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Chinese nationalists known as ‘Little Pink’ target Keanu Reeves for cancelation over Tibet support

January 28, 2022 | | Print Article

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A group of Chinese nationalists beloved by the Chinese Communist Party are trying to cancel Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves for the supposed crime of showing love to the Tibetans.

Reeves is set to attend a March 3rd benefit concert for Tibet that’s being hosted by Tibet House, “a New York-based educational nonprofit committed to the preservation of Tibetan culture,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Naturally, the nonprofit is viewed with disdain by the CCP.

“The group was established by supporters of the Dalai Lama and Beijing authorities have labeled it as a separatist organization advocating for Tibetan independence,” the Reporter notes.

“China regards the culturally unique Tibetan region as an essential piece of its national territory and any suggestion of Tibetan independence is seen as an affront to the country’s sovereignty.”

And so when word emerged that Reeves would be attending this year’s benefit, the Chinese nationalists mentioned earlier — known collectively as Little Pink — were activated.

FYI, though Little Pink is beloved by the CCP, critics worldwide have gone to great lengths mocking the “fragile” nationalists, with a Malaysian singer going so far as to release a music video about them late last year:

Responding to the news about Reeves, Little Pink members posted to blogs and social media that they were ‘shocked’ by the news and would quit being a fan of the popular Hollywood star,” according to Variety magazine.

Some also called for the star’s latest film, “The Matrix: Resurrections,” to be boycotted or just outright banned from Chinese cinema.

“The film can be taken down now. Get out of the Chinese market, thank you,” one member wrote.

“How can Keanu Reeves not understand this and take part in a pro-Tibet independence concert? Aren’t these celebrities afraid of losing the China market?” another member added.

“These high school graduates in Hollywood can’t even identify where Tibet is on the map, but they ‘care’ if people there are leading a good life,” a third member grumbled.

“He’s already a has-been. What kind of market value does he have? Tibet belongs to China,” a fourth member complained.

The “good” news, per se, is that the latest “Matrix” film was already performing poorly, reportedly earning only $7.5 million upon its Chinese opening on Jan. 14th and a paltry $12.4 million total by Jan. 27th, nearly two weeks later.

Its performance in the states has been just as bad. Between its opening on Dec. 22nd and Jan. 3rd,  the movie earned only $30.9 million, according to Screen Rant.

American critics say the problem is that the movie is “woke”:

And so a boycott is no threat. The real concern, according to the Reporter, is the impact the backlash might have on Reeves’ career prospects and earning potential via-a-via the Chinese market.

“The potentially more concerning factor for Reeves’ career is whether he becomes a de facto persona non grata in the Chinese entertainment landscape going forward. Many Western celebrities have seen their personal brands iced out of China’s massive entertainment market after voicing support for Tibet in the past,” the Reporter notes.

“Richard Gere has been banned from Chinese screens for years over his vocal support for Tibet, a fact that he has said caused him to lose movie deals in Hollywood, where studios previously coveted the growth potential of the China market. Brad Pitt also was banned for nearly two decades after starring in the film Seven Years in Tibet in 1997. Lady Gaga effectively has been prohibited from performing in the country ever since she met with the Dalai Lama in 2016.”

Because of the CCP’s history of human rights abuses, many social media users are lavishing Reeves with praise for ostensibly getting canceled on behalf of Tibet:

However, it’s not clear yet that he intends to stick to his guns. When questioned by Variety about Little Pink’s attacks, the actor’s representatives did not respond.

Hollywood actors (in addition to NBA players) have a history of bending the knee to the CCP. Reeves’ supporters are hopeful he’ll do the right thing.

Vivek Saxena
Latest posts by Vivek Saxena (see all)

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