When the aspiring actress Zhang Yu decided she wanted to blow
the whistle on some of China's top TV and film-makers - those who
have demanded sex in return for roles in their soap operas and
movies - she chose the internet to make her case.
Zhang says she won all her roles through sleeping with the
directors, assistant directors or men in charge of casting. She
also made films herself - of the casting couch sessions. Then she
rocked the film and TV world by releasing 20 graphic sex videos of
her and a host of big names.
The videos are an insight into how China's casting couch works
and millions of Chinese have logged on to the websites, prompting a
debate over what is justifiable content on the Web.
"Why should a woman suffer in silence and bear with all the
unfair treatment?" Zhang asks in her blog. "If you have to mix with
beasts and snakes and you are not venomous, how shall you
survive?"
She has little legal ground for complaint, as all of the videos
show scenes between consenting adults, but her actions are still
causing a huge stir in China.
Some internet users are shocked that household names would abuse
their positions so shamefully, while others have merely had their
worst fears confirmed about how things work in the film business.
Shocked or saddened, in their hundreds of millions they are logging
on to the websites showing the clips.
It has certainly helped to boost the profile of the actress, and
the top Chinese website Sina.com has a section devoted to Zhang,
who had few major roles to her name before she started her campaign
against the casting couch.
Zhang, 30, comes from a poor farming community in Hubei
province, and insists the reason she is exposing the Chinese
casting couch is because she wants to uncover what is referred to
as the industry's "hidden rule", and thus challenge the
powers-that-be who exploit young women.
She had complained for years that certain directors and
producers demanded sexual favours from unknown young actresses in
exchange for plum roles, but no one was listening.
She started making the accusations in 2002, saying that a
director had asked her to arrange sex for him with another actress
in exchange for a movie role. The director's defence was that he
was drunk and couldn't remember the incident. It blew over.
The casting couch is nothing new in China, no more than it is in
other film industries. Many in this tale have referred to the
"hidden rule" - confirming the widespread existence of the casting
couch - but insist on silence regarding further details. "We the
Chinese women have suffered so much humiliation in the past, but
nobody dares to talk about it," Zhang said in an interview. "They
are scoundrels, they don't care, and they always say the same
thing, 'Zhang Yu, you don't have a future if you do this.' They all
say the same thing. What does it mean? Even if you do that, we are
not afraid. On the contrary, we can ruin you."
Zhang is now reportedly writing an autobiography called Days in
Showbiz. There are a quite a few worried people around.
When the aspiring actress Zhang Yu decided she wanted to blow
the whistle on some of China's top TV and film-makers - those who
have demanded sex in return for roles in their soap operas and
movies - she chose the internet to make her case.
Zhang says she won all her roles through sleeping with the
directors, assistant directors or men in charge of casting. She
also made films herself - of the casting couch sessions. Then she
rocked the film and TV world by releasing 20 graphic sex videos of
her and a host of big names.
The videos are an insight into how China's casting couch works
and millions of Chinese have logged on to the websites, prompting a
debate over what is justifiable content on the Web.
"Why should a woman suffer in silence and bear with all the
unfair treatment?" Zhang asks in her blog. "If you have to mix with
beasts and snakes and you are not venomous, how shall you
survive?"
She has little legal ground for complaint, as all of the videos
show scenes between consenting adults, but her actions are still
causing a huge stir in China.
Some internet users are shocked that household names would abuse
their positions so shamefully, while others have merely had their
worst fears confirmed about how things work in the film business.
Shocked or saddened, in their hundreds of millions they are logging
on to the websites showing the clips.
It has certainly helped to boost the profile of the actress, and
the top Chinese website Sina.com has a section devoted to Zhang,
who had few major roles to her name before she started her campaign
against the casting couch.
Zhang, 30, comes from a poor farming community in Hubei
province, and insists the reason she is exposing the Chinese
casting couch is because she wants to uncover what is referred to
as the industry's "hidden rule", and thus challenge the
powers-that-be who exploit young women.
She had complained for years that certain directors and
producers demanded sexual favours from unknown young actresses in
exchange for plum roles, but no one was listening.
She started making the accusations in 2002, saying that a
director had asked her to arrange sex for him with another actress
in exchange for a movie role. The director's defence was that he
was drunk and couldn't remember the incident. It blew over.
The casting couch is nothing new in China, no more than it is in
other film industries. Many in this tale have referred to the
"hidden rule" - confirming the widespread existence of the casting
couch - but insist on silence regarding further details. "We the
Chinese women have suffered so much humiliation in the past, but
nobody dares to talk about it," Zhang said in an interview. "They
are scoundrels, they don't care, and they always say the same
thing, 'Zhang Yu, you don't have a future if you do this.' They all
say the same thing. What does it mean? Even if you do that, we are
not afraid. On the contrary, we can ruin you."
Zhang is now reportedly writing an autobiography called Days in
Showbiz. There are a quite a few worried people around.
(China Daily via The Independent December 2, 2006)