China's Hollywood fans have expressed concern over the sexual harassment scandals that have come into the spotlight recently, saying that they are shocked and worry that such scandals could ruin the reputation of the movie industry.
Kevin Spacey, a 58-year-old double Oscar winner who has attracted a large audience in China for his role in the popular House of Cards, faces accusations from another actor, Anthony Rapp. Rapp claimed that Spacey "made a sexual advance" to him at a party 31 years ago while Rapp was 14 years old, AFP reported.
Spacey apologized immediately for the incident and came out as gay, but his remarks have been blasted by others in Hollywood, which has been rocked to the foundation since movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual misconduct, including harassment and assault, by more than 50 women.
Hollywood fans in China also expressed their concern about the evolving scandal.
"The scandals have changed my impression of Hollywood, since no one knows how many other victims are there and it makes people question the fairness of the casting methods," said a Chinese entertainment company employee surnamed Shi.
"It damaged the reputation of Hollywood so regulators need to strengthen efforts to ensure the fairness and professionalism [of the film industry]," Shi told the Global Times on Wednesday.
"Now, the scandals will come to mind whenever I see a film or TV program with Spacey, and that makes me feel very uncomfortable," another Hollywood fan, Xiao Ba, told the Global Times.
"However, the scandal hasn't changed my affection for the really good movies and actors in Hollywood, since many of them did bring positive things to my life," Xiao Ba said.
In the eyes of those who are not so fond of Hollywood, the scandals serve as a lesson for the Chinese entertainment sector, which has seen rapid growth in recent years and also has a significant impact on youth.
"The show business problem with power abuse and sexual harassment is not only in foreign countries. A supportive atmosphere is also needed in China's entertainment industry to encourage the victims to stand out and speak for themselves when treated unfairly," said a 45-year-old teacher, surnamed Zhang.
