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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 26 september 2018
Mystery around disappearance of Chinese star Fan Bingbing

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN eyes and porcelain skin,
Associated Press Fan, 36, usually maintains
BEIJING (AP) — X-Men star a prominent presence
Fan Bingbing's Beijing man- on Weibo, where she has
agement office is dark and more than 62 million follow-
abandoned. Her birthday ers. Her account has been
passed almost unremarked largely dormant for weeks,
in China's hyper-adrenal- however, with a July 26
ized social media environ- "like" about a posting on
ment. her charitable foundation
For one of China's best being the last activity prior
known stars and a rising to the deletion of her birth-
Hollywood actress, Fan's day notice. Photos on so-
vanishing is stunning, com- cial media also appear to
ing amid vague allegations show her visiting a pediatric
of tax fraud and possibly cardiac ward at a Shang-
other infractions that could hai hospital for a charity
have put her at odds with event on July 1.
Chinese authorities. The strongest clue to Fan's
Fan has starred in dozens status may have been a
of movies and TV series in Sept. 6 notice posted on
China and is best known in- the website of the Securi-
ternationally for her role as ties Daily, a newspaper
Blink in 2014's "X-Men: Days published by the official
of Future Past," a cameo in Economic Daily. It stated
the Chinese version of "Iron that the local tax bureau
Man 3," and star turns on had sent a notice to Fan's
the red carpet at Cannes studio that she had been
as recently as May. She "placed under control" —
was booked to star with a legal term for being held
Penelope Cruz in the Holly- under investigation. The ar-
wood film "355" and has a In this March 21, 2017, file photo, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing poses after winning the Best ticle was later deleted from
role in the upcoming Bruce Actress Award of the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong. the website.
Willis-Adrien Brody feature Associated Press Fan's disappearance has
"Air Strike." already taken a toll on her
Yet for nearly three months, Fan's film appearances is tions. This is the real sus- entire production budget lucrative sideline as brand
Fan hasn't been seen or still turned to July. A worker pense," Shi said. and 70 percent of the to- ambassador, throwing
heard from in public in any at an office across the hall Fan's disappearance even tal paid to all the actors in those companies' plans
verifiable way. said she couldn't remem- brought a message of con- a film. into disarray. Australian vi-
One of China's wealthiest ber the last time she'd seen cern from Hu Xijin, editor of Though China has become tamin brand Swisse issued a
entertainers, Fan pulled anyone enter the compa- the Global Times tabloid the world's second-largest statement saying it was sus-
down tens of millions of dol- ny premises. known for its hard-line pro- film market, authorities pending use of her image
lars for her roles, along with Fan turned 37 on Sept. 16, Communist Party national- keep tight control on lo- and "continuing to monitor
handsome sums in appear- but only a handful of en- ist opinions. cal productions, exercis- the situation and hope that
ance fees and product en- tertainment notables sent "A timely clarification and ing final say over choice of it is resolved in the near fu-
dorsements. Some of those greetings online, a stark public notification of Fan cast, director and script. If ture."
contracts may have land- break from the past when Bingbing's status would also Fan had stepped on official British diamond giant De
ed her in hot water with the her birthday celebrations be beneficial to setting the toes, it would be a simple Beers, who signed with
authorities. were lavish, well-attended record straight internation- task to retaliate by destroy- Fang just last year, appears
Fan's name has been men- affairs, marked last year by ally," Hu wrote on his Weibo ing her career, with Chi- to have already moved
tioned in reports about a a public marriage proposal account on Sept. 15. nese authorities wielding on: Another actress, Gao
reportedly common enter- from boyfriend Li Chen. Back in June, Fan's produc- broad powers to detain, in- Yuanyuan, represented
tainment industry practice An automatic birthday tion company denied Fan terrogate and accuse citi- the company at a store
— an actor having a pub- greeting on her once-ac- had ever a signed a "yin- zens out of the public eye. opening last month in the
lic contract stating an of- tive account on Weibo, yang" contract, so named Other celebrities have run ancient capital of Xi'an.
ficial salary and a private China's main microblog- because of its dual natures. afoul of authorities over Other firms she endorsed,
contract detailing the true, ging service, was appar- Fan, her production com- drug use, excessive pay or from duty-free chain King
much higher payday. A talk ently deleted by persons pany and her agent could tax issues, said Shaun Rein, Power to Louis Vuitton and
show host, Cui Yongyuan unknown. not be reached for more managing director of Chi- Montblanc are also taking
had said in May that Fan Shi Shusi, a columnist and recent comment. Police na Market Research Group action. "
had such an arrangement commentator on Chinese rarely acknowledge such based in Shanghai. "There's a lot more risk for
— which allegedly helps popular culture, suggests investigations are taking "Then the government re- celebrities in China than
facilitate tax evasion — Fan's high profile was her place until a conclusion ally cracks down hard and in the United States, be-
and revealed details that undoing, having made her has been reached. pretty much destroys their cause the government
sparked a public outcry. a target for officials wish- Her disappearance had careers for several years takes much more of a mor-
Cui later apologized. ing to set an example for come as Chinese authori- if not forever," Rein said. al crackdown," said China
At Fan's management of- would-be tax cheats amid ties seek to rein in high sala- Companies that bet big Market Research's Rein.
fice in Beijing's Dongcheng China's slowing economy. ries for actors that can eat on a-list Chinese celebrities "So there's a greater risk for
district, doors are locked, "Such a famous actress and up much of the cost of a incur a "huge political risk," celebrities to get in trouble
the lights are out and a no one knows her where- production. In June, regu- he said. with the law and never be
calendar hanging along- abouts. And no authorities lators capped star pay at Known as a classical Chi- able to get a chance at
side posters advertising have made any clarifica- 40 percent of a TV show's nese beauty with almond redemption."q