"Money never regrets!" "Not making money when you can is idiotic!" "To sign the contract, eat dog food or eat me!"... During this year's May Day holiday, the financial crime thriller A Gilded Game —starring Andy Lau, Ou Hao, and Huang Yi—premiered in the Chinese mainland. Its bold, provocative lines cut straight to the core of human greed, leaving a strong impact. As of May 8, the film's total box office has surged to 150 million yuan.
While audiences focus on superstar Andy Lau's latest role, eagle-eyed netizens noticed that the foreign CEO of the BlueStone Group, a longtime business ally of Lau's character Zhang Tuode, is none other than the viral TikTok influencer and The Battle at Lake Changjin actor "MacArthur." He is Jim Filbird, a "veteran foreigner" who has lived in Shenzhen for 20 years.
In A Gilded Game, Lau's character Zhang Tuode is a financial maverick dubbed the "IPO Valuation God," who clashes with ruthless executive Helen Li (Huang Yi) over ethical boundaries. At a pivotal moment when Zhang is torn between career and personal struggles, Jim's character—a financial tycoon named Wayne—calls him via video, inviting him to Switzerland to receive a lifetime achievement award from BlueStone.
However, during their meeting, as Zhang attempts to expose BlueStone's conspiracy, Wayne delivers a line that shatters Zhang's resolve: "Times have changed. Making money is all that matters now." "For your commitment to professional ethics, I can only offer my utmost respect." After hearing this, Zhang hurls the award medal onto the bar counter and storms out.
Screenshot from the WeChat video channel of Maoyan Movie
From portraying General MacArthur in The Battle at Lake Changjin to becoming TikTok's absurdist "Five-Star Critic" with millions of followers, and now sharing the screen with Andy Lau, Jim has carved out an acting career in China—one he plans to deepen further.
"This film was shot a year and a half ago. A Guangzhou agency reached out to invite me," Jim recalled about joining the project.
He shared a funny on-set anecdote: "During a bar scene, I saw someone who looked exactly like Andy Lau. I started talking to him, but he kept shaking his head and didn't understand English. I thought he was being rude." It wasn't until the real Andy Lau arrived that Jim realized the first man was a body double. "That's when I understood—Andy needs a double because fans swarm him the moment he appears. It's for his safety."
Jim praised Lau as friendly, handsome, and highly professional. "We chatted, and he was down-to-earth." He also commended the film crew's efficiency and warmth.
Jim Filbird (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Though his role is minor, Jim expressed excitement about working with Lau and hopes for more acting opportunities to solidify his identity beyond "General MacArthur."
Jim moved to Shenzhen from Los Angeles in 2006 for love while running a toy business. Though neither love nor business succeeded, he stumbled into a new life. In early 2024, his MacArthur persona went viral on TikTok, RedNote, BiliBili, WeChat Video channel, and Kuaishou, amassing 7.5 million followers. Recently, he crashed a livestream by global superstar iShowSpeed, promoting "Shenzhen Speed" in a clip that flooded social media.
As a 20-year resident, Jim calls Shenzhen "the best city in the world—it keeps me young and happy." He aims to become its hottest ambassador, showcasing its wonders to the globe.
Reporter | Cai Minling
Editor | Wei Shen, James, Shen He
