Zhang Ziyi to announce shock retirement from acting?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Beijing
  • Last updated on

Ziyi created a stir on Sunday when rumors have surfaced that her career was over.
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Sad news for Ziyi fans. Speculation had been rife that the Chinese actress best known for her roles in Memoirs of a Geisha, House of Flying Daggers or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, will announce her retirement from acting, at age 46, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 05/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an actress isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an actress just isn't fun anymore,” she might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that she may branch out into other creative fields she is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouZhang

For a little while on Sunday evening, #ThankYouZhang was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made her make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouZhang.”
— @DesireePlum, 4 Jan 2026
“Didn't Zhang Ziyi retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 4 Jan 2026

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