Zhang Ziyi Reaches Settlement Regarding Libelous $100 Million Prostitution Claims

Actress settles legal case against U.S. media organization

By Brett Malec Dec 18, 2013 5:56 PMTags
Zhang Ziyi Wang Longwei

Zhang Ziyi has finally settled her legal case against a U.S. media website that accused her of prostitution.

The Beijing-born Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon actress reached an undisclosed agreement with Boxun News, who Ziyi sued last year for publishing libelous reports claiming she was paid up to $100 million to have sex with Chinese government officials (via THR).

Boxun removed the articles from their site and apologized to Ziyi in a written message, writing, "In a series of articles published beginning in May 2012, Boxun News reported negative and untrue information about Chinese movie star Zhang Ziyi, including that she slept with wealthy and powerful men for presents and money. These false reports about Zhang Ziyi should never have been published."

The message continues, "As a result, Boxun News now renders its unreserved apology to Zhang Ziyi, has removed the entire series of articles about Zhang Ziyi from the Boxun News website, and issues this formal retraction. Boxun News regrets the publication of these articles and any distress Zhang Ziyi may have suffered as a result of the articles."

Last year, when Ziyi, 34, filed the lawsuit, her attorney John Mason told E! News, "Zhang Ziyi is not a prostitute, never has been a prostitute, never met this person that she's alleged to have this very expensive sexual relationship with."

Boxun's original story in the libelous series of articles linked Ziyi to Bo Xilai, a former prominent Chinese politician imprisoned for corruption.

"They don't even have a photograph or a statement from anybody that she ever met him," Mason said of the claims on Ziyi's behalf. "People put stories out there often enough just to get attention, just to get more readers...This is outrageous in its face in the way it was intended to damage her career. You don't call somebody a prostitute and allege multimillion-dollar sex acts without having some evidence."