Chinese actress Zhao Lusi, known as one of China's "top flowers born after 1995," has made shocking allegations against her talent agency, Tianjin Galaxy Cool Entertainment Culture Media Co. Ltd. The actress claims that the agency forced her to undergo an exorcism to treat her depression, instead of providing proper medical care.
According to Zhao Lusi, she fell ill with depression in December 2024, which led to her canceling and suspending ongoing work. Instead of taking her to a hospital, the agency allegedly locked her in a hotel room and had a shaman perform an exorcism. Zhao stated that the shaman told her she was possessed by an evil spirit. Hospital records indicate that Zhao Lusi was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. Zhao Lusi revealed that she was taken to a Shanghai hospital on December 18 following a suspected case of severe depression or some neurological condition due to possible work-related stress.
Zhao Lusi also accused her agency of further mistreatment, including constant verbal and physical abuse. She revealed that the company made her pay a penalty of two million yuan (approximately US$280,000) for breach of contract, despite initially promising to take responsibility for it. She also said she regretted renewing her contract. Some reports suggest that Zhao is the primary source of income for her agency.
The actress's revelations have sparked heated online discussions about potential abuse and mental health stigma within the Chinese entertainment industry. Many fans have voiced their support for Zhao Lusi, while others have expressed concern about the repercussions she might face for speaking out. Some suspect her move was an attempt to avoid paying a massive contract termination penalty of up to 400 million yuan (about USD 55.72 million), while others voiced support, saying she had been “pushed to the corner”.
Adding to the controversy, Zhao Lusi criticized her company for designing a reality show, "Be Myself," that featured her visiting impoverished rural areas and interacting with locals, while allegedly telling people she was faking her illness. She claimed the company designed the show for her and told people that she was faking her illness. Zhao blamed her company for designing the show for her and telling people that she was faking her illness. She was criticized by some as frivolous and condescending, disregarding the plight of the villagers.
Since making her accusations public on August 2nd, Zhao Lusi has been actively engaging with her fans through live-streaming sessions, gaining over 1.7 million followers on Xiaohongshu. She explained that the dispute made her decide to speak out, “I'm not asking people to speak on my behalf. I just want those who support me to feel assured — I haven't gone crazy, and I haven't done anything wrong".
The talent agency, Tianjin Galaxy Cool Entertainment Culture Media Co. Ltd, has denied the accusations.
