Chinese actress Li Xiaolu, labelled as reputation-destroying, saw her career and marriage impacted by an extramarital affair. - Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo
BEIJING: Chinese actress Li Xiaolu is described by many, including herself, as “a person who destroyed her own reputation” after her extramarital affair ruined her blossoming career and marriage some years ago.
Beijing-born Li, 42, whose father is a film director and mother is an actress, began acting in films at the age of three.
She starred in the film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl directed by Chinese-American actress and director Joan Chen and won the prestigious Golden Horse Best Leading Actress Award at the age of 17.
Li was reported to hold grudges against Chen as she found the film misleading others to think she did nudity, despite the scenes using a body double. She later denied the reports.
Li returned to the spotlight in the 2000s as a successful TV drama actress, starring in multiple hit series such as All the Misfortunes Caused by the Angel (2001) and Struggle (2007).
In a 2017 speech, Li said she was living up to the three life goals she wrote down after the Golden Horse award win – making a phenomenal film, being a successful woman, and living a romantic life.
Li married actor Jia Nailiang in 2012 and gave birth to their daughter, Tianxin, in October the same year.
She said she valued her daughter’s happiness more than her career success, as she grew up with her absent parents who were always busy at work.
Li was mired in scandal after her affair with Chinese rapper PG One was exposed by the paparazzi.
After that, she divorced Jia and almost disappeared from the film and television industry. She obtained custody of Tianxin and became a KOL who posted videos on Douyin and ran e-commerce shops.
Li dabbled with live-streaming sales in April 2020, attracting 38 million views and generating 48-million-yuan (US$6.6 million) sales volume in just one session, ranking top on Douyin’s popularity chart. But she soon stopped live-streaming with rumours that she was banned from it circulating online.
Li said she did live-streaming sales to make a living, drawing sympathy from social media for her status as “a single mother”.
China began to ban “tainted stars” – with stars who use drugs and visit prostitutes specifically listed – in 2014. Celebrities having affairs were not listed, and the consequences they face varied from person to person.
Male stars who were exposed to have extramarital affairs, such as actors Chen He, Wen Zhang, and director and actor Chen Sicheng, continued to show in TV series and films following their scandals.
On the contrary, the actress whom actor Wen Zhang had an affair with, Yao Di, lost almost all her job opportunities and suffered from negative comments every time she posted online.
As the Chinese reality show that features female stars over 30, Sisters Who Make Waves, gained popularity in recent years, many people, especially women, proposed Li to attend the show for a comeback.
“Li Xiaolu is a perfect candidate for the show as she is interested in stage performances,” one said.
Another said: “The audience should give equal tolerance for female stars who had affairs as their male counterparts. Li is a good actress and mother and deserves the stage.” - South China Morning Post
