. And Wu Lei is already capable of taking any serious roles in the wuxia genre. 

Though still young, Wu Lei is considered a veteran already in the industry. He has been acting since he was six years old and has been in different types of roles, so he is more than prepared now to take a level-up wuxia hero role.

Yes! Petition for Wu Lei to play the lead role in Nirvana in Fire 3! All Wu Lei fans are hoping for that possibility. But who would be his female lead if ever? It's up to Daylight Production (which holds the copyright of Nirvana in Fire/Langya Bang) for as long as Wu Lei is in the main cast.