A major controversy has rocked China’s entertainment industry, centered around actress Nashi, whose scandal reportedly caused a catastrophic loss of up to 150 million yuan (~$230 million) for the hit film Blades of the Guardians. The incident is also affecting a number of A-list stars and high-level investors, sparking widespread debate online.
According to circulating reports, Blades of the Guardians it was a high-risk project with an initial budget of 550 million yuan, filmed in Xinjiang between July and November 2024, for a total of 185 days. Nashi played a pivotal role, with a notable screen presence that was integral to the film’s narrative.
However, due to his sudden departure following a major education scandal, the production is now forced to reshoot all of his scenes, a move that could inflate the budget by 50-150 million yuan. Since his character cannot be digitally replaced, simple editing or AI enhancement is not a viable option.
The film’s break-even point is now expected between 1.5 billion and 2.1 billion yuan, a daunting figure unless the plot and execution are exceptionally strong. Originally scheduled for release during the Lunar New Year, Blades of the Guardians would face other heavyweights, including films from Stephen Chow and Jia Ling, which would make box office success even more uncertain.
Nashi won wide acclaim for his role as Deng Chan Yu in Creation of the Gods. Born in 1989, she stood out for her commanding screen presence and skillful execution of complex action sequences many hail her as one of the most impressive female generals in modern Chinese cinema.
However, her ascendant career took a nosedive after she was exposed for taking advantage of preferential university admissions policies. Despite being registered in Inner Mongolia, Nashi would grow up and study in Beijing at elite institutions. She returned to Inner Mongolia only to apply for minority and disadvantaged status benefits during her college entrance exams.
Under such special admission policies, she was forced to return to her hometown to work after graduation. Instead, Nashi moved to Norway for further studies and never fulfilled that obligation, sparking national outrage over the perceived abuse of educational equity.
The scandal not only destroyed her budding career, leading to her being completely blacklisted from the industry, but also caused significant collateral damage. Investors, production teams and co-stars were deeply affected, including big names such as Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse, Jet Li, Yu Shi and Zhang Yi.
Sources: K14
