We haven’t talked much about Zhang Ziyi in a few years. I think she made an effort to have a lower profile after the Chinese tabloid stories about her very, very alleged “prostitution” blew up in 2012. The story was that she was being paid for some sexual services by some higher-ups in the Communist Party in China, and that she paid no taxes on that income. She completely denied those accusations and then… nothing much happened in the Western media. Word is that she splits her time between China and America now, and she’s currently engaged to Chinese rocker Wang Feng. Now we have another explanation for why she’s been so quiet in the past year especially: she was secretly pregnant! Zhang announced the birth of her daughter over the weekend.
It’s a girl! Actress Zhang Ziyi, best known for her role the Academy Award-winning movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, posted a picture of two adult hands holding a baby’s hands online Monday to announce the birth of her daughter. “December 27th, 2015, you, me, her … With the birth of this little life, we have our own family,” she wrote on Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblogging site. “Everything went safely and smoothly. Infinite gratitude!”
Ziyi’s manager later confirmed that the actress had indeed given birth. Other details, including the baby’s name and birthplace, have yet to be revealed. However, reports claimed Ziyi gave birth in the United States. This is the first child for Ziyi and the third for Chinese rock musician Wang Feng, who has two daughters from previous marriages. Feng reposted their daughter’s birth announcement on his Weibo account shortly after Ziyi. “The dust settles, spring begins and flowers bloom,” the 44-year-old Voice of China judge wrote.
The new parents got engaged in February when Wang proposed to Ziyi by delivering a diamond ring via drone at her 36th birthday party.
Ha, an engagement ring delivered by drone. Crazy. If Wang Feng is as big of a deal as I think he is, then they probably wanted to keep the pregnancy pretty quiet so that they wouldn’t be accosted by his crazy fans. I also wonder if this is a big deal culturally in China, that Wang and Zhang had a baby without being officially married, and whether that’s why Zhang probably gave birth in America versus China. Oh well! Congrats to them.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Getty.
Congratulations! I adore her. Lovely.
Smh, stories like this always disappoint me…
I mean, how does this woman manage to look so young after all these years?! God! Next you’ll write a post about how she gained a pound during her pregnancy and the baby came out with a sneeze during her delivery.
(Just to be clear I’m joking, congrats to her and the Father!)
I dont have a huge opinion on her birth & boyfriend, but she is SO STUNNING, like I watched House of Flying Daggers a few days ago with family and realized that movie was 11 YEARS AGO (2004) and she looks exactly the same!! I hope I age as well as her, lol (very doubtful)
Yes. I dropped in to say that they are a gorgeous couple.
whoa i didn’t even know she had a new dude, wasn’t she with some big time Euro business type? … I mean good for her preternaturally beautiful self and whatnot!
Yeah I thought that’s where this story was going with the European dude being the Father, but hey, how much do I keep up with Chinese gossip?
I love that about lainey, she’ll give good dish and Honestly the Chinese Stars gossip over there is kinda Grade A
From what Lainey wwrote, you don’t become an A-list female entertainer in China without doing some favours to the party.
I never know how much to absorb from Lainey. Hong Kong is not China. And one time I emailed her to correct her translation. Since it was super basic, that gave me pause (I don’t think she reads Chinese very well).
Which dialect? Afaik she speaks cantonese but I think (realy ot sje) she wriot she’s not great at it, there was sth once about her nither translating some tv programme to her I think…
I felt bad when the whole “prostitution” scandal came out, because Ziyi wouldn’t have had a choice in the matter.
I’ve read this in other articles too, sounded like she didn’t really have much choice in the matter.
There are plenty of celebs in this country, A-list and others, who maintain a considerably lucrative sideline of doing “favors” for wealthy foreigners.
Besides the child automatically being a U.S. citizen by being born on U.S. soil, from what I understand Chinese law would not have been kind to this infant if she had been born in China. For starters, in China your household registration (“hukou”) is extremely important as it determines where you can live, if you can go to school, what welfare benefits you can get, etc. Out-of-wedlock children are often excluded from obtaining a hukou through either parent (although in some cases if a parent pays a big fine and agrees to sterilization/birth control the government might issue one). Plus, since Wang Feng already has two children, this third child might have forced the family planning authorities to fine or punish him, if only to make an example of him. However, the Chinese government are a wee bit more tolerant of children born to Chinese citizens in foreign countries and do not necessarily punish violations of the one-child policy that occur overseas. But from what my clients have told me over the years, having a child out of wedlock is still considered scandalous and irresponsible by many people in China, even if the parents are rich and famous.
Anyway, I hope all goes well for them and the baby is healthy and happy.
Yasssss….u r correct about hukou. But I imagine Zhang Ziyi could circumvent it as the wealthy are wont to do.
I thought it was interesting that she gave birth in the US, because hasn’t there has long been word that the Chinese government was very concerned about her stardom, and her potentially leaving China?
Having kids out of wedlock seems like a celeb thing these days in Asia (see Dee Hsu). Also, it’s very common for Asian parents to head over to the US to give birth. They love the fact their kid has US citizenship.
They love the security of knowing that when the child turns 21 s/he can sponsor the parents for a U.S. green card. You never know when the party might ramp up Cultural Revolution II!
One child policy was just lifted in China just recently, a month or two ago.
But the registration/ assignment thing is very important. Fixing that issue would probably require some additional “favors”. Ughhh.
That’s so funny, I had the strongest craving to watch Memoirs of a Geisha yesterday.
Although to be honest, the scenes I played in my head were of Gong Li. Sorry.
I read a NYT article that said wealthy Chinese women often have babies in the USA to get their children citizenship.
The law really needs a hard, hard look.
The local channel in SF/Bay Area did a report on this a few months ago.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-booming-business-of-u-s-birth-tourism/
It’s a fairly common practise in China, along with going to Saipan (it’s a US island a few hours away from the Chinese mainland that doesn’t require a visa to visit).
(Ftr, Zhang Ziyi got her start in international movies by sleeping with Jackie Chan. It’s fairly well known in the Hong Kong entertainment scene.)
She’s asian, we age very well 🙂
Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh look amazing as well
This lady sure has been able to remain at the top for many years solely on the power of two film roles. Honestly, who outside of China can name more than 2 movies she’s been in which were international hits? I’ve been a big fan of Asian cinema for a long time so I even remember her in first film The Road Home. But really when it comes to international audiences she’s really only known for Geisha and Crouching. She must have amazing PR.
The guy she was with before wasn’t European, he was Israeli. Together for several years and then she broke their engagement because they wanted different things. I think she wanted kids and he was older and didn’t want them.
She’s also know for House of the Flying Daggers and Rush Hour 2
Honestly she’s quite average in the look department if you ever come across Chinese films produced in China (which my country has repeated showing due to our strong influence from Chinese culture). Compared with another actress for international consumption for example Shu Qui is much more charming and exudes star appeal.
I agree, Shu Qui is much more appealing. Her new movie The Assassin is great.
Shu Qi turned down Crouching Tiger because the stunts looked too hard. She’s never been keen to act in the US, I think, or at least not as keen as ZZ. They’re both pretty, but not exceptional. So many prettier actresses without the cross-cultural appeal for the US. I’ve seen Angelababy (she has a German grandparent) in a few side roles in some recent HW films.
She was going out with Vivi Nevo (?), a billionaire tech/media investor. He was much older. Then there were all these rumours in the (highly unreliable) Canto press about him having HIV and then they broke up. She’ll look 15 until she’s 55, I swear.
Mazel tov!