Television February 26, 2026
Why Microdramas Are Becoming Popular in Hollywood
Originating in China but now taking hold in Hollywood, microdramas are like soap operas on steroids.
“Extra” spoke with actor T.J. Wilk, who has starred in 26 of these fast-paced, “byte-sized” shows made for mobile viewing.
Wilk has become a breakout microdrama superstar with series like “Knocked Up by My Ex’s Billionaire Uncle.”
He shared, “They’re just originally derived from Chinese stories. A lot of times, they’re romance novels or they come from their history of dynasty periods.”
Wilk’s frequent co-star Lawson Greyson shared her take on the appeal of microdramas.
She told us, “The beautiful thing with microdramas is they’re going to be short bursts, so you can, like, watch two or three episodes and then you can go clean your kitchen.”
Wilk noted microdramas are known for having a “hyped up” and “extra” style.
Sam Nejad, a former contestant on “The Bachelorette,” has starred in 10 microdramas, calling it “a new way of storytelling.”
