$4.2m please, Jerry Yan is back in the mainstream and asking for big bucks

Taiwanese actor Jerry Yan's stock has drastically risen since his participation in the wildly popular Chinese reality competition Call Me By Fire.

Forget that he made it onto the list of top five most dislikeable contestants. The 44-year-old is reportedly requesting big bucks for his services.

How much, you ask?

Based on a report by Taiwan's Mirror Media, a Chinese industry insider disclosed that Jerry's asking salary for a television series these days can go as high as 20 million yuan (S$4.2 million).

Of course, how much one requests and how much one receives may not be the same.

However, the fact remains that Jerry is confident enough to put his 'value' as such shows how much confidence he oozes at the minute. Before joining Call Me By Fire, it is not known how much he used to command.

Mirror Media's article also noted that his recent works have been far from impressive. Tempting Hearts, a film he starred in with Chinese actress Ren Suxi, made only NT$62 million (S$3 million) at the box office in China.

His acting career trajectory has also been under scrutiny after rumours suggest Jerry only accepts roles in "fluffy idol dramas" like his recent series Count Your Lucky Stars, where he received flak for romancing a co-star 20 years younger.

Some think that Jerry is stuck with his Dao Ming Si persona from the massively popular 2001 Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden.

Other notable celebrities enjoying a popularity boost from their participation in Call Me By Fire are Hongkongers Jordan Chan, Michael Tse, Jerry Lamb, Julian Cheung and Edmond Leung.

The quintet (or Greater Bay Area Brothers, as they are known) have been given their own variety show called Night in Wan Chai, and filming has recently begun.

ALSO READ: Jerry Yan shows off his ripped bod on new show where he romances co-star 20 years younger

amierul@asiaone.com