90yo veteran actor Niu Ben lost 66yo son Wang Kan, a diligent character actor. The pair stayed grounded, earned reputations via solid work, standing out in showbiz.
When news broke that 90-year-old veteran actor Niu Ben had tragically lost his 66-year-old eldest son, many were taken by surprise.
When he made a public appearance early this year, Niu Ben still stood with his back straight, and the lines at the corners of his eyes sparkled with vitality when he smiled. Everyone present praised this veteran artist—who had been in the performing arts for over seventy years—for his robust health; no one could have imagined that, not long after, he would suffer such a tragedy.
Wang Kan, the eldest son of Niu Ben, is a familiar face to audiences. He has appeared in productions such as *The Legend of Langya* and is often referred to by viewers as a “specialist in playing major-general roles.”Since entering the industry, Wang Kan has never used his father’s fame to pave his way. Even for minor supporting roles with limited screen time, he always rehearses his lines repeatedly and meticulously refines every detail of his stage movements. This down-to-earth dedication to his craft is identical to that of his father, Niu Ben.Having worked in the entertainment industry for decades, the father and son have built their reputations solely through one live-action production after another, drawing little criticism from either within or outside the industry.
On the day the tragic news arrived, no one saw Niu Ben—who was nearly ninety—shed a single tear. He had been a proud man all his life, keeping all his emotions buried deep within. Everyone around him knew that, at his age, overcoming the loss of a son was truly no easy feat.
The tenacity ingrained in their very being and the dedication to their craft—these are precisely the most moving qualities of the veteran performers whom audiences have cherished for a lifetime.In today’s industry, there is no shortage of professionals who rely on connections to take shortcuts; those like Niu Ben and his son, who have consistently remained down-to-earth and built their careers on the strength of their work, are truly rare.
If you’ve ever noticed such down-to-earth professionals in the entertainment industry, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.
