Chinese celebrity actress Zhang Ziyi, reportedly bogged down in a love affair, sued for reputation infringement on Friday. The actress has entrusted Beijing Lu Tong United Law Firm to file the lawsuit against Gou Wu Dao Bao, a Beijing-based shopping guide newspaper for groundless reports that tarnished her reputation. Chaoyang People's Court will hear the case, according to Sohu.com.

The newspaper tags Zhang Ziyi to a scandal of money and love affair, and fabricates "Zhang the third woman destroying other's family" as well as her "split from boy friend Vivi Nevo", which are untrue, said Huang Kai, Zhang's attorney in an interview with sohu.

According to attorney Huang, he had denied the authenticity of the report about Zhang Ziyi when the writer, Wang Xiaoyu, a journalist of the shopping newspaper turned to him for confirmation and warned him of consequent legal responsibility if he insisted on publishing the article.

However, the report threatening the star's reputation and privacy was released on January 13 and became widespread.

Zhang Ziyi is currently filming her new project "The Grand Master" by Wong Kar Wai in Shenyang.

Meanwhile, Zhang's rumored fiancé Vivi Neno, absent from public sight following the rumored split-up, issued a statement via a local public relations company Thursday, expressing his support to Ziyi and anger at the rootless harmful reports.

Here is the complete version of the statement published via Sohu.com:

Statement from Vivi Nevo

January 14, 2010, Malibu, California, United States

"I have been following the recent rumors and accusations surrounding Ms. Zhang Ziyi with great disbelief. I am personally very upset to find these false and vicious rumors in the Chinese media and I completely condemn them.

I stand by Ziyi fully in these difficult times. And, if the rumors, lies, and accusations continue in the print media or online, I will take the necessary legal actions to counter them.

Ms. Zhang's and my relationship is private and personal; the media should not invade our privacy nor continue to spread rumors of a separation."