China’s television and online drama industry is set to implement new regulations governing actor credits, as three major industry associations move to address long-standing disputes over billing order and cast rankings.
The new guidelines were jointly released by the China Television Drama Production Industry Association, the China Netcasting Services Association, and the Actor Committee of the China Radio and Television Social Organizations Federation.
The initiative aims to shift attention back to artistic creation and away from celebrity ranking controversies.
In recent years, disputes over actor billing have become increasingly common during casting, contract negotiations, production, promotion, and broadcasting stages.
Some projects reportedly experienced delays and public controversies due to disagreements over credit placement and ranking.
Under the new regulations, actors and talent agencies are encouraged to focus on professional work rather than competing over billing positions.
They are also expected to guide fans toward rational behavior and discourage online conflicts related to cast rankings.
One of the most significant changes is the standardization of actor titles.
Only three official categories will be permitted: Leading Actor, Special Appearance, and Cast Member.
Production teams will no longer be allowed to create additional billing titles beyond these approved classifications.
The rules also introduce a standardized ranking system.
Within the same category, actors’ names will be listed according to the stroke count of their legal surnames, creating a more objective method of ordering credits.
In addition, productions must use performers’ legal names. If a stage name is widely recognized, it may be included alongside the legal name in a standardized format.
The regulations apply not only to opening and closing credits but also to promotional materials, including posters, trailers, press releases, official social media content, and offline marketing events. This ensures consistency across all public-facing platforms.
After a transition period of approximately one month, the new rules will officially take effect on July 10, 2026.
All newly released television dramas and web series will be required to comply. (Overseasidol.com)
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