Recently, to meet the needs of specific social, emotional, or life situations, a large number of advertisements for 'playing the role of parents' have appeared on various Chinese social media platforms. Lawyers believe that although the behavior is not illegal, it violates public order and good morals. If actors participate in fraudulent activities for profit, it constitutes a crime.
According to a report by 'Xiaoxiang Morning News', 'temporary actors pretending to be parents' has gradually become an industry; many personal accounts and even talent agencies claim they can perform offline acting, boasting that their actors' performances are superb and trustworthy.
The most popular demands for 'parent actors' include meeting a boyfriend's or girlfriend's parents, pretending to be close family members, and various social situations. Clients have reported that actors use 'warm performances' to solve social awkwardness, and some even said their mothers praised the actors for their good attitude and personality.
Fu Jian, director of Henan Zejin Law Firm, believes that this behavior does not directly constitute a crime, but civil liability may be involved. For example, if someone hires an actor to pretend to be their parent and later marries their romantic partner, and the two later get divorced, this behavior could be considered a 'fault' and may affect the division of property and child custody. If the situation involves fraud and the actors are knowingly involved, they will be held criminally responsible.