![[China] Actor and celebrity pay capped following outcry over huge wages](http://globalpayrollassociation.com/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock-LOS-ANGELES--OCT---Zhou-Xu-40456171_1200x.jpg?v=1644944423)
China has reinforced a rule capping excessive salaries for TV stars in its latest crackdown on celebrity culture following an outcry over an actress's $25million wages, Daily Mail reports.
Plans for the next five years of TV productions - released by the National Radio and Television Administration - show actors' wages capped at 40 per cent of the total production budget.
The plans, released this week, also specified that wages for a leading actor can not exceed 70 per cent of the total earnings of the entire cast, South China Morning Post reported.
The cap is the latest step in Beijing's crackdown on celebrity culture, which has included banning its celebrities from displaying their wealth on social media.
The TV salary clampdown follows public outcry in 2021 when it was revealed that top actress Zheng Shuang received $25million for appearing in one TV series.
The national authority's Beijing branch was ordered to investigate, as it was claimed the television production team had broken the cost proportion rules, according to local news reports. It was not revealed what the show's total budget was.
Shuang was also hit with a £34million fine by Beijing authorities for tax evasion between 2019 and 2020 and producers were ordered to stop hiring her.
In 2018, the television show Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace paid Taiwanese actor Huo Jianhua and actress Zhou Xun $7.8million each out of a total production cost of $47.1million.
Under the new guidance, actors and agencies who evade taxes or sign 'yin-yang contracts' - commonly used in Chinese showbiz to obscure actors' real pay - will be dealt with severely.
In December 2021, Viya - China's 'queen of livestreaming' - was fined £160million for tax evasion in Beijing's widespread crackdown on celebrity culture.
The internet celebrity’s real name is Huang Wei, she was fined for concealing personal income and other offences in 2019 and 2020, according to the tax bureau in Hangzhou.
The e-commerce livestreamer - with more than 18 million followers on Weibo and over 80 million followers on Taobao - apologised at the time.
'I'm deeply sorry about my violations of the tax laws and regulations,' she said on her Weibo account. 'I thoroughly accept the punishment made by the tax authorities.'
Viya (36) is the latest celebrity livestreamer to get caught up in a broad crackdown initially targeted at tech monopolies that went on to take aim at private education, social media platforms and the culture of celebrity.
Shanghai tax authorities fined Zheng Shuang in August for tax evasion and undeclared income between 2019 and 2020 while filming a TV series, according to an online statement.
China's state broadcasting regulator also pulled Zheng's offending TV drama and ordered producers not to hire her for future shows.
The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television announced it had 'zero tolerance for tax evasion, 'sky-high pay' and 'yin-yang contracts'.
Before the broad crackdown, tax evasion had already sunk the career of several well-known figures in the entertainment industry.
Two e-commerce livestreaming influencers were reported to be under investigation for personal tax evasion last year and together they were fined nearly 100 million yuan. Their livestreaming services have since closed.
The State Taxation Administration issued a notice in September 2021, announcing measures to strengthen tax administration in the entertainment sector, including for livestreamers.
The office said anyone who reports and corrects tax-related misdoings would be given lighter punishment or even exempt from punishment. According to state media, more than 1,000 people had taken the initiative to pay their tax arrears.
Source: Daily Mail
(Link and quote via original reporting)
China has reinforced a rule capping excessive salaries for TV stars in its latest crackdown on celebrity culture following an outcry over an actress's $25million wages, Daily Mail reports.
Plans for the next five years of TV productions - released by the National Radio and Television Administration - show actors' wages capped at 40 per cent of the total production budget.
The plans, released this week, also specified that wages for a leading actor can not exceed 70 per cent of the total earnings of the entire cast, South China Morning Post reported.
The cap is the latest step in Beijing's crackdown on celebrity culture, which has included banning its celebrities from displaying their wealth on social media.
The TV salary clampdown follows public outcry in 2021 when it was revealed that top actress Zheng Shuang received $25million for appearing in one TV series.
The national authority's Beijing branch was ordered to investigate, as it was claimed the television production team had broken the cost proportion rules, according to local news reports. It was not revealed what the show's total budget was.
Shuang was also hit with a £34million fine by Beijing authorities for tax evasion between 2019 and 2020 and producers were ordered to stop hiring her.
In 2018, the television show Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace paid Taiwanese actor Huo Jianhua and actress Zhou Xun $7.8million each out of a total production cost of $47.1million.
Under the new guidance, actors and agencies who evade taxes or sign 'yin-yang contracts' - commonly used in Chinese showbiz to obscure actors' real pay - will be dealt with severely.
In December 2021, Viya - China's 'queen of livestreaming' - was fined £160million for tax evasion in Beijing's widespread crackdown on celebrity culture.
The internet celebrity’s real name is Huang Wei, she was fined for concealing personal income and other offences in 2019 and 2020, according to the tax bureau in Hangzhou.
The e-commerce livestreamer - with more than 18 million followers on Weibo and over 80 million followers on Taobao - apologised at the time.
'I'm deeply sorry about my violations of the tax laws and regulations,' she said on her Weibo account. 'I thoroughly accept the punishment made by the tax authorities.'
Viya (36) is the latest celebrity livestreamer to get caught up in a broad crackdown initially targeted at tech monopolies that went on to take aim at private education, social media platforms and the culture of celebrity.
Shanghai tax authorities fined Zheng Shuang in August for tax evasion and undeclared income between 2019 and 2020 while filming a TV series, according to an online statement.
China's state broadcasting regulator also pulled Zheng's offending TV drama and ordered producers not to hire her for future shows.
The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television announced it had 'zero tolerance for tax evasion, 'sky-high pay' and 'yin-yang contracts'.
Before the broad crackdown, tax evasion had already sunk the career of several well-known figures in the entertainment industry.
Two e-commerce livestreaming influencers were reported to be under investigation for personal tax evasion last year and together they were fined nearly 100 million yuan. Their livestreaming services have since closed.
The State Taxation Administration issued a notice in September 2021, announcing measures to strengthen tax administration in the entertainment sector, including for livestreamers.
The office said anyone who reports and corrects tax-related misdoings would be given lighter punishment or even exempt from punishment. According to state media, more than 1,000 people had taken the initiative to pay their tax arrears.
Source: Daily Mail
(Link and quote via original reporting)