Chinese actress Vicki Zhao announces divorce

Chinese actress Vicki Zhao. Photo from Zhao's Weibo

"I officially divorced Mr Huang many years ago," she expressed in her Saturday post, as quoted by The Straits Times. "Our marriage ended legally a long time ago."

"Any issues, speculation and news report related to him have nothing to do with me. I urge people to recognise this and to avoid dragging me into unfounded claims and reports. Thank you."

AsiaOne reported that her announcement was met with substantial support from her fans on Weibo, who praised her openness about the split. The comments varied from messages applauding her bravery to those expressing relief that she had openly addressed the separation.

"We already knew of this several years ago, it’s great that you finally said it. Bravely live as yourself!" one commenter expressed.

Despite that, some remain skeptical, as a 2024 mid-year interim financial report from Sino Golf Holdings Limited, where Zhao and Huang are both listed as shareholders, still refers to her as his spouse.

Zhao, 48, and Huang, also 48, were married in 2008 and have a daughter born in 2010. Zhao was once recognized as one of China’s "Four Dan Actresses," a designation for the top four commercially successful actresses in the country. She ventured into the business world in 1999, establishing companies in various sectors.

In 2016, The Straits Times reported that Zhao and Huang were banned from trading on the mainland stock market for five years and from holding executive roles in listed companies for the same period. This ban followed an incident with Tibet Longwei, a media company allegedly under their control, which unsuccessfully attempted to acquire another company. The China Securities Regulatory Commission investigated the bid for irregularities.

In 2021, Zhao’s films and series were taken down from video platforms, her name was removed from movie award websites, and brands she had endorsed either eliminated or hid their associations with her on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Her last public appearance was at a Fendi event in July 2021.

Baidu indicates that Zhao’s absence from the public eye is likely due to a ban, a common practice in China’s entertainment and sports industries where individuals are barred from working because of violations of moral or legal standards. Similar bans have also impacted other Chinese celebrities, including singer Kris Wu, actress Zheng Shuang, and singer Zhang Zhehan, in recent years.

Meanwhile, Huang has been confronting several legal issues. According to Dimsum Daily, Wise Choice Ventures Limited sued him in Hong Kong’s High Court on Dec. 23 for failing to pay a debt of HK$753 million (US$97 million) and the accrued interest. The lawsuit demands repayment of the debt, pre-judgment interest, and legal fees.

This incident isn’t Huang’s first financial difficulty. In 2023, he faced a claim for HK$2.8 million in overdue rent and other charges related to a property in Hong Kong’s Tsuen Wan District. Additionally, in January 2022, a financial company brought a lawsuit against him for more than HK$300 million in unpaid debts and interest, further compounding his financial woes.