This essay draws attention to the shifting constructions of nationally famous role models for English learners. It examines how three individuals rose to national prominence because of their association with the craze for learning English in China in the last three decades. This essay compares the constructed images of these individuals and interprets the differences in them with reference to Chinese society's individualisation process. The differences observed in the comparison reflect the evolution of Chinese society's individualisation from a process managed and monitored by the political establishment to one contested by individuals.