BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Zhou Dongyu, the starlet in Zhang Yimou's drama "Under the Hawthorn Tree", has been cast as a lead for Stanley Kwan's upcoming romantic film, "Ta De Guo" ("His Kingdom"), according to the Guangzhou Daily.

The newspaper cited Kwan as saying that 19-year-old Zhou is a perfect candidate for the role, Niba, who is supposed to be clean and pure.

Zhou was a high school student when she was chosen to star in Zhang Yimou's "Under the Hawthorn Tree", which was her acting debut. She rose to stardom soon after the film's release, in September, 2010.

"His Kingdom", an adaptation of Han Han's best-selling novel of the same name, will center on the love stories of a young man living in a small town.

Director Kwan says singer-actor Juno Mak will play the protagonist, but he is yet to announce the other female lead.

Rumors have it that Kwan is deciding between Kwai Lun-mei and Zhang Yuqi.

Filming will begin in June.