Zhao Wei is gradually being lifted from the 'blacklist'.

China: Zhao Wei's film is making a comeback on major video platforms, with some sources saying her return in June.

According to St Headline , Zhao Wei is showing signs of being "unbanned," as parts of her works have reappeared on Bilibili – one of China's most popular video platforms. Fans can now watch clips featuring Zhao Wei in films such as "Princess Huanzhu," "The New River of Separation," and "Painted Skin." For the past three years, videos featuring Zhao Wei have either been removed or had their faces obscured on Bilibili .

Zhao Wei sings "The Farewell Dock" in "New Farewell River". Video: *Bilibili*

On the film, book, and music forum Douban , the profile pictures for the dramas "Princess Huanzhu" and "The New River of Separation" have been replaced with images featuring Zhao Wei, instead of just other main actors, as had been the case for the past three years. Fans of the actress also discovered that some of her information on Baidu – China's largest online search service – has been restored.

However, on other video platforms, Zhao Wei's work remains hidden. A source said that Zhao Wei will gradually return to entertainment activities. She has changed her team and is currently working with several magazines for photoshoots. The actress is expected to make her comeback at the end of June.

A colleague posted a picture of Zhao Wei in 2023. Photo: Sinchew — A colleague posted a picture of Zhao Wei in 2023. Photo: *Sinchew*

The last time Zhao Wei appeared publicly was at a Fendi fashion event – a brand she was once an ambassador for – in July 2021. In August of the same year, all the films she starred in were removed from video platforms, and her name was deleted from film awards portals. Brands that Zhao Wei represented also hid or deleted posts related to her on Weibo .

According to Baidu, "banning" is a term commonly used in the entertainment and sports industries, referring to the punishment inflicted on a celebrity, such as: being banned from artistic activities or competitions due to violations of law or ethics, or having their personal information deleted from social media. In recent years, a number of prominent Chinese stars have been "banned," including Wu Yifan, Zheng Shuang, and Zhang Zhehan.

Actress Zhao Wei. Photo: Elle — Actress Zhao Wei. Photo: *Elle*

Authorities have not yet announced the reason for punishing Zhao Wei. The actress was once one of the "Four Great Actresses" of Chinese cinema. Xinhua noted that she is among the few Chinese female artists who have achieved success in all three fields: film, television, and music. She rose to fame across Asia through a series of films including *Princess Huanzhu* , *The New River of Separation*, *Painted Skin*, *Shaolin Soccer*, and *The Unrivaled in the World *.

Since 1999, she has started investing and establishing companies in various sectors. In 2019, Zhao Wei and her husband, Huang Youlong, had a net worth of 4.5 billion yuan (US$695.2 million), ranking them the 912th richest people in China, according to the economic and financial website Hurun .

As reported by St Headline (in England)

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