Academic paper by top China actress triggers ability debate, bribery claims debunked
- Writing for academic journals requires strong skills, substantial research, mentorship, critics ask if actress had time and ability to do so
Yang Mi, one of China’s most renowned actresses, faced a backlash after writing an article on acting for a prestigious academic journal.
She was accused of using a ghostwriter and urged her to “focus on improving her acting skills.”
Yang, a household name in China with 113 million followers on Weibo, is celebrated for her roles in major television dramas such as Chinese Paladin 3, Palace 1, and Eternal Love, which were all national sensations.
The controversy arose on June 21 when the official website of the China Federation of Radio and Television Associations announced that their publication, China Radio & TV Journal, would feature an article authored by Yang in an upcoming issue.
Titled, A Brief Discussion on Actors’ Creative Habits in TV Dramas, the piece draws from her role in the series In the Name of the Brother, which premiered in April on the mainland, and in which Yang plays a spy.
The issue has yet to be officially published.