Before she officially became Mrs Jay Chou, Hannah Quinlivan was a small-time actress who earned a meagre 20,000 yuan (approximately S$4,472) for a bit role in the Taiwanese–Chinese drama series Moon River in 2013, Taiwan media reports.
On top of suffering abuse on screen — getting her ears pinched, having to shelter the second female lead with an umbrella — Hannah had very little screen time, and was paid less than a C-list Chinese actress.
The drama series is airing on China’s Hunan TV and Taiwan’s GTV. Netizens reacted with shock at the paltry sum Hannah received.
These days, Hannah’s star is on the rise, and after marrying pop singer Jay Chou in 2014 and giving birth to their daughter, nicknamed “Little Chou,” this year, the actress–model has been a favourite among fashion brands, and was spotted attending Milan Fashion Week recently.