Barbie Hsu's ex-husband cuts ties with mother amid controversy surrounding actress' death

Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, the ex-husband of the late Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, has announced that he is severing ties with his mother, Zhang Lan.

This decision comes amid ongoing familial disputes and controversies surrounding Hsu’s death.

On Feb. 9, Wang posted a photo of his mother on WeChat, stating that he could no longer support her.

He wrote:

“From today onwards, I’m cutting all ties with her. She has made enough money to last several lifetimes, yet she still tries to exploit me.”

Controversy and false claims

This conflict escalated after influencer Wo Shi Xia Xiao Jian, Zhang's godson, claimed during a Xiaohongshu live stream that Wang had chartered the private jet that flew Hsu’s ashes back to Taiwan on Feb. 5.

Xiao Jian stated that Wang took the initiative to arrange the flight because he would not allow Hsu’s ashes to be transported in a piece of luggage.

Zhang liked this post, leading many to believe she had endorsed the false claim.

However, Hsu’s younger sister, Dee Hsu, refuted this, stating through her manager that the Hsu family, including Dee and her husband, Mike Hsu, had covered the costs of the flight and other funeral arrangements.

"My sister’s funeral affairs, which include the chartering of the flight and all other arrangements, were all settled by the Hsu family," Dee said.

Response to Douyin suspension

Wang has also announced plans to sue Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok after the platform indefinitely suspended both his and his mother’s accounts.

According to Chinese media reports, the suspension was due to allegations that they used Hsu’s death to gain commercial benefits, promoted misleading content and posted videos that violated platform policies.

Douyin explained that the suspensions were due to their violation of public order and morality and their involvement in promoting false content for financial gain, despite previous warnings to rectify their actions.

Wang argued that he should not be held accountable for his mother’s actions and reiterated that he never claimed to have paid for the flight that transported Hsu’s ashes.

Hsu’s passing

Hsu passed away on Feb. 2 in Japan due to complications from influenza and her remains were transported back to Taiwan on Feb. 5.

Hsu was known for her roles in TV dramas like “Meteor Garden”, “Mars”, and “Summer’s Desire”.

She married Wang in 2010, and the couple had two children together before divorcing in 2021.

In 2022, Hsu married South Korean musician DJ Koo, while Wang married Taiwanese influencer Mandy Ma in 2024.

Top images via Barbie Hsu and Wang Xiaofei.