In the recent past, reports on China’s impact on Hollywood have tended to focus on overt censorship — the content studios willingly alter when Beijing balks (think swapping Maverick’s jacket patches in the “Top Gun” sequel) or the blind eye they’re willing to turn when LGBT scenes end up on the cutting room floor (think 20th Century’s no comment about the changes to “Bohemian Rhapsody”). Occasionally, headlines erupt when an American star makes a misstep during promotion and winds up groveling for offending Xi Jinping, as John Cena did after correctly calling Taiwan a country.
But focusing on this type of blatant strong-arming doesn’t begin to cover the degree of influence Beijing has over Hollywood today. Now, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ability to shape American culture and entertainment goes far beyond simply objecting during or after production.
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