The friend disclosed that Zhao became obsessed with her weight due to body-shaming from within her own management company. In 2019, her boss allegedly called her into a restroom and berated her for two hours, calling her “too fat to be chosen for lead roles, useless, and less capable compared to other actresses,” as reported by Sina.

At that time, Zhao weighed 55 kg and had a rounder, fuller face. Under China’s beauty standards of being “fair, young, and thin,” Zhao faced tens of thousands of comments labeling her “the fattest actress.”

Chinese actress Zhao Lusi. Photo courtesy of Zhao’s Weibo

On Jan. 1, Zhao revealed on her personal social media account that she once experienced both physical and mental exhaustion, with her weight dropping below 38 kg. She admitted to battling depression since 2019 but confessed she had not taken her mental health seriously at the time.

Her condition deteriorated in 2021, when she experienced sensations of needles or insects crawling on her skin, accompanied by allergic reactions. Despite seeking medical advice and receiving injections, her symptoms persisted. Eventually, Zhao turned to psychological therapy and began treatment to alleviate her stress.

In the following years, her health worsened further, suffering from ailments including pneumonia, pneumothorax, hives, night sweats, and episodes of waking up in terror. In 2024, she battled symptoms like dry vomiting, dizziness, joint and neck pain, and frequent allergic reactions.

In response to Zhao’s and her friend’s accounts, a representative from her management company stated that they have been working alongside the actress to address her challenges. The representative added: “We sincerely apologize for shortcomings in our work and are reviewing these issues.”

Zhao, 27, began her acting career in 2017 and has gained fame through roles in popular drama series such as “The Romance of Tiger and Rose,” “Dating in the Kitchen,” “Love Better Than Immortality,” “Love Like the Galaxy,” and “Hidden Love.”