Beijing cracks down on Chinese film stars’ massive paychecks – but only after online storm over Fan Bingbing’s salary
Authorities announced last week that actors’ compensation would be capped at 40 per cent of production costs
China’s influence in the global film market continues to grow, and the country is on pace to top North America in box office receipts by 2020. But with that growth has come a more pernicious side, in the eyes of Beijing officials.
In an effort to lure idol-struck audiences, Chinese studios are chasing A-list stars with eye-popping salaries, something that the government has said cannot be morally justified.
Authorities announced last week that actors’ compensation would be capped at 40 per cent of production costs – but only after uproar online after claims emerged that China’s biggest celebrity, actress Fan Bingbing, was implicated in tax-dodging dual-pay schemes known as “yin-yang contracts”.
The China Alliance of Radio, Film and Television issued guidelines in the fall with the same salary cap for actors, but they were apparently ignored by the industry.
When you rub their face in manure, they have to do something
Yin-yang contracts – so named for having two different but interconnected parts, one public and one under the table – also have been an open secret in China’s film and television industry for years.
