Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Ziyi Zhang has filed defamation lawsuits against two media outlets after reporters linked her to a political sex scandal in her native China.

The actress has filed the suits in Hong Kong and the U.S., according to a Bloomberg report. Apple Daily Ltd. and Next Magazine Publishing Ltd. are the alleged defendants.

Zhang Ziyi claims she suffered "immense grievance and distress" over the scandal, which was reported in May, and she is seeking unspecified libel damages and an injunction to prevent re-publication of the articles.

Responding to the story last m...

Is Zhang Ziyi secretly a high-class call girl? The actress is reportedly horrified by claims that she's raked in millions of dollars for having sex with Chinese government officials, yet is being advised to remain quiet rather than lash back.

Zhang Ziyi's sex scandal can be traced back to one lone website, but once the Chinese press picked up on a report that the actress has led a double life as a high-class call girl the scandal became international news.

Reports allege that Zhang Ziyi, famous for her roles in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Memoirs of a Geisha, was paid millions to c...

Today begins the year of the ox. Chinese New Year is one of the most important traditional Chinese holidays. Several stars will be celebrating the new year this month. Peruse our photo slideshow, and let us know which star is the hottest!

Bai Ling

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Jackie Chan

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Gong Li

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Chow Yun Fat

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Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has been chastised by her fellow countrymen after topless photos of the star cavorting on a beach with her Israeli fiancé surfaced online.

The Memoirs of a Geisha beauty, 29, was recently photographed sunbathing on a Caribbean beach wearing just a pair of bikini bottoms as her billionaire lover Vivi Nevo touched her intimately. The holiday images have sparked outrage in conservative China, with some detractors branding her "shameless."

One critic writes on an internet forum, "Zhang Ziyi is really shameless. She is with a foreigner, but should remember ...

They kick, punch, roll, and flip with fervor and precision. They are actors with abilities beyond a normal human being. And we love them for it! Check out our photo slideshow of famous actors who like to polish off their martial arts skills now and then:

Jet Li

Recent films: The Forbidden Kingdom, War, Fearless

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Jackie Chan

Recent films: Kung Fu Panda, The Forbidden Kingdom, Rush Hour 3

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Wesley Snipes

Memorable films: Blade, U.S. Marshals, Rising Sun

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There are a number of Asian actresses who have crossed over to Hollywood, plus many American actresses are of Asian descent. Enjoy a look at some of the most beautiful Asian women from the big and small screen.

When you're done looking at the pics, be sure to let us know YOUR favorite(s) in the comments below!

Kelly Hu
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Lucy Liu
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Maggie Q
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Brenda Song
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Blending dazzling choreography, dramatic camerawork and a Shakespeare tragedy, Legend Of The Black Scorpion debuts as a two-disc Ultimate Edition DVD set February 26th under the Dragon Dynasty label from Genius Products and The Weinstein Company.

Hong Kong's 2006 Academy Award entry for Best Foreign Language Film, Legend Of The Black Scorpion stage is set in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period of 10th Century China, featuring elaborate period costumes and sets.

Starring stunning Golden Globe® nominee Zhang Ziyi (Memoirs Of A Geisha, Rush Hour 2) and directed by Feng Xia...

Happy Birthday to "7th Heaven" actor David Gallagher (1985), Japanese pop star Ami Suzuki (1982), "American Beauty" actress Mena Suvari (1979), "Memoirs of a Geisha" star Ziyi Zhang (1979), Dominican baseball star Vladimir Guerrero (1976), soap opera star Sharon Case (1971), country musician Travis Tritt (1963), "The Nanny" star Charles Shaughnessy (1955), "Hollywood Squares" personality/actor Jm J. Bullock (1955), New York Mets hero Mookie Wilson (1952), "Who's The Boss" and "Law and Order SVU" actress Judith Light (1949), actress Mia Farrow (1945), 'tough-guy' actor Joe Pesci (1943), sing...

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has found love, but has vowed to keep her mystery man away from the public eye. The actress, 27, is a regular feature in Chinese gossip columns due to speculation about her love life, but has only just confirmed her boyfriend's existence.

She says, "I keep it very quiet. It's not a Chinese thing. I want to just keep it quiet and enjoy my life. I don't want to show off."

Zhang admits she will stop acting when she marries so she can devout her life to her husband and having children. She reveals, "You know, one day if I found the right person I would lov...

Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang was popular on the set of forthcoming movie "The Banquet" because she made the crew soup when they were busy. Director Feng Xiaogang was impressed with how down-to-earth the 27-year-old star was.

He says, "Before we worked together, I might have thought, 'Oh, Zhang Ziyi, a big star, it won't be easy to work with her.' But when the work got underway, I asked her to shave her eyebrows. She did it.

"During filming, she was very thoughtful. When she saw people in cinematography and the art department were working hard, she'd make soup and bring it to them....

Ziyi Zhang was "tipsy" for most of the filming of Wong Kar Wai's movie 2046 because the director terrified her. The Chinese actress admits shooting the acclaimed 2004 movie was an intimidating experience and she guzzled sake to relax.

She recalls, "I was so scared of Wong Kar Wai because he always wears dark sunglasses, and I didn't know him at all, and the whole group spoke Cantonese, whereas I speak Mandarin. Every time I went to the set, I'd drink a bottle of sake. I'd make myself tipsy. A lot of the scenes were improvised, and we didn't have a script or lines. You just had to be i...

Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang feels Japanese censors who banned Memoirs Of A Geisha should feel ashamed of their actions. The star was appalled when officials scrapped screenings of the acclaimed Rob Marshall movie due to the fact the director hired Chinese stars to play Japanese geisha girls.

She insists director Marshall was more interested in hiring Oriental actresses who could dance, rather than pay attention to strict ancient codes, which dictate only Japanese women can become geishas.

Zhang says, "Geisha was not meant to be a documentary. I remember seeing in the Chinese news...

A body double who starred in a nude scene for star Ziyi Zhang has demanded her name appear in the credits. The actress, Shao Xiaoshan, revealed in her internet blog that she was paid $2,448 to feature in Zhang's latest movie "The Banquet," which will be released in China later this year.

The blog, which was reprinted in the Chinese press, details how director Fang Xiaogang is refusing to answer her calls despite being "very satisfied" with her body. She said, "I just want everyone to know Zhang's back is mine."

However, the film's producers are reportedly confused by the actress...

Covering Hollywood’s most anticipated blockbuster from every angle, MTV News will present exclusive pre and post show coverage of the "2006 MTV Movie Awards." From backstage to the red carpet, the MTV News team will cover every angle of the big show including exclusive celebrity interviews, musical performances, and much more. Additionally for the first time, fans will be able to access MTV News’ comprehensive Movie Awards coverage on-air and through broadband network, MTV Overdrive (movieawards.mtv.com) — each with a unique and exclusive take on the show.

MTV News pre show coverage...

George Clooney, Donnie Yen and Ziyi Zhang are the first names to be mentioned as the stars of the long-awaited reworking of movie classic The Seven Samurai.

Internet reports suggest Clooney will play a crime lord who plans a daring casino heist and enlists a gang, led by Yen, to pull off the job.

In the 1954 original, considered one of the greatest films ever made, poor villagers recruit seven unemployed Samurai warriors to help them defend themselves against warlords.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

Taiwanese director Ang Lee has made Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people who are shaping the world. The acclaimed filmmaker, who recently won a Best Director Academy Award for Brokeback Mountain, was included on the list because his phenomenally successful work has crossed cultural lines.

Actress Zhang Ziyi, who starred in Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon says, "He creates characters that draw in an audience no matter what language they speak. His insight into the human heart crosses all boundaries. I know he is also making a huge influence in the lives of young...

Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang's movie fee has multiplied 10 times over the past three years - thanks to roles in blockbusters Memoirs Of A Geisha and Hero. Filmmaker Hou Yong, who directed the star in "Jasmin Flower" three years ago for which she was paid $500,000, is amazed by the actress' sudden rise to the Hollywood A-list.

Yong says, "When Zhang Ziyi made this movie her salary was $500,000. Now, her salary is $5 million. It's a tenfold jump. It's really amazing."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

Wedding Crashers and The 40-Year-Old-Virgin are set to dominate the 2006 MTV Movie Awards. Both movies have received five nominations each including Best Movie and Best Comedic Performance. Among the other contenders for historically one the most hotly contested awards, Best Kiss, are Brokeback Mountain lovers Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger who are set to battle it out with real life couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who locked lips in their action hit last year Mr and Mrs Smith. Full List of Nominees Below!

This year's awards ceremony is the first time that organisers haven't had...

Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang has agreed to be a judge at this year's coveted Cannes Film Festival in the south of France. The Memoirs Of A Geisha star, who found fame after her performance in martial arts masterpiece Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, was thrilled by the invitation.

She says, "I'm anticipating taking up the post, and it would be an honor."

Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai was earlier named president of the jury for the 59th Cannes Film Festival, which takes place between May 17 and 28.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

Happy Birthday to "7th Heaven" actor David Gallagher (1985), Japanese pop star Ami Suzuki (1982), "American Beauty" actress Mena Suvari (1979), "Memoirs of a Geisha" star Ziyi Zhang (1979), Dominican baseball star Vladimir Guerrero (1976), soap opera star Sharon Case (1971), country musician Travis Tritt (1963), "The Nanny" star Charles Shaughnessy (1955), "Hollywood Squares" personality/actor Jm J. Bullock (1955), New York Mets hero Mookie Wilson (1952), "Who's The Boss" and "Law and Order SVU" actress Judith Light (1949), actress Mia Farrow (1945), 'tough-guy' actor Joe Pesci (1943), sing...

Jessica Alba has topped a new list of sexy stars, which has earned her a Playboy magazine cover. The actress joins the likes of Jaime Pressly, Jenny McCarthy, Halle Berry, Pamela Anderson, Eva Longoria and Paris Hilton on Playboy's new 25 Sexiest Celebrities list.

Although Alba, Playboy's 'Sex Star Of The Year,' appears on the cover of the new March issue of the men's magazine, her peers are featured in varying states of undress inside the issue. Longoria, Mariah Carey, Ziyi Zhang, Beyonce, Carmen Electra, Scarlett Johansson, and Jennifer Aniston also appear on the new lovelies list.

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Gay cowboy romance Brokeback Mountain has been banned in mainland China after outraging censors there. The film shocked China's broadcast regulator the State Administration of Radio, Film & Television, as the nation still considers homosexuality a taboo subject. Director Ang Lee last week hailed Asia for having a more open-minded stance on sexuality - so the ban will be a blow to the Taiwanese film maker.

Meanwhile, sexual content in Memoirs of a Geisha, which stars Chinese stars Gong Li and Ziyi Zhang, also caused a stir. But distributor Columbia TriStar insists the movie will eventu...

British thriller The Constant Gardener has been nominated for 10 BAFTAs from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. The adaptation of the John Le Carre novel, which stars Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, is up for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress and seven other awards. Ang Lee's gay cowboy film Brokeback Mountain and racial drama Crash both received nine nominations.

The awards ceremony, which will be hosted by Stephen Fry, will take place at the Odeon, in London's Leicester Square, on February 19. The Constant Gardener will face stiff competition in the Best Film category...

Memoirs of a Geisha star Ziyi Zhang's method of learning English nearly landed her in trouble, as she picked up the language by listening to and repeating obscene Eminem lyrics.

The Chinese screen beauty studied music and commercials to learn words and phrases, but she admits she wasn't initially aware of how offensive her Eminem-style English was.

She explains, "It was television commercials and Eminem. I loved to watch the commercials because they pronounce their words so clearly. I don't always know what (Eminem) is talking about, so I write down the lyrics and repeat them. Lat...

Nominations for the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards for outstanding performances in 2005 in five film and eight primetime television categories were just announced. Brokeback Mountain leads the pack in film with four nominations, followed by Capote and Crash (each with three nominations).

The film nominees are:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Russell Crowe / CINDERELLA MAN – Jim Braddock

Philip Seymour Hoffman / CAPOTE – Truman Capote

Heath Ledger / BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN – Ennis Del Mar

Joaquin Phoenix / WALK THE LINE – John R. Cash (

D...

Memoirs of a Geisha director Rob Marshall has defended his decision to cast Chinese actors in place of Japanese ones - insisting they were employed for their talent, not where they come from. The American film-maker spoke out after being chastised by Chinese critics for appointing Chinese actresses Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li to play major roles in the adaptation of Arthur Golden's popular novel.

The critics insist Marshall's choice is insensitive because of the atrocities committed by the Japanese during their 1930s Chinese occupation. Marshall says, "When you saw Zorba the Greek, and yo...