According to Chinese media, recently, social networks are spreading rumors that Thanh Long passed away at the age of 71 due to a relapse of old injuries. The accompanying image shows the actor lying on a hospital bed, his face pale, even clearly recording the date of his death, looking very convincing.
Many people believe this is true and share their condolences, some media accounts also follow the posting.
As a result, the very next day, Thanh Long's Weibo account posted a new film poster with the message: "See you everyone next year's Tet in "Gau Truc 2 Plan". The rumors were immediately exposed as untrue, and an AI-generated image.
This is not the first time that the news of Thanh Long's death has been rumored. From 2015 to now, every two years, Thanh Long has had to "dead" once.
Sometimes it was a " heart attack", sometimes it was a "final stage of cancer". This time it is even more upgraded: using AI to create a photo of a hospital patient as real, even the wrinkles are meticulously simulated. This type of rumor spreads strongly because they have a "reasonable" appearance. Thanh Long is famous for his risky, online actions on screen. He had broken bones, torn lungs, and a spinal defect, etc., those are all truths that have been made public.
Many people thought that Thanh Long was paralyzed after many years of acting, so his passing away from injury was entirely possible.
Thanh Long appeared calm when saying that "appearance of illness" in the photo is actually a gray hair look for the new film, and told everyone "do not worry". But what is outrageous is that a top star who has devoted decades to cinema has to continuously prove that he is alive.
Thanh Long has an acting career of 61 years, participating in more than 200 films, and is the childhood memory of countless audiences around the world. He is also the first Chinese to receive Oscar lifetime achievement award. Such a star should have been respected and protected, not become a money-making tool for viewers.
The media warns social media users to stay alert to sensational information as AI develops.
