In entertainment, talent, and hard work are often seen as the key ingredients for success. However, there are instances where individuals benefit from their family connections and find themselves in the spotlight due to nepotism. China, with its booming entertainment industry, is no exception to this phenomenon. In this section, we will explore ten Chinese celebrities who have risen to fame through their familial ties rather than solely based on their merits. While it is essential to acknowledge that not all celebrities who come from privileged backgrounds lack talent or dedication, it is equally crucial to shed light on those instances where nepotism has played a significant role in shaping their careers.
1. Jaycee Chan
Jackie Chan, a world-renowned kung fu actor, is one of China's most revered and important individuals in the entertainment industry. The same cannot be true for his son Jaycee Chan, well known to Chinese mainland audiences as Fang Zuming. Fang, born in Los Angeles, began his career as a singer cum actor in Hong Kong in 2004. His first record was released, and he made his movie debut in The Twins Effect II. Then, he appeared in films on the Chinese mainland and on Taiwan. Despite extensive promotion, his films and songs achieved little commercial success in 2009.
2. Dou Jingtong
Dou became a singer-songwriter despite being the daughter of pop queen Faye Wong and rock musician Dou Wei. She began singing in her first band and releasing her original songs on Weibo at the age of 14 when she was born in 1997. Stone Café, her debut English record, was released when she was 19 years old. Her sophomore English album, Kids Only, was as favorably appreciated. She has since moved her concentration to acting, appearing in films such as The Eleventh Chapter (2019) and Bipolar (2021).
3. Chen Feiyu
Arthur Chen, also known as Chen Feiyu, is the son of award-winning director Chen Kaige, well known for his 1993 historical drama Farewell My Concubine. Chen made his big screen debut at the age of ten in his father's 2010 film Sacrifice, which is based on the Chinese play The Orphan of Zhao. Nevertheless, Chen didn't become well-known until 2017 when he appeared alongside his parents in the reality series Familiar Taste. In order to surprise his mother Chen Hong, a well-known Chinese actress, on television, his filmmaker father, who was at the time studying in the United States, hurriedly brought him home.
4. Xiang Han Zhi
Xiang Han Zhi is an American Chinese, born in the United States. She has always enjoyed tennis and acting since she was a child. She met director Xu Jing Lei by chance, and after viewing her, he quickly signed her up. Xiang debuted in the 2019 young campus inspiring series "Unbelievable Sunny" after breaking into the industry in 2018. She comes from a wealthy family who helped her connect to the right people in the entertainment industry.
5. Guo Qilin
Guo Degang, the first-born son of one of China's most well-known personalities in the art of crosstalk or xiangsheng comedy. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 to pursue crosstalk. Instead of creating a name for himself as a crosstalk performer, he is best recognized for his involvement in Joy of Life, a 2019 viral TV show. His portrayal of the male lead's economical, harsh, yet endearing brother has made him a significant figure on the Chinese mainland.
6. Li Geng Xi
Teresa Li Geng Xi is a Chinese actress who was born in Beijing. She joined drama clubs while studying abroad in the United States since she has always loved to imitate. She was introduced to Chinese actress and director Xu Jinglei, who was then prepping for a web drama project when she was 15. Teresa received roughly ten months of personal instruction from Xu Jinglei in 2016. Her breakthrough part in the sci-fi school drama "Classmates 200 million Years Old" in 2017 marked her official entry into the entertainment industry. She belongs to a wealthy family who connected with the right and influential people in the industry.
7. Annabel Yao
You can't discuss technology in China' without mentioning the telecommunications behemoth Huawei. Despite the fact that the corporation has been caught up in global trade disputes in recent years, its heiress, Annabel Yao, appears unconcerned, focused instead on her career in the show industry. Yao, the youngest daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, was born in 1998. Yao was largely recognized at the time as Ren's ballerina daughter. Not only was she chastised for being a lousy performer, but her failure to recognize her privilege enraged netizens, prompting Yao to be ridiculed again after declaring her decision to join China's hit reality TV show Chinese Restaurant.
8. Sabrina Zhuang
Sabrina Zhuang, also known as Zhuang Dafei, is a Chinese actress and singer. Her first piece, Old Man's Wish, was released in 2012. In 2016, she released her debut solo song, "Neng Liang Guang Zhan," as well as her own composition, "Migratory Bird's Promise." Her best-known songs are Miss Puff, Mountains and Ocean, Closer to You, I Don't Want To Be Friends With You, Love Script, Rock It, Mom, and others. She hails from an affluent family and has many connections in the entertainment industry.
9. Ashley Lin
Ashley Lin, the 22-year-old daughter of renowned actors Mimi Kung and Wei Lin, has received much attention in recent years for her beautiful looks and has been dubbed "the prettiest second-gen star" by netizens. Lin rose to prominence as a model at 16 and had her acting debut in the 2020 film Find Your Voice alongside renowned talents like Andy Lau. She is currently appears in the drama Rope a Dope, opposing Hong Kong's most popular boy band, Mirror, featuring members Yeung Lok-man and Alton Wong, with Anson Kong playing her love interest! She is now signed to Hong Kong's prolific filmmaker Johnnie To's agency!
10. Wang Sicong
The leader of China's largest real estate developer, Wanda Group, Wang Jianlin, is the father of Wang Sicong. The Millennial is regularly featured in newspapers and the entertainment news for all the wrong reasons, including being a playboy, dating attractive female influencers, throwing costly parties.
