The latest publicity feast in director Feng Xiaogang's not-yet-completed The Banquet is the issue of Zhang Ziyi's nude scenes in the blockbuster film. Now a woman who says she was Zhang's stand-in wants credit where credit is due.

 

Actress Shao Xiaoshan said she substituted for Zhang in some bathing and sex scenes. However, she is not listed in the credits. "If they don't add my name to the cast list, audiences will think that all the nude scenes were done by Zhang herself, which will be totally cheating me. I gave my body to the audience. I don't care whether my name is on the credits but I just want to tell the public that I did the nude scenes," Shao said on her blog.

 

 

According to Chongqing Evening News, after Shao exposed the issue on the Web, a staff member surnamed Zhao from Huayi Brothers, the film's producer, terrified her in a telephone call and asked her to clarify to the media that she was not a stand-in for Zhang.

 

Huayi Brothers chairman Wang Zhongjun said there was no phone call and criticized Shao for promoting herself through the movie. 　　

 

"If Shao was a stand-in not an extra, she must have had a contract before the shooting. If we included the credit issue in the contract, we'll definitely put her name in the credits. But since the film has not been shown to the public, how can Shao know that her name is not included in the credits?" Wang said. 　　

 

Shao said: "Although there's nothing in the contract about including my name in the credits, I did stand in for Zhang in the nude scenes. Huayi should admit it." She also said that Zhang had three stand-ins for The Banquet, including one for kung-fu fighting. 　　

 

At this year's Cannes film festival, Zhang Ziyi told the media that she did not appear nude in the movie, indirectly confirming that she had a stand-in for the nude scenes.

 

(Shenzhen Daily July 7, 2006)