Pay cut of up to 50% for actors in China due to Covid-19 crisis

Charmaine Sheh stars in 'Winter Begonia'. Photo: Handout

Popular Chinese actors may be facing huge pay cuts due to the latest restrictions put in place by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) of China.

China’s film industry is finding it hard to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to sharp declines in financing and prolonged production timelines, the NRTA has set a strict production budget of 4 million yuan (RM2.5mil) per episode for all television series. In addition, lead actors’ salaries will be capped at 400,000 yuan (RM250,000) per episode.

The new guidelines mean bad news for many big names in Hong Kong and mainland Chinese entertainment, as popular actors can earn well over half a million yuan (RM3.1mil) per episode. For some, the pay cut might be as drastic as 50% of their current salaries.

For example, actress Charmaine Sheh, who was recently cast in Winter Begonia, was reported to only receive 150,000 yuan (RM93,000) per episode.