'Hidden Love' star Zhao Lusi breaks silence on depression, abuse and blackmail after hospitalisation

New Delhi: Chinese actor Zhao Lusi, best known for her globally popular romance series Hidden Love, has opened up about battling depression as well as facing mental and physical abuse in a social media post following her recent hospitalisation.

The 26-year-old actor became a subject of headlines and speculation after pictures surfaced on internet, showing Lusi being taken to a hospital in a wheelchair.

Over the past few days, several other video clips began circulating online showing her walking unsteadily and failing to hold a spoon, leaving many fans concerned about her health condition.

On Wednesday, Lusi posted a statement on her official Weibo account and apologised to her fans for "taking up public attention". She said the post is her first and last comment on the stories and rumours surrounding her health.

"Before all this, I never allowed my illness to affect my work or those around me. I also acknowledge my own shortcomings. I’ve always thought of myself as patient, but over the past half month, I’ve realized that deep down, I’m not as magnanimous as I believed. So, I do hold some responsibility for the situation," she said.

The actor revealed that she has been battling depression since 2019 when she first noticed the symptoms but was told by people to not make a big deal out of it and think positively.

"I thought I was being overly sensitive and didn’t take my mental health seriously. In 2021, I started feeling as if bugs were crawling on me, accompanied by needle-like sensations and allergies. Even after taking medication and getting injections, the symptoms didn’t improve. I eventually sought a psychologist to help manage my anxiety," she said.

Lusi, who was most recently seen in the popular Chinese period drama The Story of Pearl Girl, said her condition worsened in 2023 when she faced "pneumonia, emphysema, pityriasis rosea, hives, night sweats, sudden awakenings, and nerve deafness".

"I also dealt with the passing of a loved one and several cancer diagnoses within the family-all within a short time. However, the magnitude of the events overshadowed my emotions, and I continued to neglect myself.

"It wasn’t until 2024 that I began experiencing severe physical symptoms like frequent dry heaving, dizziness, joint pain, and worsening allergies. I assumed these were normal side effects of targeted allergy medication." Lusi said she was labelled as “useless” and a “pretty face” as a child and faced physical abuse during her time in school.

"During after-school tutoring, a teacher once hit me in their dorm. I believed it was justified because I wasn’t performing well academically and didn’t dare to speak up, thinking, 'I must be the problem.' As I grew up, I was hit again after failing an acting audition. I thought it was my fault for not succeeding, so I stayed silent and only wanted to escape. I was used to handling everything on my own and never sought help." Without naming her abusers, Lusi said she sought to bring an end to that dark chapter of life after she became popular as an actor.

"In the end, she demanded a large 'termination of contract fee' before finally stopping her cycles of crying, making scenes, and threatening self-harm. Even then, she spread endless slander and rumours about me, both inside and outside the industry. "Countless people reached out to gossip after hearing these stories. Every incident deepened my pain, and the harm hasn’t stopped," the actor wrote, hinting at someone who was close to her professionally.

Lusi, who rose to stardom with 2020's "The Romance of Tiger and Rose" and followed it up with popular period shows such as "The Long Ballad", "Who Rules The World" and "Love Like the Galaxy", said didn't want to "hype" her illness but hoped that it will be helpful for those who are in a similar situation.

"It is really important to understand mental illness and attach importance to psychotherapy," she said.