On May 8, Yang Mi and her agency Jaywalk Studio simultaneously announced the superstar’s departure from her industry “home” for more than a decade. “A shared past, and our own futures” she wrote. Jaywalk meanwhile wrote. “Experiencing and growing through more than a decade’s worth of ups and downs together, deeply thankful and grateful. We wish you all the best for the future. Take good care of yourself.” The announcement validates long-running rumours about the actress’s departure.
Trending on Weibo Hot Search
The news shot up to number one on Weibo hot search, and the 36-year-old actress also continued to trend throughout the day from Yang Mi changing her profile photo to Yang Mi studio removing Jiaxing 嘉行 (Jaywalk’s Chinese name) from their handle. Netizens also noticed that Jaywalk deleted Yang Mi’s photos from their past posts now that her departure is official although photos of other artists who have left remain. Among the trending topics was how Jaywalk’s legal representative Zeng Jia used to be Yang Mi’s agent. Some Netizens remarked how they thought Yang Mi was the boss of the company.
Reception from fans appear to be positive thus far with many celebrating the change and wishing her well in her next chapter. It can be remembered that Yang Mi’s fans have long been taking issue against Jaywalk’s strategy when it comes to their idol. In the past, they’ve spoken up against the Studio constantly partnering her up with Jaywalk newbies to take advantage of her star power even if it doesn’t help with her own growth as an actress.
Jaywalk Shares
If you’re wondering about what will happen now to Yang Mi’s shares in the company with her exit, media reports that Yang Mi is still holding on to them. Supposedly, the actress is the third largest shareholder with 15.19% ownership in the company. However, you’ve got to wonder what the departure of one of their biggest assets will do to its bottom line and how it’ll affect investor confidence on the company’s longevity.
Who’s Still with Jaywalk
At present, Jaywalk still remains the home of three of its “first generation” artists like Dilraba Dilmurat, Leon Zhang Yunlong and Vengo Gao Weiqiang. Li Xirui was among the first to leave in 2018, Vin Zhang Binbin and Maggie Huang who were also part of the first generation of artists who signed with Jaywalk left the company in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Source: 1
Wowo
Eeeekkkkk with the JayWalk rumor that they don’t pay their taxes, YIKE!!!! Soon it’s gonna close down. YangMi was one of the foudner, no? She left so eeekkkk.
Tunnel Rush
If the reason is not paying taxes, is YangMi’s withdrawal calculated? The pillars are gone and may fall apart.
Anon
jaywalk simply doesn’t deserve to handle a top artist like yang mi
Una
Oh come on ! Jaywalk helped Yang Mi to her success, as it did for many other actors & celebrities. Without Jaywalk, one has to wonder whether YM could have achieved the level of success required to call the shots, just based on her mediocre acting skills.
Top artistes are made. They do not just dropped from the sky. That’s why almost every newbie will sign up with an agency.
Anon
very funny. Uhm YANG MI MADE JAYWALK AND ALL THOSE “OTHER ARTISTS”. She became a top artist in 2011. And it’s that populity that jaywalk used to promote Dilreba and co for over ten years. If YM had been under a studio that cared about her development from 2011, she wouldn’t be rubbing shoulders with the likes of whoever she’s rubbing shoulders with now. If I was an actress and I had to shoot the same kind of dramas with the exact same supporting actors with the exact same director for ten years+, I’d lose my enthusiasm for the profession at some point and retire.
Anon
Jaywalk rejected many good roles for YM and prioritized their self produced dramas that are F grade. The few good roles that YM played were because YM insisted (talking mainly about eternal love which the producer approached her directly for) and even then she had to drag Dilreba and co along. Either way YM doesn’t need jaywalk and she can get good resources on her own
Una
I find your logical thinking (or lack of) too funny. If she was the one who made Jaywalk and have such great power over it (even to the extent of “making all the other artistes”), then all the bad things that people accused JW of doing to her ie, not choosing good roles for her, etc , must all have been approved by YM herself. She must have “made herself” first before all others, isn’t it? And since she became a big celebrity, then she herself has a very big say what works she wants to take; all big celebrities have this power. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has first option to any works that JW acquires. So, I absolutely don’t buy this stuff that she was forced to act in those “not good” dramas – she chose them herself ; she knows the limits of her own acting capability. Artistically good or not, the dramas all earned a lot of money. That’s what matters. And she herself is so super rich, that she literally doesn’t have to act and she will still be super rich. She could also have continued to “make all the other artistes” and income will pour in without her having to sweat it out in front of the cameras. JW is managing scores of artistes.
If she was just a “helpless & innocent” actress trapped under an unfair contract, then she should have walked out once the contract expired. Many other well-known actors have left when their contracts expired. And they all came into JW much later than her.
There are so many rumors of JW under a lot of financial troubles. Since she is so deeply associated with JW, both in name, reputation and ownership, I think her leaving is more a business decision than anything to do with the lack of progress in her acting career. She is a much more talented businesswoman than she is an actress. She is well able to look after her own interests and really doesn’t care a hoot for your misplaced sympathies.
Lisa
Good for her! She doesn’t need an agency anyway.