Disgraced Chinese actress Zheng Shuang's 2024 update: Sued and bankrupt

Chinese actress Zheng Shuang was once the darling of the Chinese entertainment world but fell from grace after her 2021 surrogacy scandal. Now, in 2024, there is a new scandal surrounding the now-disgraced actress.

Zheng Shuang is a Chinese actress who left the entertainment industry in 2021 due to her scandals. She has been 'cancelled' in China despite her reputation as one of the prestigious 'Four Dan Actresses' in the country.

Image: Dragon TV

Zheng Shuang was born Zheng Yihan on August 22, 1991, in Shenyang, Liaoning, China. She studied acting at the Beijing Film Academy and majored in performing arts.

During her time at the Beijing Film Academy, Zheng Shuang participated in several works. Most notably, she acted in Hunan TV's ‘Meteor Shower’ in 2009 and shot to fame thereafter due to the popularity of the show, reports Sina.

Image: Weibo

Some of Zheng Shuang’s most famous works include 'Mural', 'Swords of Legends', and 'Love O2O'.

Image: Dragon TV

Zheng Shuang was also an ambassador for several famous brands, such as Prada, Aussie, and Lola Rose, The Straits Times notes.

Image: Dragon TV

Zheng Shuang was in a relationship with Chinese producer Zhang Heng in 2018 and was reported by Zaobao to have married him in the US in January 2019. They ended their relationship in December of that year.

Zheng Shuang's personal life was the source of her career's downfall. In 2021, it was reported by Channel News Asia that Zheng Shuang had two children through surrogacy in the US and was alleged to have abandoned them.

Channel News Asia reported that from 2020 to 2021, Zhang Heng had been stranded in the US to care for the two children. They had allegedly been abandoned after his breakup with Zheng Shuang.

Image: Weibo

The surrogacy scandal quickly brought Zheng Shuang to the forefront of Chinese entertainment, as having children through surrogacy is illegal in China.

Image: Mango TV

Zheng Shuang was discovered to violated a legal loophole to have children via surrogacy overseas and when the news broke out, she swiftly became blacklisted in Chinese entertainment and lost contacts, reports the South China Morning Post.

Image: Hunan TV

Besides the surrogacy scandal, Zheng Shuang was also reported by 163 in April of the same year to have evaded taxes in China. She reportedly did so through a contract setup meant to deceive Chinese authorities and underreport her earnings.

Image: Anhui TV

Because of all the backlash from her surrogacy and tax evasion scandals, her career was essentially cancelled. Zheng Shuang left China to live in the US, Today Online reported.

Image: Anhui TV

Another consequence of the scandals was that the Chinese government took down all of Zheng Shuang's shows, such as 'A Chinese Ghost Story', reports China Daily.

Image: Shenzhen TV

Due to Zheng Shuang's blacklisting from the entertainment industry, companies sponsoring her have suffered massive losses. This has resulted in Zheng Shuang being sued for breach of contract in 2023, reports the Malay Mail.

Image: Hunan TV

According to the South China Morning Post, the legal battle between the actress and several production companies has resurfaced in 2024, and the actress is still being sued.

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Malay Mail reports that Zheng Shuang is still being sued to repay the profits of production houses that have cancelled dramas featuring the actress and lost profits as a result.

Image: Hunan TV

South China Morning Post notes that in the wake of all the lawsuits surrounding the loss in profits from her blacklisting in China, Zheng Shuang was officially declared bankrupt on April 1, 2024. She is unable to fulfill her legal obligations any further.

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However, netizens on Weibo have theorised that Zheng Shuang's current bankruptcy might be a sham, and many are speculating that she has instead transferred her assets elsewhere and "never planned to repay the money".

Image: Dragon TV

South China Morning Post reports that, if true, this would mean that Zheng Shuang committed another legal violation to add to her existing rap sheet.

Image: Dragon TV

If found guilty of deliberately hiding or transferring assets, Zheng Shuang may be imprisoned for three years, and/or face a fine, according to the South China Morning Post.

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