Actor Gavin Gao arrested for rape, denied bail in Sydney

A Chinese actor charged with sexual assault in Sydney will remain behind bars after being denied bail earlier today as a possible flight risk.

Gavin Gao (also known as Gao Yunxiang 高云翔) was in Australia filming scenes for a new Chinese TV drama when he, along with another man, allegedly sexually assaulted a 36-year-old woman who was helping to produce the series. The alleged crimes occurred early on the morning of March 27th at Sydney’s Shangri-La hotel.

In court, prosecutors said that the victim reported the alleged crime immediately. She had bruising on her legs and police gathered evidence which included a tissue with semen, according to ABC News.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Sharon Freund has described the facts alleged by the prosecution against Gao as being a “very sobering read.”

Gao has pleaded not guilty to the two counts of aggravated sexual assault.

He was denied bail earlier today after the prosecution argued that Gao could flee back to China and not return to Sydney for trial since Australia has no extradition treaty with China.

In response, Gao’s lawyer said that he was fine with his client being denied bail, noting that fleeing Australia would ruin Gao’s career.

Gao’s lawyer also described his client as “the Hugh Jackman of China.” Last month, a police source likened Gao to a “Chinese Mel Gibson.”

However, the 35-year-old actor has never been a big star in his home country. Prior to the incident, he was actually known for his wholesome family life as a good husband and father. During one talk show appearance, he said that he doesn’t drink alcohol, smoke, or gamble.

Gavin Gao and Xuan Dong.

Gao is married to Chinese actress Xuan Dong (董璇). The couple were both in Australia filming scenes for a new romantic television drama. Dong finished shooting her scenes first and headed back to China. 12 days after she left, Gao allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in a Sydney hotel.

Dong has publicly expressed her faith in her husband and was present in court today, along with a large contingent of Chinese media and supporters who filled the courtroom to capacity. The sexual assault charges have caused Gao to achieve a whole new level of “fame” in China with millions following the case with considerable interest on social media.

Further complicating matters, there are rumors swirling around that Dong is pregnant with the couple’s second child.

Gao, Dong, and their daughter.

One of the reasons why this case has garnered so much attention is that Gao is set to star as the male lead in an upcoming historical drama called “The Legend of Ba Qing” (巴清传) alongside none other than Fan Bingbing, China’s most popular actress.

Filming has already wrapped up on the series and it was scheduled to begin airing in the next few months, but has been delayed due to the sexual assault charges against its male lead.

China’s media watchdog, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television (SAPPRFT) is extremely strict when it comes to stars’ ethical issues and scandals and it’s not clear when/if the series will finally see the light of day.

Obviously, this is a heavy blow to the series’ producers. With a budget of 500 million yuan ($79 million) “The Legend of Ba Qing” was one of the most expensive TV series in Chinese history.

Reportedly, Zhejiang Tangde, the production company behind the series, lost more than 800 million yuan on the market a day after Gao’s sexual assault charges made headlines. Fan Bingbing is the company’s 9th biggest shareholder.

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