Profiles

Yao Ming named mainland No.1 celebrity

(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-10 15:26

Actress Zhang, who made her name with the Ang Lee-directed kung fu movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," out-earned counterpart Zhou and was reported on in newspapers and searched over the Internet more frequently, but Zhou scored 69 more TV appearances than Zhang's 101.

Zhou was boosted by the popularity of her new movie "Perhaps Love," in which she delivered a subtle portrayal of a movie actress caught between her past and present loves. The film was also a unique pop culture product, blending a Chinese setting, a Western-style musical and Bollywood dance choreography.

Pop star Wong's decline can be explained by her decision to stay largely out of the public eye last year.

Director Zhang's ranking, which fell to No. 26, was likely hurt by the lack of a movie that generated major buzz. After the kung fu epics "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers," Zhang followed up with the low-key "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles," a heartwarming story about a Japanese father who travels to China to fulfill his ailing son's wishes.