According to Finance Sina, the 44-year-old actress has made a mark in the beauty business, with her brand, Fan Beauty Diary, ranking among the top 100 hottest Chinese brands in the field. A July financial report revealed the company's revenue last year reached 1.45 billion CNY (over 200 million USD), significantly less than the top earner (8.6 billion CNY). However, experts consider this an impressive achievement for a 7-year-old brand. Fan Beauty has proven itself a strong contender in the beauty market.

In China, Fan Bingbing now appears as a founder and entrepreneur rather than an actress. On Tech, one of Bingbing's associates stated she collaborates with several livestreaming stars to promote her products. However, her success is primarily attributed to her own reputation.

Actress Fan Bingbing. Photo: Fan Bingbing Studio

Actress Fan Bingbing. Photo: Fan Bingbing Studio

Bingbing's ambitions extend beyond the Chinese market. Since last year, she has expanded distribution channels, targeting e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia and increasing promotion and transactions on TikTok. However, observers note that overseas sales have been less than optimistic in the past year.

Fan Beauty Diary was founded in 2018, the same year she was investigated and penalized for tax evasion. She paid 883 million CNY (128 million USD) to avoid criminal prosecution. According to On, before the scandal, Bingbing was a dominant force in Chinese entertainment, a prominent figure on international red carpets, the face of numerous luxury brands, and a self-funded producer and star of several films.

The scandal brought her "from the peak to the abyss," as she describes it. At the Berlin International Film Festival (Germany) in 2023, she shared how the fall taught her patience and perseverance, enabling her to gradually climb back up rather than give in.

For the past 7 years, Fan Bingbing's entertainment activities in China have been restricted. She hasn't appeared at any film events or acted in any Chinese productions. While achieving business success, she expresses her anguish at not being able to act, as film is her passion and lifelong dream. She remains deeply committed to art, yearning for a suitable script for this new chapter of her life.

Fan Bingbing at the Berlin Film Festival in February as a jury member. Video: Weibo

The actress is seeking film opportunities in other countries and territories. In 2023, she debuted in the South Korean production *Luc Da*. Last year, she filmed *The Matriarch* in Malaysia. According to On, Fan Bingbing has also acquired the rights to several film scripts, planning to move into behind-the-scenes work.

On her personal page, the star once wrote about her continuous efforts to take control of her life. "It's the same for everyone; the only person you can rely on for your entire life is yourself. I believe that, and I'm living it. Waiting for others to bring you happiness leaves you passive your whole life. I'd rather endure hardship and suffering to hold the reins of my life. I often tell myself, those who rely on themselves won't have a bad fate."

Bingbing acknowledges the current challenges in her life and career but maintains a positive outlook, viewing this period as beneficial. It allows her to reflect seriously on how she wants to live her life moving forward. She compares herself to someone standing at a crossroads, unsure of which direction to take. She encourages herself to embrace the unknown, even if her choices might lead to loss or regret.

In a video for her fan page, the actress thanked her supporters for their encouragement during her downfall, stating, "Having gone through unimaginable difficulties and pain, I am still the same Fan Bingbing you knew before. I will face life in the strongest, gentlest, and kindest way possible."

Fan Bingbing's beauty in her early career. Video: Weibo

Born in Shandong province, she began acting in 1996 and rose to fame as Jin Suo in *My Fair Princess* (1998). She solidified her status as an "Entertainment Queen" through works like *Future Cops*, *Cell Phone*, *Feng Shen Bang*, *The Little Fairy*, *Eight Heroes*, and *The Empress of China*.

For many years, Fan Bingbing was the highest-paid actress in China. According to 21st Century Business Herald statistics from 2018, her total assets exceeded 3 billion CNY (over 440 million USD), derived from acting, endorsements, and business ventures.

Nghinh Xuan (according to Sina, On, Mtime)