Fan Bingbing Reflects on Her Comeback After 7 Years: “Every Hurdle Was Difficult, But I Overcame Them All”

To say that the past few years have been challenging for Fan Bingbing would be an understatement.

Once one of China’s biggest stars, the actress saw her flourishing career come to a halt after she was embroiled in a tax evasion scandal in 2018, which led to her being banned from acting and producing in her home country.

Since then, Bingbing, 44, has relocated to Hong Kong, focused on her beauty brand, Fan Beauty, and developing her career overseas — and things are looking up.

Last year, she was appointed as a goodwill ambassador for Visit Melaka Year and also starred in Malaysian film Mother Bhumi. Her performance earned her a Best Actress nomination at the Golden Horse Awards, which will be held on Nov 22 in Taipei.

Recently, Bingbing took to Weibo to share her reflections on her journey back from the scandal.

Posting a photo of herself smiling with one hand covering her eyes, she wrote: “It’s been seven years — every hurdle was difficult, but I’ve overcome them all! Life has truly trained me to become a resilient woman. I’m proud that our entire team made such a great film! Love every one of you.”

Many friends and netizens flooded the comment section with supportive messages, with one writing, “Even greater blessings are yet to come.”

In an earlier interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bingbing revealed she was away from the Chinese film scene for five years, during which she struggled to find roles. Yet, she described that time as a “gift.”

“It opened a new window for me. I got to encounter subjects and collaborators I’d never have met otherwise, and discovered new creative impulses,” she said.

“Those five years allowed me to pause, absorb, reflect, and learn — to understand life more deeply.”

Fan also reflected on the resilience she gained from adversity: “Hitting the lowest point gave me resistance, courage and new emotional depth — anger, helplessness, pain — all of which become fuel for an actor. 

Speaking about the current state of China’s cinema, Bingbing lamented the lack of  diversity in the industry.

“Audiences now prefer short online dramas — one-minute episodes they can binge while on the toilet! People no longer have the patience to sit quietly in a dark cinema and dream. It’s a great loss, not just in China but worldwide,” she said.

Looking ahead, she admitted that if she ever gets the chance to act in China again, she hopes to take on a project that allows her to “truly feel something for the character.”