X-Men actress Fan Bingbing, who played Blink in X-Men: Days of Future Past, appears to be alive and well as she was spotted outside Beijing Airport on Monday wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap while a man with an umbrella tried to shield her.
Chinese media: Fan Bingbing seen in public https://t.co/k7vxbPoAvK
— NHK WORLD News (@NHKWORLD_News) October 16, 2018
Bingbing hadn’t been seen since June when she disappeared during a crackdown on the entertainment industry by the communist Chinese government. Not only was the government cracking down on the entertainment industry, but Bingbing was accused by state television presenter Cui Yongyuan of tax evasion. Yongyuan had a personal feud with Bingbing after the actress appeared in the 2002 film Cell Phone and was scheduled to be working on a sequel. Cui believes the film is based on his life and paints him in a negative manner.
Earlier this month, Bingbing allegedly resurfaced on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, but she hadn’t actually been seen alive until Monday. Her presence on Weibo was in response to the Chinese government stating Fan owed $42 million in late taxes and fees and that she also owed $86 million in fines.
Bingbing apologized to the communist government and the Chinese people:
“As a public figure, I should have abided by laws and regulations, and been a role model in the industry and society. I shouldn’t have lost self-restraint or become lax in managing (my companies), which led to the violation of laws, in the name of economic interests.”
Fan also admitted to the tax evasion scheme noting she “completely accepts” the decision by the tax authorities. She would go on to praise the communist government. “Without the favorable polices of the Communist Party and state, without the love of the people, there would have been no Fan Bingbing.”
Human rights advocate Michael Caster warned about China’s escalating crackdown on their entertainment industry:
“That China feels so emboldened to disappear even one of its most famous actresses … should be a real wake up call that anyone within China could be next.”
It’s good news that Bingbing is alive and well, but it’s definitely sobering knowing that the Chinese government had her disappeared for months.