On April 18, Chinese media outlet QQ reported that actress Angelababy and TV host Zhang Dada have been accused of bullying a lesser-known actor during a variety show in 2023.
The accusation came from actor Li Xinyue, who released a video claiming he was mistreated and emotionally harmed by two major celebrities during a program they filmed together. While he did not name them outright, he clearly hinted at Angelababy, former cast member of Keep Running and ex-wife of Huang Xiaoming, and her longtime friend Zhang Dada, who has recently faced a scandal involving workplace abuse.
“Do they really deserve the public’s admiration?” Li questioned in the video. “I was never asking for help, just fairness. Instead, they chose to hurt me. Don’t they feel any shame or guilt for what they did?” He refrained from detailing the alleged bullying, saying it was not yet the right time to fully disclose what happened.
The allegations have sparked heated discussion on Chinese social media, with many netizens pointing out that Angelababy and Zhang Dada did, in fact, film Keep Running together in 2023, lending some credibility to Li’s timeline. Critics questioned the public personas of the two stars, with some commenting, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
However, others viewed the accusation with skepticism, noting the lack of evidence. Some speculated that Li Xinyue may be using the controversy to gain attention by targeting well-known figures. As of now, neither Angelababy nor Zhang Dada has responded to the allegations.
Angelababy and Zhang Dada were once known for their close friendship in the entertainment industry. However, their relationship reportedly soured after Angelababy was quietly blacklisted from major appearances. Zhang was later seen aligning himself with top actresses Yang Mi, Liu Shishi, and Ni Ni, effectively sidelining Angelababy.
Zhang Dada has faced controversy of his own. In late 2023, a female employee surnamed Huang, accused him of both physical and emotional abuse, even claiming he smashed her computer. Another actor, Liu Daituo, alleged that Zhang once locked him in a dark room simply for not greeting him properly.
Following these incidents, all search results related to Zhang Dada were reportedly shadow-banned on Chinese platforms like Weibo.