Hong Kong actress Angelababy was rumored to have been unofficially blacklisted by the Chinese Communist Party following the controversy surrounding her involvement in the “Chaos Horse Show” last year. Despite gradually returning to her activities, there had been little improvement in her entertainment career. However, after a lapse of 9 months, there are now two signs indicating that she may be officially unblocked.
In April this year, Angelababy served as a presenter at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony. At that time, she who had not been seen for a long time, walked the red carpet and addressed sensitive topics such as being banned in mainland China in an interview, even bringing up her son “Little Sponge.”
Angelababy and her husband Huang Xiaoming were spotted at Paris Fashion Week last year. The couple, who attract attention with every move, were reportedly seen privately attending the “Chaos Horse Show” featuring Lisa from the Korean girl group BLACKPINK. While Zhang Jiayi was specifically named by the “Chaos Horse Show” official for attending, Angelababy was photographed leaving the event, leading to speculations. The incident caused a public outcry and Angelababy’s videos were taken down by Chinese state media CCTV.
Amid the escalating public opinion, the official account of the “Chaos Horse Show” released a statement clarifying Angelababy’s alleged attendance: “We are aware of the discussions surrounding Angelababy, unfortunately, she has never been to the ‘Chaos Horse Show.’ However, we would be happy to invite her anytime.” However, this statement sparked discontent among Chinese netizens, with some patriotic internet users calling for the boycott of Angelababy who supposedly has a preference for “idolizing Japanese and Korean celebrities.”
Subsequently, an article from Tencent News stated: “Angelababy’s controversy over attending the ‘Chaos Horse Show’ overseas has led to a significant decline in her reputation, hindering her entertainment career. She had scenes deleted from TV programs, endorsements banned, and was excluded from brand events.”
Fans noticed that in addition to Zhang Jiayi being removed from the popular drama “Good Times,” Angelababy’s scenes from the variety show “Heard It’s Delicious” were also cut. Moreover, Angelababy was absent from the first episode of the previously leaked special season of “Keep Running,” and her Weibo account with 105 million followers was temporarily restricted. Her account badge was downgraded from a red background with a gold checkmark to a yellow checkmark.
Fans had assumed that Angelababy’s entertainment career would continue to be frozen, but recent reports indicated that her drama “The Remedy of Lovesickness,” in which she plays the lead role, has been approved by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and is set to air in the latter half of this year. Furthermore, after 9 months, the good news includes updates on her public schedule, with an announcement that she will attend a brand event for “Red Dragonfly” on the 12th. These two signs indicate that Angelababy, following her divorce from Huang Xiaoming, is on track to make a comeback in her career.