CHINA — While some American actresses consider themselves not only too good to bare their all in magazines such as Playboy but also in big money mainstream films, one Chinese actress is demanding that her name and her naked body be associated with one another professionally.Shao Xiaoshan was paid $2,500 for working as a nude body double in The Banquet, directed by Feng Xiaogang and poised for release in China this autumn. Xiaoshan performed in the raw when Hollywood actress Zhang Ziyi’s role demanded that she fight or be seen sans clothing, something she was unwilling to do. Zhang was also the star in Memoirs of a Geisha.
Unfortunately for Shao, $2,500 was all she got for her physical self-confidence, because her name does not appear in the film’s credits; something she would like to see change.
According to Shao, her concerns and her phone calls to the director were both ignored, causing her concern that her work in the film will result in any publicity for her career.
Shao says that “Zhang Ziyi, at Venice, told the whole world’s journalists hat her naked back was someone else’s! I just want everyone to know that it was mine.”
“The movie hasn’t even been screened yet,” points out Wang Zhongjin, Huayi Brothers & Taihe Movie Investment Co., production head. “How could she know her name isn’t in the credits? Isn’t this clearly a beat-up?”
Nonetheless, Huayi’s deputy head, Xu Li, says Shao’s name will not appear in the credits because of contract issues. He took special issue with Shao’s blog comments on the topic, insisting that his company doesn’t understand her motivations and that “These things can be discussed. There’s no need to adopt such measures.”
