Although his rapid-fire kicks and wushu skills have earned him years in the limelight both on the Chinese mainland and internationally, it’s Jet Li’s recent switch to Singaporean citizenship in June 2009 that’s kept the media buzzing.

Li’s films include "Shaolin Temple" (1982), "Lethal Weapon 4" (1998), "Romeo Must Die" (2000) and "The Forbidden Kingdom" (2008). After surviving the 2004 tsunami, Li dived into philanthropy work, forming his own non-profit called The One Foundation in 2006, which supports international disaster relief efforts in conjunction with the Red Cross.

As one of the first internationally-recognized Chinese stars (appearing in films like "Memoirs of a Geisha" [2005], "Miami Vice" [2006] and "Curse of the Golden Flower" [2006]), Li's emigration to Singapore caused a greater stir than her aforementioned compatriot.

Gong had already been married to Singaporean business tycoon Ooi Hoe Soeng for 13 years before submitting her application.

Although writer/actor/director Chen Kaige spent a large part of his early career in New York, his major successes have always been claimed by China. Kaige’s films, like "Yellow Earth" (1984), have made him a leading figure in Chinese cinema.

Both Kaige and his second wife, Chinese TV actress Chen Hong have emigrated to the U.S.

Known by fans for his imperial performances on the big screen, Zhang Teilin still surprised followers when he announced he was becoming European aristocracy (relatively speaking) and assuming British citizenship. Zhang accounted for his immigration in a lecture at Sichuan University, saying that he changed his nationality “in order to be a better Chinese and let more of the world get to see Chinese people.”