Fan Bingbing: Belle of the red carpet once blacklisted by Chinese media

Fan Bingbing is a Chinese actress known for her acting ability and impeccable fashion sense, which has earned her the attention of fashion magazines and news outlets such as Tatler. Her illustrious career, however, took a dramatic turn when she was blacklisted by Chinese media following a high-profile tax evasion scandal.

Let's take a look at her journey from China's darling to scandal to her comeback in 2023!

Fan Bingbing was born on September 16, 1981, in Shandong, China. The actress has been professionally trained in the art of acting since her college days at Shanghai Xie Jin Film and Television Art College and later at Shanghai Theatre Academy.

Image: China Television

Given her early entrance and training in acting, Fan Bingbing's career began early after graduating in the late 1990s, where she took on several minor roles until her big break in 1999.

Image: iQiyi

1999 was the year Fan Bingbing struck gold as she landed a supporting role in one of C-Entertainment's most famous TV series, ‘My Fair Lady’ as Jin Suo. According to Hunan TV, the success of ‘My Fair Lady’ was so huge in Asia that it instantly propelled Fan Bing Bing to stardom and ‘household name’ status.

Image: China Television

Her performance in ‘My Fair Lady’ won Fan Bing Bing many opportunities to act, which included the big screen. This allowed her to double up as a film actress in films such as ‘Cell Phone’ and ‘Lost in Beijing’ earned critical acclaim and established her as a rising star.

Her performance in ‘Cell Phone’ was an iconic and memorable moment in the year it was released, as the film not only clinched the 2004 Hundred Flowers Award for Best Film but also earned Fan Bing Bing the title of Best Actress too!

Image: Mandarin Films

Some of Fan Bingbing’s best works include ‘Bodyguards and Assassins’, ‘Ever Since We Love’, and ‘The Empress of China’.

As her fame grew, Fan Bingbing gained international recognition as she diversified into acting for Hollywood. Many know her for her role as Blink in ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ in 2014.

Image: 20th Century Fox

Despite being such a popular and famous celebrity, Fan Bingbing's personal life has earned the reputation of being rather mysterious and the subject of media speculation.

Image: Hunan TV

According to CNN, Fan Bingbing had been in a relationship with actor Li Chen since 2015 for several years and the two had gotten engaged, although they ended up separating in 2019.

Image: Hunan TV

Other than acting, Fan Bingbing is an entrepreneur and has started her own production company and beauty brand named Fan Bing Bing Studio and Fan Beauty Secret, which opened in 2007 and 2019 respectively.

In 2018, Fan Bingbing’s career took a big turn when it was alleged that she had engaged in tax evasion, where she had one contract with a lower salary for tax purposes and another with a higher salary. She was exposed by TV host and whistleblower Cui Yongyuan, according to a report by Variety.

As a result of the scandal, Fan Bingbing was heavily criticised by the media, and Chinese government investigations began. However, according to a South China Morning Sea report, the actress stated that she did not sign multiple contracts for the purpose of tax evasion and that she will fully cooperate with the authorities.

According to the BBC, the investigation revealed that Fan Bingbing had indeed evaded taxes, and authorities ordered her to pay a hefty fine as a result. During this time, Fan Bingbing was also reported to have gone missing, with speculation that she was "held in a secret location."

The scandal harmed not only Fan Bingbing's finances, but also her career. According to The Straits Times, some of the actress' work, including 'The Legend of Ba Qing,' was prevented from airing despite the fact that all scenes were completed and ready to air.

Image: Hunan TV

Fan Bingbing was also reported by the BBC to have been condemned by the Chinese government at the same time, receiving a '0% on her "social responsibility" credit, based on their new social credit ranking system designed specifically for celebrities in order to curb celebrity "misbehaviour."

Image: Huayi Brothers

Fan Bingbing abruptly issued a public apology on Weibo after months of absence, expressing regret for her actions. According to Variety, many netizens were moved by the gesture, with some expressing relief that the actress was in good health..

In 2019, Fan Bingbing made her long-awaited return to the public eye and the entertainment industry by resuming her role as a fashion diva, gracing the covers of several magazines. According to Deadline, her previously cancelled drama 'Win the World' was finally allowed to air in the same year.

Fan Bingbing had even managed to be cast in two new films in Hollywood in 2019, ‘The 355’ and ‘The King’s Daughter’.

Image: Universal Pictures

However, despite her reputation as a great actress in China, Fan Bingbing’s performance in the west was less than stellar. Her performances in ‘The 355’ and ‘The King’s Daughter’ had unfortunately earned her nominations for the Golden Raspberry Awards.

Image: Universal Pictures

Despite losing her acting mojo in recent years, Fan Bingbing's international influence remains strong, with her fashion choices and red-carpet appearances enthralling audiences all over the world. According to CNN, the actress has become the darling of Asian fashion designers.

Her presence at the Cannes film festival in 2023 undoubtedly caused a commotion. According to CNN, Fan Bingbing not only charmed people on the red carpet but also netizens online. Her appearance has earned her praise from Chinese netizens on Weibo, who appear to have gained a newfound respect for her iconic comeback.

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