On August 26, Zhang Ziyi officially responded to the previously controversial “weight gain” photos during an event. She revealed that her previous appearance of being plump was due to intentionally gaining 10 kilograms in March and April for the filming of director Cao Baoping’s new movie “Tracing the Missing Child”.
Zhang Ziyi, whose weight has been maintained around 45 kilograms, was once seen bare-faced carrying a paper box on the street at the beginning of the year. Due to the drastic difference, netizens and passersby could not recognize her at all.
She explained that the weight gain was solely for the requirements of the character she portrayed in the new film. She played a lower-class mother who lost her child in the movie and voluntarily changed her body shape to better match the character visually and emotionally.
Responding to the previous criticism of her body, Zhang Ziyi said, “As actors, we should dedicate ourselves to what the role requires, this is the most basic professional ethics.” Now that the filming stage is over, Zhang Ziyi quickly shed the weight through disciplined fitness routines and stated that she has returned to her normal weight and body condition.
After the initial controversy and the truth came to light, netizens’ opinions on Zhang Ziyi’s appearance took a 180-degree turn.
When some netizens first saw the event photos, they questioned whether she had undergone cosmetic procedures or was aging poorly, expressing regret about her appearance. However, after understanding the reason behind her transformation, public opinion quickly shifted to praise. Many netizens now feel that Zhang Ziyi’s fuller cheeks and vibrant appearance make her look more radiant, graceful, and content compared to her previously extreme thinness and tired look.
In mid-August, a netizen captured Zhang Ziyi at the gym bare-faced, kneeling on the floor and focused on her phone. At 47, her limbs still maintain their slender lines. According to mainland media reports, she has slowed down work during the summer holidays to focus on spending time with her children, enjoying water activities and quality family time.
Around the same time, Zhang Ziyi’s investment company, “Bigfoot Investment,” transferred 23% equity stake of the mother-infant brand “Newpage One Page” operator (Shanghai Yiyue) to the Hong Kong-listed company “Shangmei Shares” for 3.045 billion RMB. With this original investment of 2.3 million over 4 years yielding over 130 times in returns, the news of “Zhang Ziyi cashing out 300 million” briefly trended on Weibo.
In the entertainment-based comment section, the most popular topic revolves around teasing Zhang Ziyi’s ex-husband, singer Wang Feng. Many netizens joked, “Now Wang Feng must be fainting in the bathroom,” and “They divorced just in time, otherwise he would have to split this 300 million.” Despite being divorced from Wang Feng for two years, it was reported that Zhang Ziyi still treats Wang Feng’s daughter from his previous marriage, “Little Apple,” as her own. Earlier this year, the two were even spotted skiing together, showing that their strong bond remains unaffected by their divorce.