“Shut Up, Idiot!”: Zhang Ziyi Scolds Netizen For Saying She Wanted Yang Mi In Her New Movie To Help Revive Her Career

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi is not one to mince her words and she most definitely will not tolerate anyone mocking or spreading baseless rumours about her.

You can read about some alleged incidents here and here.

Earlier this week, a netizen incurred the wrath of Ziyi, 45, when she posted on Weibo some gossip about the star and her upcoming thriller The Murderer, which recently wrapped production.

The netizen claimed to have heard that it was Ziyi who had asked director Peter Chan to invite Chinese actress Yang Mi to star in the movie.

The reason? It would generate more buzz for the film and in hopes revive Ziyi’s lacklustre career.

They could also make use of the alleged rivalry between Yang Mi and Zhao Liying, who also stars in the film, to stir hype.

When Ziyi caught wind of the post, she angrily retorted in English: "Not true! Shut up, idiot!".

Ziyi's unexpected response went viral, though many commented that it was not uncharacteristic of the straightforward actress to hit back.

Some also wondered why she waited so long to respond to rumours that have been circulating since filming began.

According to reports, the second female lead role, Su Qing, was passed from Yang Mi to Ni Ni, and then to Liying.

There were also rumours that Liying had snagged the role and Yang Mi was relegated to a cameo role as a female prisoner, sparking a war between fans of the actresses.

However, Peter later clarified that The Murderer features an ensemble cast and that Ziyi is the only female lead in the show.

The film, which is based on a real-life case in Shanghai in the ’40s, revolves around a woman accused of dismembering her husband.

Following Ziyi's outburst, the netizen quickly explained that it was a coincidence that the actress saw her Weibo post and this is not a coordinated attempt to divert attention.

"Zhang Ziyi is quite low-key and a good actress. Stop spreading rumours everywhere. I feel very wronged being scolded like this. I reiterate: it was purely an accident, and not a diversion like what was speculated online," the netizen wrote.

The next day, the netizen deleted the post and apologised to Ziyi, clarifying: "What I heard was that Zhang Ziyi and Yang Mi know each other and have a good relationship. Yang Mi knows many directors in Hong Kong, which is why there were such rumours."

The netizen added: "As for Zhang Ziyi's low box office numbers, I think it's because she wasn’t ambitious after getting married and didn't have many projects. After her divorce, she can revive her career with The Murderer. That's what I meant.

"Anyway, thank you Zhang Ziyi for turning the tables on me and I accept the scolding. After all, what I said was indeed unpleasant, but I believe that frank criticism is valuable. After all, it's normal to experience a downturn after being out of the limelight for so long. The Murderer is sure to revive [your career], just like The Grandmaster did. Sister Zhang Ziyi, don't be too angry."

Photos: Zhang Ziyi/Weibo, Yang Mi/Weibo