Liu Shi Shi’s earnings plummet nearly 90% from two years ago in latest series

By Linh Le February 20, 2025 | 03:03 pm PT

Chinese actress Liu Shi Shi was paid 12 million yuan (US$1.65 million) for her starring role in the new drama series “Kill My Sins,” marking a sharp decrease from her previous earnings.

Chinese actress Liu Shi Shi. Photo from Liu's Weibo

Citing China Times, Znews reported that Liu received 110 million yuan for her role in the 2023 series "A Journey to Love," marking an 89% reduction. The drop is attributed to regulatory limits on actor pay in China, which dictate that the total pay for all actors in a TV series cannot exceed 40% of the overall production budget, and that the main actors’ pay cannot exceed 70% of the total actor remuneration pool.

Despite this significant reduction, Liu’s earnings for "Kill My Sins" still top those of her co-stars. Chinese actor Shawn Dou received 10 million yuan for his lead role, while supporting actor Zheng Ye Cheng was paid 4 million yuan. Another supporting actor, Xu Jiao, earned 5 million yuan.

Set in the Tang Dynasty, "Kill My Sins" features Liu as Ye Ping An, a talented female doctor.

Liu, 38, who debuted in 2005 in the drama "The Moon and the Wind," is known for her performances as Mu Nianci in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" and as Long Kui in "Chinese Paladin 3."