Leon Lai drama ‘The Silent Speaker’ premieres after eight-year delay

The high-budget mainland Chinese drama ‘The Silent Speaker’ (Mo Yu Zhe) officially premiered in October 2026, marking a return to television for veteran singer and actor Leon Lai. Produced with an investment of 300 million RMB, the series focuses on overseas private security and China-Africa cooperation along the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative.

The production faced significant setbacks over the past eight years, including funding issues that led to unpaid wages, the replacement of directors twice, and extended delays due to rigorous censorship processes. To achieve realism, the crew filmed on location in Morocco and constructed large-scale African street sets in China.

Audience reactions have been polarized. While viewers have praised the acting chemistry between Leon Lai and Zhang Fengyi, there has been notable criticism regarding the use of post-production dubbing. Many fans expressed disappointment that Lai’s original voice was not used, despite his fluency in Mandarin.