Social Queen

Chinese star Yao Chen is the most-followed celebrity online, and it’s her no-holds-barred personality and heart of gold that’s gained her super stardom.

- Seow Kai Lun

Think social media giants and the names that come to mind are those of Western celebrities – the Kardashian clan, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. but in China, where facebook and Twitter are banned, yao Chen and her 80 million fans (and counting) on micro blogging site Weibo – China’s answer to Twitter – are a force to be reckoned with.

Chen, 37, who starred with andy Lau in the action film Firestorm, which premiered at Screen Singapore, was first known for her comedic chops on the small screen. Later she became a social media phenomenon, with her posts regularly reposted tens of thousands of times. Her far-reaching social influence has led to her inclusion in Forbes’ World’s Most Powerful Women List in 2014 and 2015, and being one of Time’s Top 30 Most Influential People on the Internet for three years.

But don’t discount Chen, who stars in Tsui Hark’s Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2, as someone who is simply riding on a social media wave of popularity. The actress has way more substance than that. Her honesty and openness about her life is what makes her so appealing to the millions who follow her. She was one of the first celebrities to share her personal life on Weibo in 2009, and posts as many as 10 times a day, on topics ranging from family, news-related issues to work and fashion.