On September 1, Chinese outlet Sohu reported that actress Tong Yao was spotted late at night going out with two men. In a video clip circulating online, the Nothing But Thirty star was seen walking arm-in-arm and displaying intimate gestures with one of them in public. What drew even more attention was the fact that just two weeks earlier, Tong Yao and the same man had been seen dining together, enjoying live music, and socializing with her close friends.
Chinese media quickly speculated that Tong Yao may have secretly divorced her husband Wang Ran and is now dating someone new. The Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace actress married Wang Ran in a lavish ceremony in Italy in 2019. Wang Ran, who is 17 years older than Tong Yao, is a Harvard graduate and the CEO of an investment firm. Before tying the knot, the couple dated privately for nearly seven years. During that time, Tong Yao’s career skyrocketed—backed by her powerful husband, she went on to sweep major acting awards in the Chinese entertainment industry. However, it has been a long time since the public last saw Tong Yao and Wang Ran appear together.
Born in 1985, Tong Yao has often been nicknamed the “Little Zhang Ziyi” due to her striking resemblance to the international superstar. Over the years, she has starred in numerous high-profile projects such as Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace, Like a Flowing River, and Imperfect Love. Her role as the arrogant and cunning Noble Consort Hui in Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace, along with the massive success of Nothing But Thirty, elevated her to the ranks of top-tier actresses in C-entertainment.
Tong Yao has also collected prestigious accolades, becoming a Best Actress winner and sweeping two out of China’s three biggest television awards—the Golden Eagle Award and the Magnolia Award. Industry insiders have long speculated that her rapid rise was supported by her husband’s influence.
Despite her career triumphs, Tong Yao has been embroiled in several controversies. She was accused of “stealing” screen time from veteran actress Hai Qing in Life is A Long Quiet River, allegedly leveraging her husband’s power to gain favoritism from producers and overshadow her more experienced senior. Early in her career, the “Little Zhang Ziyi” was also accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a professor at her acting school in exchange for film opportunities. This alleged betrayal led her then-boyfriend Zhang Mo, son of veteran actor Zhang Guoli, to assault her violently. Since then, Tong Yao has carried the label of one of C-entertainment’s most scandal-prone actresses.
Sources: kenh14
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