Celebrity divorces can get messy at times, but there are also situations where two stars quietly separate. Chinese actress Yao Chen (姚晨) and cinematographer Cao Yu (曹郁) recently surprised the public after announcing their divorce, revealing that the two had been separated for a while.
On 16th March 2026 (Monday), Yao Chen and Cao Yu jointly announced their divorce on their respective Weibo page. The pair tied the knot in 2012, two years after meeting each other on the set of “Color Me Love”. However, in their statement, the two public figures also revealed that they divorced many years ago.
Yao Chen and Cao Yu explained that they had separated several years ago, but didn’t specify when. They chose not to go public with the news at the time to protect their children’s privacy. The couple have two children together, a son nicknamed “Little Tudou”, born in 2013, and a daughter nicknamed “Little Moli”, born in 2016.
The pair also never shared the reason for their divorce, but hinted that they separated amicably. They also expressed gratitude for each other, noting the many memories they shared as their relationship evolved from co-workers to family. Additionally, Yao Chen and Cao Yu said they are raising their children together as a family.
Besides being romantically involved, Yao Chen and Cao Yu also collaborated professionally. The pair are the co-founders of Bad Rabbit Pictures production company. The company has backed several notable productions since its establishment in 2016. Both the actress and the cinematographer said they’ll maintain professional cooperation in their careers.
While divorce can be difficult on the affected parties, we applaud Yao Chen and Cao Yu for remaining on good terms. We wish them well in their respective futures.
Sources: DramaPanda, China Press
