Chinese actress Zhu Yuanyuan passed away on May 17, 2025. She was 51. On May 21, her husband, actor Xin Baiqing, announced her passing in a statement penned by her loved ones: “Yuanyuan left us forever at 11:39 a.m. on May 17, 2025. In her nearly five-year fight with cancer, she never became pessimistic or disheartened. She remained determined and confident in facing difficulties.”
Zhu Yuanyuan chose to keep her illness private and continued working throughout her treatment. Even just 20 days before her passing, she was still promoting the upcoming drama The City Maker starring Zhao Liying, which wrapped filming and is now Zhu Yuanyuan’s final work. During this time, she also earned accolades, including the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Supporting Actress.
In the obituary shared by Xin Baiqing, he praised her strength: “She brought joy and comfort to everyone around her with her love for life, her smile, and her kindness.” He also conveyed that Zhu Yuanyuan wished for a simple farewell, and the family would honor her wishes. To end, they wrote, “Dear Yuanyuan, we will forever miss you.”
Celebrity couple Zhu Yuanyuan and Xin Baiqing were classmates at the Central Academy of Drama and had been together for 26 years, raising a daughter together. Many celebrities, including Yao Chen, Ma Yili, Zhao Liying and Qin Hailu, expressed their grief and paid tribute online.
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