China’s entertainment industry is facing a “winter” for film and television, with actor fees drastically shrinking industry-wide. From A-list stars to grassroots extras, no one is immune. Male actors, because of their higher commercial value, see comparatively stable pay, whereas female actors’ compensation has been cut sharply. For top-tier post-95s female stars, their pay has dropped by over 75%. The rapid development of AI technology has also, to some extent, disrupted the traditional ecosystem.
Regarding the phenomenon of a steep drop in performer fees, industry insiders suggest this is mainly the result of multiple factors, including regulation, the retreat of capital, and technological innovation. China’s National Radio and Television Administration strictly controls the proportion of actor salaries—lead actors’ pay must not exceed 70% of the total production salary, and projects in violation will not pass review. In addition, the number of long-format dramas in production has dropped significantly, with more funding flowing into short dramas and AI-generated content. The production cost of AI short dramas is only 10% to 20% that of live-action dramas, and they can generate large amounts of content in a short time, resulting in an 80% decrease in live-action short drama production.
Moreover, gender disparity has become a point of focus. Male actors enjoy relatively stable compensation due to their higher commercial value, whereas female actors’ pay has been drastically cut. Data shows that for leading male actors aged 40 to 50, their pay per starring role is now only 30% of their peak, dropping from 50 million yuan per project to about 15 million yuan (approximately 28.96 million to 8.69 million MYR); for top post-95 female stars, their remuneration has plummeted by over 75%. For some, their per-project asking price has fallen from 80 million to 20 million yuan (about 46.35 million to 11.58 million MYR).
However, this sharp reduction in actor pay has not drawn broad public sympathy. Some netizens point out that even after such cuts, the per-project income of A-list actors is still higher than the annual profits of 15% of 500 listed companies, making for a huge gap with ordinary white-collar workers’ monthly wages. Additionally, the struggles of grassroots extras have drawn attention—their daily wage is just 80 yuan (about 46 MYR) with an arrears rate as high as 60%. Many extras have been forced to become food delivery workers or drivers. Opportunities for new actors have shrunk dramatically, and the problem of an industry talent gap is gradually emerging.
Source: ETtoday Star Cloud