Current:Home > Finance‘Expats,’ starring Nicole Kidman, was filmed in Hong Kong, but you can’t watch it there-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
‘Expats,’ starring Nicole Kidman, was filmed in Hong Kong, but you can’t watch it there
View Date:2024-12-23 20:14:38
HONG KONG (AP) — Nicole Kidman’s latest project is set in Hong Kong, but people who live there are blocked from seeing it, prompting speculation about censorship in a city where civil liberties are shrinking fast.
The first two episodes of “Expats,” a six-episode drama about expat women, were released on Amazon Prime on Jan. 26. But when viewers in Hong Kong try to watch it, they instead get a message saying that “this video is currently unavailable to watch in your location.”
The city has hardened its controls over political speech after 2019 anti-government protests rocked the city.
In 2020, China passed a National Security Law that criminalized political activities, such as protesting for independence. Since then, hundreds of activists have been arrested or driven into exile, while opposition-leaning media have been forced out of business.
The first episode of “Expats” includes a brief scene in which people at a rally chant in Cantonese “I want real general elections.” The trailer for the show also features a crowd holding umbrellas, a reference to the 2014 Umbrella Movement, when protesters demanded the right to choose the city’s Chief Executive.
Previously, the Walt Disney Co. removed an episode of the cartoon series The Simpsons that included a reference to “forced labor camps” in China from its Disney Plus streaming service in Hong Kong. In both cases, it’s not clear whether authorities were involved in the decision to pull the content or companies acted on their own.
In June 2021, the city’s government changed the Film Censorship Ordinance to give them the power to remove films which include “portrayal, depiction or treatment of any act or activity which may amount to an offense endangering national security.”
Representatives of Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kidman’s role in the series prompted controversy in 2021, during the height of the pandemic, when the government gave her permission to skip a mandatory quarantine when she came to Hong Kong to film the series, according to local media outlet HK01.
On Tuesday, the Hong Kong government announced plans to enact a local version of the 2020 National Security Law.
veryGood! (9429)
Related
- FBI offers up to $25,000 reward for information about suspect behind Northwest ballot box fires
- Check Out the Most Surprising Celeb Transformations of the Week
- Barack and Michelle Obama's Chef Dies While Paddleboarding Near Their Martha's Vineyard Home
- Vanderpump Rules' Scheana Shay Claps Back at Claim She's Forgiven Tom Sandoval for Cheating
- 12 college students charged with hate crimes after assault in Maryland
- RHONY's Luann de Lesseps Has the Best Reaction to Bethenny Frankel and Jill Zarin's Reunion
- Beat the Heat With These 19 Hacks To Make a Sweaty Commute Much More Tolerable
- Barbie Casting Director Reveals the Stars Who Had to Turn Down Ken Roles
- Why Dolly Parton Is a Fan of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Little Love Affair
- You'll Buzz Over Samuel L. Jackson's Gift to Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds for Their 2008 Wedding
Ranking
- MLS Star Marco Angulo Dead at 22 One Month After Car Crash
- Body of missing 2-year-old recovered days after flash flood: Police
- True Thompson and Chicago West Mischievously Pay Tribute to Moms Khloe Kardashian and Kim Kardashian
- US surpasses 400 mass shootings so far in 2023: National gun violence website
- Will Trump’s hush money conviction stand? A judge will rule on the president-elect’s immunity claim
- Tyra Banks Recreates Her Iconic Life-Size Character for Barbie Shout-Out
- Gilgo Beach Murder Suspect's Wife Files for Divorce Following His Arrest
- Indulge in Self-Care With a 47% Off Deal on the Best Kopari Beauty Products
Recommendation
-
Diddy's ex-bodyguard sues rape accuser for defamation over claims of 2001 assault
-
Why Taylor Lautner Says Hanging With Wife Tay and Ex Taylor Swift Was the Perfect Situation
-
Shop Bags & Accessories at Nordstrom Clear the Rack Sale: Deals on Coach, Kate Spade, Calvin Klein & More
-
The Voice Debuts First Coaches Photo With Reba McEntire After Blake Shelton's Exit
-
Jelly Roll goes to jail (for the best reason) ahead of Indianapolis concert
-
Madison Beer Claps Back at Body Shamer Saying She's Getting Fatter
-
How YouTuber Annabelle Ham Refused to Let Struggle With Epilepsy Control Her Life Before Tragic Death
-
Tyra Banks Recreates Her Iconic Life-Size Character for Barbie Shout-Out