Actor Chow Yun-fat Responds to Ban by China for Supporting Hong Kong Protests: “I’ll Just Make Less Money”

Actor Chow Yun-fat, like some other celebrities
from Hong Kong, has spoken up in support of pro-democracy
demonstrators on the islanders. Like every other celebrity in Hong
Kong, and many around the world, Chow draws a significant portion
of his income from work in China. The Chinese government is using
its control of a billion consumers to try to silence celebrities
who might be interested in wading into the discussion over the Hong
Kong demonstrations.

It had
Kenny G bending over backwards to explain how his innocuous
wish for peace and a picture taken at the Hong Kong protests wasn’t
indicative of anything other than his love for Hong Kong and all of
China—Kenny G makes a lot of money in mainland China, even if he
can’t collect royalties the way he can in other countries.

For some Hong Kong artists, an even more significant portion of
their success is predicated on media consumption in China.
Nevertheless, as the Taipei Times
reports:

[Anthony] Wong, [Denise] Ho [who draws 80 percent of her income
singing in China] and other artistic figures from Hong Kong and
Taiwan — including actors like Chow Yun-Fat (周潤發) and Tony Leung
(梁朝偉), and a filmmaker Kenneth Ip (舒琪) — have been among the most
recognizable faces and voices during the protests that have
occupied parts of the city for weeks. Some have spoken at rallies
and mingled with students; others have used their social media
accounts to express support for the demonstrators.

Before the protests, initially led by a movement called Occupy
Central With Love and Peace, the names and faces of these
performers were featured regularly on stages and screens in China,
as well as in advertisements.

But now they are being shunned by fans and companies in China,
on whose support many of their careers depend. Arms of China’s
state-run news media have denounced them as disloyal to their
country. Photographs of a list containing the names of Wong, Ho and
other artists were circulated on social media this week. The list
was said to be a blacklist of pro-Occupy artists that had been
drawn up and sent to mainland news media outlets and entertainment
companies, with instructions not to mention or promote the
stars.

Chow Yun-fat, for one, says he doesn’t care. Asked about the
ban, the actor, whose net worth is about $80 million,
reportedly said he could “just make less” money.