Los Angeles, CA – March 3, 2018 – ‘Dare to think, dare to act’ – controversial Chinese-American actress, Bai Ling, returns to Chinese cinema with the #MeToo momentum from her 2005 Playboy cover that empowered the appreciation of her body.
World entertainment headlines have swarmed with recent news of controversial Chinese-American actress, Bai Ling, whose upcoming featuring in Director Tan Bing’s murder-mystery ‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’ will be her first Chinese role feature since she was banned for openly criticizing Chinese government officials 20 years ago.
Photo: From Deadline.
The Chinese-American actress was born in Chengdu, China in the midst of the hard-core Communist regime until the 1990s when Ling moved to New York to pursue acting, knowing nothing but the Chinese language and her previous Communist country.
Photo: Bai Ling as a young actress, before she left China.
Her move resulted in landing her first American roles, including ‘Anna and the King’ (1999), alongside Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-fat and her break-through role in ‘Red Corner’ (1997) opposite Richard Gere, causing an outcry due to her role as a Communist soldier in an U.S. wartime documentary, resulting the actress being banned from returning to China.
Photo: Bai Ling opposite Richard Gere in ‘Red Corner’ (1997).
As China’s ban on Ling is lifted, the past controversies will remain in the past, including her noteworthy, eccentric style and sexy image, one she full embraced when Ling was Playboy’s first Asian-actress to ever be featured on the cover in June 2005, originally to promote her role in George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars III’.
Playboy’s 2005 June cover showed Ling, holding a light saber while wearing just a few skinny leather straps around her naked body, exclusively reported Tracey You for Mail Online, suggesting to Ling’s often eccentric style and sexy image has been criticized on red carpets.
“Controversy has been accompanying the flamboyant actress along her career both in Hollywood and in China, from her daring red carpet looks to her alcohol addiction, from her bold comments to her many nipple slip pictures,” wrote You, adding Ling’s acknowledgment of past mistakes, including ones from her wardrobe.
Ling has noted her traumatic teenage years serving as an entertainment soldier for the People’s Liberation Army, reporting sexual abuse by Chinese generals. “In 2011 during American television show ‘Celebrity Rehab’, Ms. Bai revealed how she was sexually abused as a teenager by men who plied her with drink and by generals in the Chinese army. She said on one occasion, she was impregnated and had to undergo an abortion,” reported You.
Yet, landing Playboy’s 2005 June cover did more than receive world-recognition, but, “The process made me respect myself as a woman, and worship and admire my body,” Ling told You, describing her Playboy experience as “life-changing”.
Photo: Hugh Hefner from Playboy and Bai Ling.
By playing into Hollywood’s #MeToo Movement, Ling is one of the many brave standing in the spotlight, confronting the powerful elite and harnessing her individual uniqueness.
Fast-forwarding to 2018, Ling is starring in her first Chinese feature since her ban from China, Director Tan Bing’s new Chinese murder-mystery thriller, ‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’, which made its debut at Berlinale 2018 in February with representation by TriCoast Worldwide and CEOs Strathford Hamilton and Marcy Levitas Hamilton.
Produced by Jiang Xiao Yu in association with Shandong Cienyuan Culture Media Company, ‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’ follows a young policeman and local bartender (Bai Ling) on their discovery of a local painter’s mangled body found in a bathtub.
Ling says her character brings a “passion, fire, love and the feeling of romance into men’s life”.
Photo: Behind the scenes of ‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’ – from Bai Ling.
Peter White and Nancy Taraglione featured ‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’ in Deadline’s “Hot 2018 Berlin Titles: What Buyers Are Buzzing About At The EFM”.
Next to Bai Ling’s daring performance, ‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’ stars a talented cast, including Xuan Miao (‘China Salesman’), Tao Hong (‘Life Show’, ‘Death Dowry’), and Zhao Yan Guo Zhang (‘Cool Young’, ‘The Emperor and The Assassin’).
Ling will be guest starring in China’s biggest film at the moment, ‘Detective Chinatown 2’, reported You.
TriCoast Worldwide is representing ‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’ as well as Bing’s $20 million USD action-packed film, ‘CHINA SALESMAN’, featuring the highly anticipated fight scene between Aikido sensation, Steven Seagal and former heavyweight champ, Mike Tyson.
Watch ‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’ trailer here: https://vimeo.com/240219225.
‘THE FATAL CONTRACT’
Directed by: Tan Bing
Produced by: Jiang Xiao Yu.
In association with: Shandong Cienyuan Culture Media Company.
Special thanks: Tracey You for MailOnline / DailyMail U.K.
About TriCoast Worldwide:
TriCoast Worldwide is a premium international sales agent, representing the best of US and international films at all the major film markets. Sister company to TriCoast Entertainment and TriCoast Studios, the company is located at the Studio facility in Culver City, Los Angeles.
Founded by: Strathford Hamilton and Marcy Levitas Hamilton.
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