In 2013, Xu won the championship in a print ads modeling contests held in Guangzhou.[2] In 2016, he signed a contract with Huanyu Film, an entertainment company owned by Yu Zheng, and entered the entertainment industry.[3] He was cast in his first television series Zhaoge, where he plays Yang Jian.[4]
2018–present: Rising popularity
In 2018, Xu starred in the historical romance drama Untouchable Lovers, followed by palace drama Story of Yanxi Palace.[5][6] He gained mainstream recognition with his role as Fucha Fuheng in Story of Yanxi Palace, which was a huge hit in China and across Asia.[7]
In 2019, Xu made his big-screen debut in the romance film Autumn Fairy Tale.[8] The same year, Xu played his first lead role in xianxia drama The Legends.[9] Xu's role as a loyal and reticent demon prince in The Legends received positive reviews, and he experienced a rise in popularity.[10] The same year, he starred in the youth military drama Arsenal Military Academy.[11] His performance in the drama earned him the Best Actor award at the Hengdian Film and TV Festival of China .[12] Xu also starred in the xianxia drama Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain, based on the manhua Congqian Youzuo Lingjianshan.[13]Forbes China listed Xu under their 30 Under 30 China 2019 list which consisted of 30 influential people under 30 years old who have had a substantial effect in their fields.[14]