Fan Bingbing made her first appearance at the Oscars in a decade on Sunday (12.03.23).
Fan Bingbing made her return to the Academy Awards after a 10-year absence
The Chinese actress – who caused concern in 2018 when she disappeared from the public eye – stepped out for a rare public appearance, walking the champagne carpet in a sequinned gown with silver fringes and an emerald cape by Tony Ward, accessorised by green earrings and a silver clutch.
Fan’s appearance at the ceremony came a few weeks after she attended the Giambattista Valli show at Paris Fashion Week.
And in February, she attended the Berlin International Film Festival, where her movie ‘Green Night’ premiered.
During the festival, Fan addressed the concern about her disappearance from the spotlight.
She said: "I was at home, and I'd like to thank all my fans worldwide for being concerned about me.
"I was dealing with some things, but you know, everybody's life has highs and lows, and when you reach a low, you steadily, gradually climb back up again.
“It's a tough process, but you learn a lot of new things at the same time and a lot about the world and a lot about people… For me, it was a very good experience in retrospect… Everything's fine with me now."
In October 2018, Fan and her companies were fined by Chinese tax authorities around $129 million, with the ‘X Men’ actress herself responsible for $70 million of the fines.
She later apologised on Chinese social media platform Weibo for “failing” her “country, society, and fans”.
She said: "Recently I have been enduring an unprecedented amount of pain, undergoing deep self-reflection and introspection. I am deeply ashamed and feel guilty for what I have done, and I offer my sincere apologies to everyone.
"I have come to realise that, as a public figure, I should have observed the law, setting a good example for society and the entertainment industry. I shouldn't have lost the ability to control myself in the face of economic interests, allowing myself to break the law…
"As an actor, I take pride in showcasing our country's culture on the global stage, and I do my best to be in the forefront of this. I owe my success to the support of my country and the people. Without the great policies of the Party and the state, without the love of the people, there would have been no Fan Bingbing.
"I failed my country which nurtured me; I failed the society which trusted me; I failed the fans who loved me.
"I offer my sincere apology here once again! I beg for everyone's forgiveness!"