Several citizens in Hong Kong are extremely angry and upset as Nicole Kidman and other film crew who have recently flown to Hong King to shoot a show called “Expats” were granted permission to skip quarantine. The show is based on a 2016 book with the same title which chronicles the glitzy life of three American women in Hong Kong. However, real life expats as well as Hong Kongers have been extremely critical of the government decision to exempt these reel life Expats from quarantine procedures.
Many took to social media angrily commenting on the unfair exemption as these rules can be applied for senior executives but are rarely applied. Recently, HSBC chairman Mark Tucker finished three weeks of quarantine after arriving from Britain.
Many expats are unhappy that they are unable to meet loved ones and have been separated from families. A popular support group on Facebook, which has people who are quarantined in Hong Kong as members, has been filled with angst and anger at this recent exemption. Local members and residents have posted that they haven’t seen relatives overseas from almost two years and they had to follow three-week quarantine rules and got no exemptions.
Hong Kong’s tabloids have been following the 54-year old’s appearances in the city since a private jet with her and some crew reached the city on Thursday, from Australia. Hong Kong’s government did not identify Nicole Kidman by name but said that foreign overseas film personnel had been granted exemption from quarantine for “the purpose of performing designated professional work.”
The tabloids said that the actor went on a shopping spree two days after she arrived in Hong Kong. She was also seen filming in the Sai Wan district. She is an executive producer of “Expats.”
Kidman’s exemption from quarantine rules came a few days before the financial hub further tightened its rules for many countries. This disrupted travel plans of many people as the summer holidays were almost over. There are a lack of hotel rooms as well as flights available due to the new rules.
Elizabeth Quat, a pro-Beijing lawmaker, said that she had got many complaints from Hong Kong residents and had asked health officials to explain the issue on Friday.
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