Zhang Ziyi Rumors: Actress Denies Prostitution Allegations

Zhang Ziyi Rumors Denied

Zhang Ziyi has been bombarded with rumors that she had slept with powerful Chinese officials for money.

Zhang Ziyi, who starred in the Academy Award-winning movie "Memoirs Of A Geisha," vehemently denied the allegations, saying she will do whatever it takes to clear her name.

"I wish to state that I will get to the bottom of this matter to clear my name at whatever cost," the actress told the China Press. "I want justice to be served through legal proceedings. I want those irresponsible quarters to be dealt with."

Several media publications in China and Taiwan reported last week that a wealthy associate of a former Chinese official has confessed he paid Zhang Ziyi 6 million yuan (US$944,244) in 2007 to sleep with her.

According to reports, another politician slept with her at least ten times between 2007 and 2011 in exchange for "huge" monetary gifts.

Investigators are said to be looking into claims that her supposedly illicit earnings escaped tax thanks to interventions by the powerful Chinese men.

"Friends have advised us to release a short statement and not take this seriously," Zhang Ziyi's camp said in a statement. “The more you argue, the more you will stir up. It would be better to step aside until people lose interest and the lies disappear. The innocent will always be innocent."

"But this time we don’t want to be silent. If we leave these lies to spread, what is completely untrue will be at risk of becoming a half-truth. This time, we are telling those rumor-makers that we will respond. We will prove our side of the story; we’ll seek legal justice; we’ll find you in the darkest corner and go after you," the statement read.

Zhang Ziyi, 33, is one of China’s biggest film stars and a three-times Bafta nominee. Apart from "Geisha," she also starred in the hit films "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000), "Rush Hour 2" (2001), and "House of Flying Daggers" (2004).