In the 2013 China Celebrity List released by the Chinese edition of Forbes magazine Fan Bingbing, the famous Chinese mainland actress and frequent red carpet attendee who starred in Iron Man 3, beat internationally famed stars such as Jackie Chan and Zhang Ziyi, taking first place. The majority of the top 20 celebrities are actors and actresses. On the list are Shu Qi and Show Luo who both starred in Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, a box office hit released earlier this year, directed by Stephen Chow (who ranked No. 24 on the Forbes list). Li Na is the only athlete among top 20, while Mo Yan is the only writer thanks to his status as a Nobel Prize winner. Several singers also made it into top 20, as most Chinese singers also act in movies on the side. Zhang Ziyi and Eason Chan are also 2 of the 4 judges on China’s TV show “X Factor” 中国最强音. All in all, the entertainment industry dominates the Top 20 Chinese Celebrities list.
Via China Daily.
No. 20 May Day 五月天
Ashin (2nd L), lead singer of pop band Mayday from Southeast China’s Taiwan, performs during a charity concert in Beijing, capital of China, late April 5, 2013.
Occupation: Band
Income: 97.9 million yuan (US$15.8 million)
Wealth ranking:5
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 43
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 53
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 75
Mayday is one of the most popular bands in Taiwan as well as on the Chinese mainland. Its”Nowhere World Tour 2012″ attracted great attention and a stream of fans at every stop. The band has won the award for Best Band at the Golden Melody Awards a total of four times thusfar.
19. Faye Wong 王菲
Occupation: singer
Age: 43
Income: 46 million yuan (US$7.4 million)
Wealth ranking: 24
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 28
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 20
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 62
Faye Wong is one of the most successful Chinese singers. She was the first Chinese singer to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Five years into her retirement, her 2010 come back concerts witnessed astonishing success. She joined in the 2011 and 2012 CCTV’s Spring Festival Galas and held a large amount of concerts, which received a lot of praise. Although she didn’t appear too much on stage in 2012, she still has a large fan base.
18. Donnie Yen 甄子丹
Hong Kong actor Louis Koo (L) and Donnie Yen pose during a news conference to promote their movie “City With No Mercy” in Hong Kong November 13, 2006.
Occupation: actor
Age: 50
Income:115 million yuan (US$18.6 million)
Wealth ranking: 1
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 44
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 42
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 79
“Yip Man,” a very successful and patriotic martial arts film, helped Donnie Yen make the transition from martial artist to real actor. Afterwards, he won the award for Best ActionChoreography at the 48th Golden Horse Awards for the movie “Swordsman.” Due to his soaring popularity, he has also starred in a lot of advertisements.
17. Shu Qi 舒淇
Jury member and actress Shu Qi is seen on stage as she attends the opening ceremony of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival May 13, 2009.
Occupation: actress
Age: 37
Income: 40.7 million yuan (US$6.59 million)
Wealth ranking: 31
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 32
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 19
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV):24
Shu Qi, a famous Hong Kong actress, has won many awards such as a Golden Horse Awardand Hong Kong Film Award. She starred in “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons“and also performed the theme song of the movie. The movie was released during the Spring Festival of 2013 and became one of the biggest box office hits in China, with more than 1.2billion (US$194.2 million) yuan in revenue. Her great performances over the years have gained her many fans.
16. Mo Yan 莫言
Chinese writer and 2012 Nobel Literature Prize winner Mo Yan has a lecture at Swedish Academy in Stockholm, capital of Sweden on Dec 7, 2012.
Occupation: writer
Age: 58
Income: 46 million yuan (US$7.4 million)
Wealth ranking: 24
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 7
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 2
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 82
Mo Yan is a famous contemporary Chinese writer. In 2012, he became the country’s first Nobel Literature Prize laureate. He took up second place on the 2012 Chinese Writers Rich List released on Nov 29, 2012, having earned 21.5 million yuan ($3.45 million) in royalties.
15. Chris Lee 李宇春
Chris Lee showcases a more feminine side at the cover shoot for Famous magazine.
Occupation: singer, actress
Age: 29
Income: 40.9 million yuan (US$6.62 million)
Wealth ranking: 30
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 19
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 25
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 36
Chris Lee was the first super star chosen by ordinary people and she was rewarded the honorary title of “Asia Hero” by Time magazine. Her latest album “Old If Not Wild” was released in September of 2012. She participated in much of the album’s production. Additionally, she also participated in Lai Shengchuan’s drama “A Dream Like a Dream.”
14. Show Luo 罗志祥
Occupation: singer, actor
Age: 34
Income: 65 million yuan (US$10.52 million)
Wealth ranking: 15
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 30
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 66
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 21
Show Luo, nicknamed Xiao Zhu (Little Pig), is a famous singer, dancer, actor and TV host. His excellent performance in the movie “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons” came as a surprise to his fans. His 2013 world tour kicked off on January 4 in the Taipei Arena.
13. Zhao Benshan 赵本山
Occupation: actor
Age: 56
Income: 92.5 million (US$14.97 million)
Wealth ranking: 8
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 12
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 11
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 88
Zhao Benshan is a famous Chinese sitcom actor and chairman of the Benmountain Media Group. He is currently focusing on his media group and has filmed a string of popular TV series, including “Love Stories in the Countryside,” and their sequels. However, due to poor health, his exposure last year decreased a lot and he was even forced to retreat from CCTV’s New Year’s Gala.
12. Leehom Wang 王力宏
Singer Wang Leehom poses on the red carpet as he attends the 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) in Hong Kong November 30, 2012.
Occupation: singer, actor
Age: 37
Income: 92.6 million yuan (US$14.98 million)
Wealth ranking: 7
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 24
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 30
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 65
Born in America, Leehom Wang is regarded as an all-round idol due to his exceptional musicaltalent, great acting skills and nice personality. He has won several Golden Melody Awards andHITO Radio Music Awards. His “Music-Man II — Open Fire World Tour” took him to Shanghai, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia – just to name a few.
11. Li Na 李娜
Li Na of China serves to Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria during their Paris Open tennis tournament at Coubertin stadium in Paris, Feb 7, 2012.
Occupation: athlete
Age: 31
Income: 93.3 million yuan (US$15.1 million)
Wealth ranking: 6
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 35
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 1
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 71
Li Na is a Chinese professional tennis player. In 2011, she defeated top-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone, who had won the French Open singles the year before, andconsequently won the Grand Slam championship, making her the first Chinese player in historyto grab the title. After a long and rough year, Li won second place at the 2013 Australian Open Tennis Championship.
10. Chiling Lin 林志玲
Occupation: actress, model
Age: 39
Income: 49 million yuan (US$7.93 million)
Wealth ranking: 20
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 18
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 47
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 14
Chiling Lin is regarded by the media as “The First Face of Taiwan.” Lin’s popularity took off in 2004. Her performance in “Say Yes” won her huge public applause. The movie, released in February 2013, was rewritten based on the classic Japanese TV series of the same name.With her warm smile, gorgeous face and perfect body, she is a popular guest at many local TV station’s evening party.
9. Jolin Tsai 蔡依林
Jolin Tsai: “If singers like Faye Wong are God-made talent, then I’m Earth-made.”
Occupation: Singer
Age: 33
Income: 100.2 million yuan (US$16.2 million)
Wealth ranking: 4
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 31
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 55
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 15
Pop star Jolin Tsai is known for her various MTV performances, outstanding dance moves andgreat singing skills. She had a real breakthrough with her new album “MUSE.” She won severalawards, including one for Best Album, at the 17th China Music Awards (CMA) in April of 2013.In addition, her 2013 “Myself World Tour” saw her tour Chengdu, Nanning and other cities.
8. Huang Xiaoming 黄晓明
Li Bingbing (left) and Huang Xiaoming promote the 5510 Big Movie Plan in Beijing on March 31, 2009.
Occupation: Actor
Age: 36
Income: 75.9 million yuan (US$12.3 million)
Wealth ranking: 9
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 40
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 14
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 13
Huang Xiaoming, one of the most famous young actors in China, became the boss himselfwhen he opened the Huang Xiaoming Studio in 2011. His two films “American Dreams inChina” and “White Haired Witch” were recently released. His performances in these two films received the praise of many critics. In 2013, he topped the list of biggest earning stars with 392million yuan (US$63.43 million).
7. Yang Mi 杨幂
Occupation: Actress
Age: 27
Income: 43.7 million yuan (US$7.07 million)
Wealth ranking: 28
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 1
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 9
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 4
Embarking upon an acting career when she was only four years-old, Yang didn’t shoot to great fame until she starred in the popular TV series “Palace.” She starred in several popular filmsover the course of 2012, including “Painted Skin 2,” “The Bullet Vanishes” and “Holding Love.” In the latter, she co-starred with real-life boyfriend Liu Kaiwei and her TV series have gained her more exposure as well as attention.
6. Eason Chan 陈奕迅
Occupation: singer, actor
Age: 39
Income: 70.1 million yuan (US$11.3 million)
Wealth ranking: 12
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 27
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 27
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 10
Eason Chan, who has been praised by Time magazine as the front runner of the next Cantopop generation, is one of the most prominent Hong Kong singers. The 2012 Eason Chan”DUO World Tour” booked great success. Tickets for the London stop of the tour sold out in 20minutes. Chan was the first Chinese singer on the stage of the London O2 Arena.
5. Zhang Ziyi 章子怡
Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi shines at a photo shoot for the fashion magazine “Elle”.
Occupation: actress
Age: 34
Income: 59.5 million yuan (US$9.63 million)
Wealth ranking: 16
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 22
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 8
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 11
Zhang Ziyi, one of the most famous Chinese actresses in the world, especially in the United States, achieved her international fame through the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” The movie “The Grandmaster” was released in January of 2013. As the lead actress in the movie, her performance received favorable reviews. Besides, her upcoming movie “My LuckyStar,” which was also produced by her, will be released soon.
No. 4 Jackie Chan 成龙
Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan holds a berimbau, or a one-stringed musical instrument used in capoeira, that he received as a gift from Embraer CEO Frederico Fleury Curado, during the delivery ceremony of his new Legacy 650 executive jet in Sao Jose dos Campos, February 3, 2012. Chan purchased the jet and was declared Embraer’s brand ambassador in China.
Occupation: Actor, director
Age: 59
Income: 66 million yuan (US$ 10.68 million)
Wealth ranking: 13
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 11
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 10
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 28
Jackie Chan is one of the most famous Chinese actors in Hollywood and he brought kungfu movies into mainstream American cinema. He has many different identities, including those of actor, martial artist, director, producer and screenwriter. He produced, wrote, directed and starred in the movie “CZ12,” making it a very popular 2012 movie with more than 800 million in box-office revenue.
No. 3 Andy Lau 刘德华
Actor Andy Lau poses during a photocall for his film “Tao Jie” (A Simple Life) at the 68th Venice Film Festival September 5, 2011.
Occupation: Singer, actor
Age: 51
Income: 47 million yuan (US$7.6 million)
Wealth ranking: 21
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 8
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 5
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV):1
Andy Lau, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Canto pop in 1990s Hong Kong, is a singer, actor and producer. He starred in the touching movie “A Simple Life” and has picked up awards at Taiwan’s 48th Golden Horse Awards as well as Hong Kong’s 31th Hong Kong Film Awards. His new movie “Blind Detective” will be released soon. The movie was his sixth time working with Sammi Cheng, adding to the public’s anticipation.
2. Jay Chou 周杰伦
Jay Chou attends a fan meeting event for his new album “Exclamation Mark” in Taipei on Nov 27, 2011.
Occupation: singer, actor
Age: 34
Income: 104.2 million yuan (US$16.86 million)
Wealth ranking: 3
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 9
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 13
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 38
Jay Chou is a very talented musician, who composes all of his own songs as well as produces songs for other artists. His new album “Opus 12” was released by the end of 2012. Two songs from the album got 1000 hits within one hour after their release, showing his unparalleled popularity. In addition, his movie “The Rooftop,” which was also directed by him, will bereleased in July.
1. Fan Bingbing 范冰冰
Occupation: actress
Age: 32
Income: 110 million yuan (US$17.8 million)
Wealth ranking: 2
Media Exposure Ranking (Internet): 5
Media Exposure Ranking (Newspapers): 7
Media Exposure Ranking (Magazine &TV): 8
Fan Bingbing has many titles such as “Queen of Red Carpet” and “Hard-working Model.” Sheis a very smart actress who set up her own studio, the Fan Bingbing Studio, in 2007. Thus far, she has starred in numerous commercials, including ones for LV Alma bag, Adidas Originals,L’OREAL and VISCAP. She won the award for Best Actress at the 2013 Huading Awards because of her excellent performance in the movie “Double Xposure.”
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