聚光灯下的维吾尔族演员 | 新疆人在北京

近年来，越来越多的新疆维吾尔族演员成为观众眼中的焦点，古力娜扎、迪丽热巴等这些被众人所熟悉的演员不仅颜值在线，出色的演技也吸引了更多观众的青睐，为中国荧屏增添了更多的色彩。

阿卜力克木·阿卜来提 （以下简称“阿布”），来自新疆维吾尔自治区西北部的油田城市克拉玛依，毕业于中央戏剧学院。此前，他曾在乌鲁木齐当艺术生，后来怀揣着自己的演员梦想离开家三千多公里到北京，但毕业之后不久就受到了现实的打击。 

Actors and actresses from China's Uygur ethnic minority group have stepped into the limelight in recent years, bringing diversity to China's silver screen. Now resounding names in the country's entertainment industry, Uygurs like Gulnezer and Dilraba have helped audiences paying more attention to the group on stage in the country's bustling metropolises.

Among them is Ablikim Ablat, a native of Karamay in northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Previously an arts student in the regional capital Urumqi, he was enrolled in the Central Academy of Drama (CAD) – one of the country's top performing arts universities – in 2011 and traveled over 3,000 kilometers to Beijing with the dream to pursue his craft. But then reality hit.

2013年4月24日，北京，迪丽热巴和阿卜力克木在电视剧《阿娜尔罕》的开播发布会上。/图源：视觉中国

“我演过的戏几乎都是新疆题材或少数民族题材，我在大的环境下感觉到不对劲，” 阿布表示许多影视和戏剧制作团队都认为维吾尔族演员不适合演主流影视剧。

戏路窄不仅是阿布面临的问题，年轻的新疆演员更是感同身受。西尔扎提，新疆阿克苏人，也是阿布的低年级校友。“我们的优点和劣势是一样的，就是长相问题，有些导演就觉得我们只能演少数民族或者只能演阿拉伯王子、西域王子，”西尔扎提说。

西尔扎提从小就喜欢唱歌跳舞，为了报考中央戏剧学院，高中三年级的时候就自己一个人去了北京。令他惊讶的是，自己是当年唯一一个被录取的新疆籍学生，而且是他报考的音乐剧专业的第一名。

然而，毕业两年后，事业的发展并非像想象的一帆风顺。在过去的一年里，他一直为寥寥的演艺机会感到焦虑，当然，国内电影市场正处于寒冬期也是原因之一。

"Almost all the dramas I've acted in are related to subjects on Xinjiang or those of ethnic minority cultures, and I started to feel that something was wrong with that," Ablikim told us. He pointed out that many production teams cling to the notion that Uygur actors are not suitable for mainstream dramas.

Other actors hailing from the westernmost region are confronted with the same problem. "A typical Xinjiang face is an advantage and a disadvantage as well, because some directors think we can only play roles such as a prince of Persia or of an Arab country," said Xirzat, a younger alumnus of Ablikim's alma mater.

With a passion for art since childhood, Xirzat left for Beijing in the third year of high school and signed up for the college entrance examination of the CAD. Much to his surprise, he was admitted as the only Xinjiang student that year, and got first place in the university's highly competitive musical theater major.

Yet, two years after graduation, Xirzat has realized it takes a lot more than an impressive alma mater to having an acting career. He's been anxious over dwindling opportunities over the past year – coinciding with a domestic film market that has cooled down.

童年的西尔扎提/图由西尔扎提本人提供

“我希望人们可以通过我认识到维吾尔族同胞们是一群可爱的人。暴力事件其实只是少数，许多新疆城市正在达到大都市的标准。” 西尔扎提的家乡阿克苏，位于中国最大的沙漠塔克拉玛干的边缘，是新疆南部四个地区中最发达的。当地的绿化工程、苹果产业和传统中药产业为当地人带来了财富。近年来政府的反恐政策使阿克苏以及附近的喀什和和田地区也更加安全。

Xirzat used to be excited when he learned that filmmakers would look for Xinjiang actors. Later, he realized that he catered to a stereotype and thus tried to break this widespread misconception through his professionalism and good faith.

"I want people here to recognize through me that Uygurs are just as lovable. Violence is in fact a million-to-one case. Many Xinjiang cities are reaching the standards of a metropolis," Xirzat told CGTN. His hometown Aksu is the most developed among the four prefectures in southern Xinjiang, where it sits on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, China's largest. The Kekeya green project, a booming local apple industry and a traditional Chinese medicine sector have created wealth for locals. Moreover, rigid counter-terrorism policies have made Aksu and the nearby prefectures of Kashgar and Hotan safer.  

在过去十年左右的时间里，维吾尔族同胞在全国各地从事着各种各样的行业。“现在国内各行各业都有我们维吾尔族人和其他少数民族，现在生活中有我们，戏里面为什么没有，演戏演的是人物关系，体现的是真实生活，来自于生活，高于生活。那么来自于生活的过程中，哪个环节把我们忘了？”

由于出演影视剧的机会不多，阿布把业余时间投身话剧表演——话剧不是那么在乎异域长相。2011年，阿布在毕业期间参演的话剧《青鸟》里一人分饰五角，出色的表演能力成功地吸引了观众的注意，也更加让阿布证明了自己的内在能力。“因为戏路窄，许多同行都已经回到家乡发展了，我并不想因为这些外在因素就被现实击败，因为表演已经融入我的血液中。我想尝试更多不同的角色。”

正如诺贝尔文学奖获得者莫里斯·梅特林克1908年创作的剧作《青鸟》阐述真正的幸福是什么一样，阿布也在追寻幸福的道路中前进着。“我是抱有希望的人，因为我知道慢慢会好起来。”

麦尔丹和女儿在北京/图由麦尔丹本人提供

从业十多年、毕业于中央戏剧学院的导演麦尔丹对于维吾尔族演员面对的困境，也有自己的观察。“让我演任何一个角色，我从来不会考虑民族的问题。我顶多从历史的层面上去考究它的民族习惯、民族特征或者说话方式等等。这是表演技巧和学术层面的东西，”麦尔丹说。

他们留在北京，守护梦想、捍卫表演艺术的纯粹，盼望着总有一天能打破这个所谓的僵局，实现自己的价值，同时也通过自己的努力改变大众对新疆的偏见和误解。在我们跟拍结束之际，扎提拿到了一个主流电视剧的主角。

Just as we finished shooting the story, Xirzat told us that he was preparing to join the cast. "I'm a man of hope. I know everything will get better," said Ablikim. They are trying to break the mold, one play at a time, one act at a time.

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