Nicole Kidman sparks backlash by receiving quarantine exemption from Hong Kong authorities

By MiNDFOOD

Nicole Kidman has sparked backlash for receiving an exemption from Hong Kong’s strict quarantine protocols to work on new TV series The Expats.

The Big Little Lies star arrived in Hong Kong from Sydney, Australia via a private plane last week and was allowed to skip the strict mandatory Covid-19 entry rules which include a 21-day hotel quarantine for unvaccinated Hong Kong residents and 14-day quarantine for vaccinated residents and visitors from most other countries.

According to the South China Morning Post, the government confirmed on Thursday that Kidman “has been granted permission to travel to Hong Kong with a quarantine exemption for the purpose of performing designated professional work” and said that exemption took into account that her work “is conducive to maintaining the necessary operation and development of Hong Kong’s economy”.

Hong Kong has some of the most strict Covid-19 entry requirements globally, and the mandatory measures have meant many residents have been unable to leave for nearly two years.

As such, Kidman’s special treatment has sparked backlash locally, with one user tweeting, “So we have HK residents who can’t come back if not vaccinated (and even then with 2-3 weeks quarantine) but Nicole Kidman can just enter like this? It’s disgusting!”

The Australian actress is producing the Amazon Studios show, an adaptation of Janice Y.K. Lee’s novel The Expatriates, via her Blossom Films production company. The Farewell‘s Lulu Wang is directing the series, which is currently shooting in the city.

It hasn’t been officially confirmed that Kidman is starring in the show, but she has been spotted shopping and filming since her arrival.

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