- Title: Chinese movie superstar Fan Bingbing disappears amid culture crackdown
- Date: 14th September 2018
- Summary: SHANGHAI, CHINA (FILE - MAY 31, 2014) (REUTERS) FAN WALKING ONTO THE STAGE
- Embargoed: 28th September 2018 12:38
- Keywords: Iron Man Chinese actress red carpet superstar Chinese film star disappears Chinese film Fan Bingbing movie star culture crackdown tax evasion film star X-men
- Location: TAIPEI, TAIWAN AND SHANGHAI & BEIJING, CHINA
- City: TAIPEI, TAIWAN AND SHANGHAI & BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA0038XLK3LX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Fan Bingbing, an A-list Chinese movie star who has appeared in the "X-Men" and "Iron Man" film franchises, has more than 62 million followers online in China and fronted campaigns for Montblanc watches and De Beers diamonds, has disappeared.
The star's vanishing act - she dropped off the radar in June when reports started to swirl that she was involved in a probe into tax evasion in the film industry - has sparked wild speculation in China about her fate, including reports the actress had been detained.
The real-life drama has been playing out at a time when Beijing is tightening the reins on popular culture, looking to stamp out behavior seen as going against the ruling Communist Party's ideological line and co-opting movie stars, pop bands and online celebrities to endorse socialist values.
Fan Bingbing is the most prominent example. The actress, 36, is China's equivalent of Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence. She topped Forbes' China celebrity rich list last year with earnings of 300 million yuan ($43.78 million).
On the streets of Beijing, people said they knew very little about what had happened to Fan.
Reuters was unable to contact Fan. Calls to her agent went unanswered. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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