The Chinese actress Vicki Zhao, who has been labeled a “tainted celebrity”, finally saw her directorial work from 10 years ago released. However, her name has disappeared from the director credit, and the film's title has also been changed. Despite this, Zhao still supports the new film. Recently, she secretly appeared at a private screening for friends and family, but unfortunately, the box office remained sluggish, earning only 4 million RMB (about 2.32 million Ringgit) on its first day! Zhao's chance at a comeback in showbiz seems bleak; earlier reports also claimed that another nearly 10 million yuan of her assets had been frozen for three years.
Zhao Wei directed the film “No Other Love” 10 years ago, which was her second directorial project after “So Young”. Unfortunately, the film hit many roadblocks right from the start. The original lead actor, Taiwanese actor Leon Dai, was replaced due to political issues, with Geng Le taking on the role instead. Subsequently, Zhao was blacklisted as a “tainted celebrity” and banned, leaving the film shelved for ten years!
Recently, the movie was finally officially announced for release, with its title changed to “The Sting of Honey.” In the promotional poster, the director credit only lists producer and director Yuan Mei, with Zhao Wei nowhere to be seen. This sparked polarized reactions online; some netizens called for a boycott, believing “the roots of creation should be respected,” while some fans organized block bookings to support their idol. Although Zhao did not appear in the public promotion of the film, she secretly took part in a “friends and family screening,” quietly cheering herself on. A netizen shared a short clip of Zhao watching the film in the theater: she wore a baseball cap and casual clothes, and after the screening, took off her cap to greet the audience behind her. She was all smiles throughout, repeatedly saying “thank you,” showing no displeasure at her name’s disappearance, and was praised by netizens for being able to face adversity with a smile—considered strong in her own way.