Chinese Actress Zhu Rui, who has appeared in dramas such as “Infernal Affairs” and “Let Me Shine”, revealed recently that she has exhausted all her savings from the past 20 years of hard work in acting due to losses from stock investments. The 39-year-old actress admitted to facing bankruptcy and unemployment, relying on financial support from her elderly mother for daily expenses. Some netizens questioned whether she was using her situation for publicity, to which Zhu Rui responded on the 10th that after the news broke, someone reached out to help her. Although she did not disclose the identity of the person, speculation arose that it might be her friend Zhao Lusi.
In a video posted by actress Zhu Rui in early August, the content resurfaced over a week later and gained attention online. She openly talked about her financial troubles, blaming the stock market for her losses. Zhu Rui expressed regret that if she had not invested in stocks, she could have afforded luxury items like designer bags, 18k gold watches, and gold necklaces. Towards the end of the video, she choked up and shared a personal moment where she reluctantly asked her mother for 2000 yuan for living expenses, admitting how difficult it was for a 40-year-old to rely on her mother for money.
According to reports from Chinese media, Zhu Rui struggled to secure acting roles and decided to try her hand at stock trading after seeing friends and family making profits. She initially invested over 400,000 yuan and later added more than 300,000 yuan, risking her savings of 700,000 yuan accumulated over 20 years. Unfortunately, the stock market experienced a sharp decline, leading to significant losses and financial hardship for Zhu Rui.
Analyzing Zhu Rui’s video, it is evident that she mainly invested in technology stocks, particularly in the semiconductor and storage sectors. Chinese technology stocks saw substantial growth until July this year, with many prices doubling. However, by the end of June, a steep decline began, causing many stocks to plummet, with some losing up to two-thirds of their value. If Zhu Rui entered the market this year, she likely faced severe losses due to investing at a high point.
After Zhu Rui’s news of bankruptcy and unemployment went viral, some netizens questioned if she was exaggerating her situation for attention. On August 10th, she took to Weibo to address the doubts, revealing that a generous friend had offered her a job opportunity to help her through this challenging time. Zhu Rui referred to the person as a “little partner” and graciously declined excessive help, expressing her willingness to repay the favor through “unpaid work”. While she did not disclose the friend’s identity, online speculation pointed to Zhao Lusi as the potential helper.
Rumors circulated that Zhu Rui and Zhao Lusi share a deep friendship. In late 2024, when Zhao Lusi suffered a breakdown during filming and was hospitalized, Zhu Rui rushed to her side to provide support and even shared screenshots of desperate messages from Zhao Lusi seeking help.
Furthermore, both actresses previously starred together in the urban drama “Let Me Shine”. Thus, when Zhu Rui faced difficulties, 27-year-old Zhao Lusi stepped in to offer job opportunities, aligning with the description of her as a “generous friend” and the “little partner” mentioned by Zhu Rui.
Coincidentally, on August 8th, the keyword “Entertainment Industry Winter, Difficulties in Casting” trended online. A list was circulated showing nearly 60 individuals, including top-tier actors and actresses, who had not been cast in productions for a prolonged period, with Zhao Lusi also included. Commentators from the Chinese media outlet “New World of Light and Shadow” remarked that Zhu Rui might be the first fallen domino and predicted a queue of bankrupt and unemployed celebrities to emerge in the industry.