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| Big Money, Big Names: China’s Highest-Paid Stars of 2025 Are Making Serious Bank |
Move over, Hollywood — China’s A-listers are on a roll, and the paychecks are speaking volumes. With C-dramas going global, film exports smashing records, and fan bases stretching from Beijing to Birmingham, it’s no wonder Chinese celebs are raking in monster sums in 2025.
According to the latest industry report, a handful of top-tier stars are now earning fees that could give even the biggest Hollywood names a run for their money. And if the projections hold, by 2028, some of these Chinese actors and actresses might just be cashing in double what their Hollywood counterparts make.
Ready to feel a bit amazed?
Here’s the lowdown on China’s highest-paid screen queens:
🔹 Dilraba Dilmurat – ¥22.4 Million
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Fashion muse, drama darling, and billboard regular — Dilraba (or Dilireba, if you're old school) is still one of the hottest names in the game. At 32, she’s got years of hit dramas under her belt — think Eternal Love of Dream and You Are My Glory — and she’s pulling in around 22.4 million yuan per role. That’s just her acting fee too — her CF (commercial film) game is on point.
🔹 Yang Mi – ¥27 Million
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She’s not called the “Traffic Queen” for nothing. Yang Mi’s got massive pull, both on screen and online. With her role in Novoland: Pearl Eclipse landing her a tidy 27 million yuan, she remains a powerhouse despite China’s wage cap on celebs. From fantasy epics to modern thrillers, she’s always booked and busy.
🔹 Sun Li (Susan Sun Li) – ¥60 Million
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A real Grand Slam queen in the TV award world, Sun Li is no stranger to top-tier paydays. Her iconic 2017 role in Nothing Gold Can Stay reportedly brought her a jaw-dropping 60 million yuan. With decades of solid work and barely a single flop, she’s a mainstay of the industry — and her rates reflect that.
🔹 Zhao Liying (Zanilia) – ¥80 Million
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Zhao Liying’s career is basically a C-drama timeline — from Princess Agents to The Legend of Shen Li, she’s served one iconic role after another. For Princess Agents alone, she allegedly earned 80 million yuan, and even her earlier dramas like The Journey of Flower pulled in 20 million per project. Serious coin for serious talent.
🔹 Zhou Xun – ¥95 Million
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Legend status unlocked. Zhou Xun’s been slaying the screen for more than two decades and was part of the OG “Four Dan Actresses” — basically the Mount Rushmore of early-2000s Chinese film. In 2024, she earned a staggering 95 million yuan for her role in Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace. Not bad for a veteran who still delivers prestige-level performances.
🔹 Zhou Dongyu – ¥100 Million
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Meet China’s highest-paid actress of the past year: Zhou Dongyu. Her role in Behind the Scenes netted her a cool 100 million yuan. A triple threat on the awards scene, she’s snagged everything from the Golden Horse to the Golden Rooster. Critics love her, brands love her, and clearly — the banks do too.
🎬 Bigger Picture: China’s Global Domination Game
The Chinese entertainment industry isn’t just booming — it’s straight-up challenging the global pecking order. In just the past few years, we’ve seen C-dramas dominate streaming platforms worldwide, Chinese films popping up at major festivals, and mega-productions rivaling anything Korea or Hollywood can deliver.
And with all that global shine comes big pay for the talent in front of the camera. Acting fees are now just one piece of the pie — most top stars rake in extra from product endorsements, brand ambassadorships, and variety show appearances.
If the trend continues, by 2028, we might be looking at a world where the highest-paid actress isn’t walking a red carpet in LA — she’s strutting onto set somewhere in Hengdian.
One thing’s for sure — whether it’s Dilraba in another dreamy costume drama or Zhou Dongyu in a gritty prestige piece, these women aren’t just acting their hearts out — they’re cashing serious cheques. And honestly? Good for them.
Let the world watch and learn — China’s screen queens are officially running the show.