Joan Chen (born April 26, 1961) is a Chinese-American actress and film director. In China, she performed in the 1979 film and came to the attention of American audiences for her performance in the 1987 film ''

The Last Emperor ''The Last Emperor'' ( it, L'ultimo imperatore) is a 1987 epic biographical drama film about the life of Puyi, the final Emperor of China. It is directed by Bernardo Bertolucci from a screenplay he co-wrote with Mark Peploe, which was adapted ...

''. She is also known for her roles in ''

Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 for ...

'', ''

Red Rose White Rose ''Red Rose White Rose'' () is a 1994 Hong Kong drama film directed by Stanley Kwan, based on the '' Red Rose, White Rose'' novella by Eileen Chang. It was entered into the 45th Berlin International Film Festival. Cast *Joan Chen as Wang Jiao-R ...

'', '' Saving Face'', and ''

The Home Song Stories ''The Home Song Stories'' is a 2007 Australian drama film written and directed by Tony Ayres, loosely based on aspects of his life. It stars Joan Chen, Joel Lok, Qi Yuwu, Irene Chen, Steven Vidler and Kerry Walker. The film premiered at t ...

'', and for directing the feature film '' Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl''.

Early life

Chen was born in Shanghai, to a family of

pharmacologist Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemic ...

s. She and her older brother, Chase, were raised during the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goa ...

. At the age of 14, Chen was discovered on the school rifle range by

Jiang Qing Jiang Qing (19 March 191414 May 1991), also known as Madame Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary, actress, and major political figure during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976). She was the fourth wife of Mao Zedong, the Chairman of ...

, the wife of leader

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...

and major

Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Civil ...

figure, for excelling at marksmanship. This led to her being selected for the Actors' Training Program by the

Shanghai Film Studio The Shanghai Film Studio (), one of the three biggest film studios in China, is the film division of the Shanghai Film Group Corporation in Shanghai, China. It is responsible for the production of Chinese films and TV programs. History Shangha ...

in 1975, where she was discovered by veteran director

Xie Jin Xie Jin (; 21 November 1923 – 18 October 2008) was a Chinese film director. He rose to prominence in 1957, directing the film ''Woman Basketball Player No. 5'', and is considered one of the Third Generation directors of China. Most recently he ...

who chose her to star in his 1977 film as a deaf mute whose senses are restored by an army medical team. Chen graduated from high school a year in advance, and at the age of 17 entered

Shanghai International Studies University Shanghai International Studies University (SISU; ) is China's leading university in linguistics, cultural studies, and global and area studies. Established in December 1949, SISU is known for being one of the earliest institutions where China's hi ...

, where she majored in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Career

Early career in China

Chen performed alongside

Tang Guoqiang Tang Guoqiang (born 4 May 1952) is a Chinese actor best known for portraying historical figures in several films and television series. Some of his more notable roles include: various Chinese emperors (e.g. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Yongle Emper ...

in Zhang Zheng's () in 1979, for which she won the

Hundred Flowers Award The Hundred Flowers Awards () are, together with the Golden Rooster Awards, the most prestigious film awards honouring the best in Chinese cinema, as well as Hong Kong cinema and the Cinema of Taiwan, they are classified as the Chinese equivalen ...

for

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress aw ...

. Chen portrayed a pre-

Maoist Maoism, officially called Mao Zedong Thought by the Chinese Communist Party, is a variety of Marxism–Leninism that Mao Zedong developed to realise a socialist revolution in the agricultural, pre-industrial society of the Republic of Ch ...

revolutionary's daughter, who, reunited with her brother, a wounded Communist soldier, later learned that his doctor was her biological mother. ''Little Flower'' was her second film and she soon achieved the status of China's most-loved actress; she was dubbed "the Elizabeth Taylor of China" by ''Time'' magazine for having achieved stardom while still a teenager. In addition, Chen was in the 1979 film . The film directed by Ou Fan () and Xing Jitian () depicts an overseas Chinese family that returns to China from Southeast Asia out of their patriotic feelings but encounter political troubles during the

. The songs, "

I Love You, China I Love You, China () is a song composed for a soprano by Zheng Qiufeng to the lyrics of Qu Cong for the film Overseas Compatriots (Chinese: 海外赤子) (1979) starring Chen Chong (Chinese: 陳冲), also known as Joan Chen Joan Chen (born ...

" and "High Flies the Petrel" (), sung by Chen's character, are perennial favorites in China. In 1981, Chen starred in ''Awakening'' (), directed by .

Hollywood breakout

At age 20, Chen moved to the United States, where she studied

filmmaking Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, cast ...

at California State University, Northridge. Her first Hollywood movie was ''

Tai-Pan A tai-pan (,Andrew J. Moody, "Transmission Languages and Source Languages of Chinese Borrowings in English", ''American Speech'', Vol. 71, No. 4 (Winter, 1996), pp. 414-415. literally "top class"汉英词典 — ''A Chinese-English Dictionary' ...

'', filmed on location in China. In 1985 she appeared in the U.S. television show ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs, two M ...

'' as May Ying, former wife of Martin Castillo and husband to Ma Sek in the episode "

Golden Triangle (Part II) The following is an episode list for the 1980s undercover cop television series ''Miami Vice''. In the United States, the show was aired on NBC. The first episode of the series premiered on September 16, 1984 with the series concluding on June 2 ...

". She went on to star in

Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci (; 16 March 1941 – 26 November 2018) was an Italian film director and screenwriter with a career that spanned 50 years. Considered one of the greatest directors in Italian cinema, Bertolucci's work achieved international ...

's ''

'' in 1987 and the David Lynch/

Mark Frost Mark Frost (born November 25, 1953) is an American novelist, screenwriter, film-and-television producer and director. He is the co-creator of the mystery television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991; 2017) and was a writer and executive story ...

television series ''

'' as Josie Packard. She starred alongside

Rutger Hauer Rutger Oelsen Hauer (; 23 January 1944 – 19 July 2019) was a Dutch actor. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century. Hauer's career began in 1969 with the title role in the Dutch television series ' ...

in 1989's ''

The Blood of Heroes ''The Salute of the Jugger'' (also released as ''The Blood of Heroes'' in the United States) is a 1989 Australian-American post-apocalyptic film written and directed by David Webb Peoples, produced by Charles Roven, and starring Rutger Hauer, ...

'', written and directed by

David Webb Peoples David Webb Peoples (born February 9, 1940) is an American screenwriter who wrote ''Blade Runner'' (1982), ''Unforgiven'' (1992), and ''12 Monkeys'' (1995). He was nominated for Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA awards. He won the best screenplay ...

. In 1993 she co-starred in Oliver Stone's '' Heaven & Earth''. She portrayed two different characters in

Clara Law Clara Law Cheuk-yiu (, born 29 May 1957 in Macau) is a Hong Kong Second Wave film director. Law currently resides in Australia. Early life Clara Law was born on 29 May 1957 in Macau. At the age of 10 she moved to Hong Kong. Law studied at the ...

's ''

Temptation of a Monk ''Temptation of a Monk'' () is a 1993 Hong Kong Period piece, period drama (genre), drama film directed by Clara Law based on Lilian Lee, Pik Wah Lee's novel of the same name. The film had Joan Chen and Hsing-Kuo Wu in the lead roles. The film i ...

'': a seductive princess of

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...

, and a dangerous temptress. She shaved her head on-screen for the role. The award-winning film was adapted from a novel by

Lilian Lee Lillian or Lilian can refer to: People * Lillian (name) or Lilian, a given name Places * Lilian, Iran, a village in Markazi Province, Iran In the United States * Lillian, Alabama * Lillian, West Virginia * Lillian Township, Custer County, Ne ...

. In 1994 she co-starred with

Steven Seagal Steven Frederic Seagal (; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, screenwriter and martial artist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan and eventually ended up running his father-in-l ...

in the action-adventure ''

On Deadly Ground ''On Deadly Ground'' is a 1994 American environmental action adventure film directed, co-produced by, and starring Steven Seagal, and co-starring Michael Caine, Joan Chen, John C. McGinley and R. Lee Ermey. It is Seagal's only directorial effort ...

''; she returned to Shanghai to star in

Stanley Kwan Stanley Kwan (traditional Chinese: 關錦鵬; simplified Chinese: 关锦鹏); born 9 October 1957) is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Kwan landed a job at TVB after receiving a mass communications degree at Hong Kong Baptist College. ...

's ''

'' opposite

Winston Chao Winston Chao Wen-hsuan (born 9 June 1960) is a Taiwanese actor. He came to international attention for his performance in the 1993 film ''The Wedding Banquet'' and ''Kabali''. He is also known for his roles in '' Red Rose White Rose'' and ''Eat ...

, and subsequently won a

Golden Horse Award The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards () is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962 by the Government Information Office of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan. The awards ceremony is us ...

and a

Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award The Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards () are the annual awards given by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society The Hong Kong Film Critics Society (HKFCS; Traditional Chinese: 香港電影評論學會), founded in 1995, is the peak organization of ...

for her performance. In 1996, she was a member of the jury at the

46th Berlin International Film Festival The 46th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 15 to 26 February 1996. The Golden Bear was awarded to British-American film ''Sense and Sensibility'' directed by Ang Lee. The retrospective dedicated to American film director, p ...

. Tired of being cast as an exotic beauty in Hollywood films, Chen moved into directing in 1998 with the critically acclaimed '' Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl'', adapted from the novella ''Celestial Bath'' () by her friend Yan Geling. She later directed '' Autumn in New York'', starring

Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...

and

Winona Ryder Winona Laura Horowitz (born October 29, 1971), professionally known as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Originally playing quirky roles, she rose to prominence for her more diverse performances in various genres in the 1990s. She has recei ...

, in 2000.

Later career

In the middle of the 2000s, Chen made a comeback in acting and began to work intensely, alternating between English and Chinese-language roles. In 2004, she starred in Hou Yong's

family saga The family saga is a genre of literature which chronicles the lives and doings of a family or a number of related or interconnected families over a period of time. In novels (or sometimes sequences of novels) with a serious intent, this is often ...

Jasmine Women ''Jasmine Women'' is a 2004 Chinese film directed and co-written by Hou Yong in his directorial debut. The film is an adaptation of Su Tong's novel ''Women's Life'' (妇女生活) and depicts the emotionally troubled lives of 4 generations of Sh ...

'', alongside

Zhang Ziyi Zhang Ziyi (; ; born 9 February 1979) is a Chinese actress and model. She is regarded as one of the Four Dan Actresses of China. Her first major role was in '' The Road Home'' (1999). She later gained international recognition for her role in ...

, in which they played multiple roles as daughters and mothers across three generations in Shanghai. She also starred in the Asian-American comedy '' Saving Face'' as a widowed mother, who is shunned by the Chinese-American community for being pregnant and unwed and has come to live with her lesbian daughter. In 2005, she appeared in Zhang Yang's family saga '' Sunflower'', as a mother whose husband and son have a troubled father-son relationship over 30 years. She starred in the Asian American independent film '' Americanese'' and in

Michael Almereyda Michael Almereyda (born April 7, 1960) is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Early work Almereyda studied art history at Harvard but dropped out after three years to pursue filmmaking. He acquired a Hollywood agent on ...

's ''

Tonight at Noon Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...

'', the first part of a two part project, scheduled to be released in 2009. In 2007, Chen was acclaimed for her performance in

Tony Ayres Tony Ayres (born 16 July 1961) is an Australian showrunner, screenwriter, director in television and feature film. He is most notable for his films '' Walking on Water'' and '' The Home Song Stories'', as well his work in television, includi ...

' drama ''

''. She portrayed a glamorous and unstable Chinese

nightclub singer A nightclub act is a production, usually of nightclub music or comedy, designed for performance at a nightclub, a type of drinking establishment, by a nightclub performer such as a nightclub singer or nightclub dancer, whose performance may ...

who struggles to survive in 1970s Australia with her two children. The role earned her four awards including the

Australian Film Institute Award The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, known as the AACTA Awards, are presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The awards recognise excellence in the film and television industry ...

for

and the

for Best Actress. The same year saw her co-starring in two other acclaimed films:

Ang Lee Ang Lee (; born October 23, 1954) is a Taiwanese filmmaker. Born in Pingtung County of southern Taiwan, Lee was educated in Taiwan and later in the United States. During his filmmaking career, he has received international critical and popula ...

's ''

Lust, Caution ''Lust, Caution'' () is a 2007 erotic period espionage mystery romance film directed by Ang Lee, based on the 1979 novella by Eileen Chang. ''Lust, Caution'' is set in Hong Kong in 1938 and in Shanghai in 1942, when the city was occupied by ...

'', opposite

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = , burial_place ...

, and

Jiang Wen Jiang Wen (born 5 January 1963) is a Chinese actor, screenwriter, and director. As a director, he is sometimes grouped with the "Sixth Generation" that emerged in the 1990s. Jiang is also well known internationally as an actor, having starred wit ...

's ''

The Sun Also Rises ''The Sun Also Rises'' is a 1926 novel by American writer Ernest Hemingway, his first, that portrays American and British expatriates who travel from Paris to the Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls and the b ...

'', opposite

Anthony Wong Chau-Sang use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinate ...

, for which she received an Asian Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 2008, she starred alongside Sam Chow () in ''Shi Qi'' (), directed by Joe Chow (), as a rural mother of a 17-year-old in eastern Zhejiang province. The same year Joan Chen portrayed a factory worker in

Jia Zhangke Jia Zhangke ( zh, c=贾樟柯, p=Jiǎ Zhāngkē, born 24 May 1970) .He is a Chinese-language film and television director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and writer. He is the dean of the Shanxi Film Academy of Shanxi Media College and the dea ...

's ''

24 City ''24 City'' ( zh, s=二十四城记) is a 2008 film directed and co-written by Chinese film-maker Jia Zhangke. The film follows three generations of characters in Chengdu (in the 1950s, the 1970s and the present) as a state-owned factory gives ...

'' once fancied because she resembled Chen herself in the 1979 film ''Little Flower'', but who missed her chance at love. She co-starred in

Bruce Beresford Bruce Beresford (; born 16 August 1940) is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 50-year career, both locally and internationally in the United States. Beresford's notable films he has directed include '' B ...

's 2009 adaptation of the autobiography of dancer

Li Cunxin Li Cunxin (born 26 January 1961) is a Chinese-Australian former ballet dancer turned stockbroker. He is currently the artistic director of the Queensland Ballet in Brisbane, Australia.Queensland Ballet (2012)Li Cunxin returns to the stage ...

, '' Mao's Last Dancer'', along with Wang Shuangbao () and

Kyle MacLachlan Kyle Merritt MacLachlan (; ' McLachlan, February 22, 1959) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Dale Cooper in '' Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991; 2017) and its film prequel '' Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me'' (1992), as well as roles ...

. In 2009, Chen starred alongside

Feng Yuanzheng Feng Yuanzheng (; born November 16, 1962 in Beijing) is a Chinese actor. Selected filmography *1995: ''Postman'' *1998: '' Records of Kangxi's Travel Incognito'' *2003: ''Purple Butterfly'' *2004: ''A World Without Thieves'' *2004: ''Shanghai ...

and in the Chinese TV series ''Newcomers to the Middle-Aged'' (), directed by Dou Qi (), in which she played a female doctor facing middle-age problems. She also played the part of goddess Guan Yin in the 2010 Chinese TV adaptation of ''

Journey to the West ''Journey to the West'' () is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty and attributed to Wu Cheng'en. It is regarded as one of the greatest Classic Chinese Novels, and has been described as arguably the most popul ...

'', directed by Cheng Lidong (). In October 2009 Joan Chen was the curator of the first Singapore Sun Film Festival, whose theme was "The Art of Living Well". She selected and curated five films for screening during the festival: '' The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'', '' Dead Man Walking'', '' Hannah and Her Sisters'', '' Still Life'' and ''

Edward Scissorhands ''Edward Scissorhands'' is a 1990 American fantasy romance film directed by Tim Burton. It was produced by Burton and Denise Di Novi, written by Caroline Thompson from a story by her and Burton, and starring Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Antho ...

''. In 2010, Chen joined the cast of

Leehom Wang Wang Leehom (; born May 17, 1976), sometimes credited as Leehom Wang, is an American singer-songwriter, actor, producer, and film director. Formally trained at Eastman School of Music, Williams College and Berklee College of Music, his music i ...

's directorial debut ''

Love in Disguise ''Love in Disguise'' (). is a 2010 Chinese-language musical romantic comedy movie. It is Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter, record producer, actor and film director Wang Leehom's directorial debut, and was filmed in Shanghai. ''Love in Disgui ...

'', Alexi Tan's () ''Color Me Love'' (; alongside Liu Ye),

Ilkka Järvi-Laturi Ilkka Untamo Järvi-Laturi (28 November 1961 – 5 March 2023) was Finnish-born US-based film director whose best known film was ''Spy Games'' (1999) starring Bill Pullman and Irene Jacob. The film was shot in Helsinki, New York (state), New Yor ...

's ''Kiss, His First'' (alongside

Tony Leung Ka-fai Tony Leung Ka-fai (; born 1 February 1958) is a Hong Kong actor who is a four-time winner of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor. As he is often confused with actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Tony Leung Ka-fai is known as "Big Tony," while Tony Leu ...

and

Gwei Lun-mei Gwei Lun-mei (; born 25 December 1983) is a Taiwanese actress. She started her acting career in 2002, with the film ''Blue Gate Crossing''. Gwei then appeared in a few more films before achieving wide recognition for the film '' Secret'', dir ...

) and veteran acting coach Larry Moss' '' Relative Insanity'' (along with

Juliette Binoche Juliette Binoche (; born 9 March 1964) is a French actress and dancer. She has appeared in more than sixty feature films and has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Silver Bear, ...

). In May 2010, she was set to star and direct one of the three parts of the anthology film ''Seeing Red''. In 2011, she played Secretary Bishop's girlfriend on the television series ''

Fringe Fringe may refer to: Arts * Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, known as "the Fringe" * Adelaide Fringe, the world's second-largest annual arts festival * Fringe theatre, a name for alternative theatre * The Fringe, the ...

'' episode "

Immortality Immortality is the concept of eternal life. Some modern species may possess biological immortality. Some scientists, futurists, and philosophers have theorized about the immortality of the human body, with some suggesting that human immorta ...

". Chen was cast as the Mongol

Yuan Dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fift ...

empress

Chabi Empress Chabi (, ; , c. 1216 –1281) was a Khongirad empress consort of the Yuan dynasty of Mongol, married to Kublai Khan (Emperor Shizu). Life She was born around 1216 to Alchi Noyan's son Anchen Noyan . Nephew of Börte from Khongirad tribe an ...

in the 2014 American television series '' Marco Polo''. Being somewhat unfamiliar with the Mongols, Chen read ''

The Secret History of the Mongol Queens ''The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire'' is a 2010 book by Jack Weatherford, about the impact and legacy of Genghis Khan's daughters and Mongol queens such as Mandukhai the Wise and Khutul ...

'' in order to prepare for the role. She also appeared in several episodes of the 2018 Chinese television drama ''

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace ''Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace'' (, lit. ''The Legend of Ruyi'') is a 2018 Chinese television series based on novel ''Hou Gong Ru Yi Zhuan'' by Liu Lianzi. Starring Zhou Xun and Wallace Huo, the series chronicles the relationship between Em ...

'' as Ula Nara Yixiu (the

Empress Xiaojingxian Empress Xiaojingxian (28 June 1681 – 29 October 1731) of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Ula Nara clan, was the wife and empress consort of Yinzhen, the Yongzheng Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing from 1723 until her death in 1731. She ...

Personal life

Chen was formerly married to actor Jim "Jimmy" Lau from 1985 to 1990. Chen married her second husband,

cardiologist Cardiology () is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular ...

Peter Hui, on January 18, 1992. They have two daughters. They live in San Francisco, California. During her early years in California, Chen attended California State University, Northridge. In 1989, she became a

naturalized citizen Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...

of the United States. On April 9, 2008, Chen wrote an article entitled "Let the Games Go On" for the ''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large na ...

'' objecting to the politicization of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Charitable work

In May 2008, Chen appeared alongside

James Kyson Lee James Kyson (born December 13, 1975) is a South Korean-born American actor best known for his television work. Best known for his role as Ando Masahashi on the NBC television series ''Heroes'', his guest appearances on television series include ...

, Silas Flensted, and

Amy Hanaialiʻi Gilliom Amy is a female given name, sometimes short for Amanda, Amelia, Amélie, or Amita. In French, the name is spelled ''"Aimée"''. People A–E * Amy Acker (born 1976), American actress * Amy Vera Ackman, also known as Mother Giovanni (1886–1 ...

in a public service announcement for the Banyan Tree Project campaign to stop HIV/AIDS-related stigma in Asian & Pacific Islander communities. In October 2008, Chen made the cover of Trends Health magazine alongside actresses Ke Lan () and Ma Yili () to promote the Chinese

Pink Ribbon The pink ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer awareness. Pink ribbons, and the color pink in general, identify the wearer or promoter with the breast cancer brand and express moral support for women with breast cancer. Pink ribb ...

Breast Cancer Prevention campaign. On January 8, 2010, Chen attended, alongside Nancy Pelosi,

Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...

, and

Joe Torre Joseph Paul Torre (; born July 18, 1940) is an American professional baseball executive, serving as a special assistant to the Commissioner of Baseball since 2020. He previously served in the capacity of Major League Baseball's (MLB) chief baseb ...

, the ceremony to help Family Violence Prevention Fund break ground on a new center located in the Presidio of San Francisco intended to combat violence against women and children. During the ceremony, Chen performed an excerpt from the documentary play ''The Thumbprint of

Mukhtar Mai Mukhtaran Bibi ( ur, ; born Kristof, N & Wudunn, S, (2009), "Half The Sky", Virago), now known as Mukhtār Mā'ī, is a Pakistani human rights activist from the village of Meerwala, located in the rural ''tehsil'' of Jatoi in the Muzaffargar ...

'' (presented as part of "Seven"). On January 15, 2010, Chen was set to appear, along with other Asian American personalities, in a series of videos supporting the

Center for the Pacific Asian Family Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics * Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...

Filmography

Actress

Director

Writer

Producer

Other media

*2008: "Shanghai," narrator—an audio walking tour by

Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French high-end luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ranging from luxury bags and leather ...

and Soundwalk

Awards and nominations

Other recognition

* In 1992 ''

People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...

'' magazine chose her as one of the 50 most beautiful women in the world. * Chen inspired indie rock band

Xiu Xiu Xiu Xiu ( ) is an American experimental band, formed in 2002 by singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart in San Jose, California. Currently, the line-up consists of Stewart (the only constant member since formation) and Angela Seo. The band's name co ...

, named after her film ''Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl''. * Chen was chosen by

Goldsea ''Goldsea'' is a large, fully featured magazine site. The magazine was started in 1998. It is aimed at Asian Americans and publishes interviews and profiles of successful Asian Americans. The "Goldsea 100" celebrates high-achieving Asian American b ...

as Number 45 on its compilation of "The 120 Most Inspiring Asian Americans of All Time".

References

Articles and interviews

* "''The Last Empress''", by C. Mark Jacobson. ''

Interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" ...

''. December 1987. p. 146-147. * "''In Praise of Actors: Joan Chen''", by Peter Rainer. ''

American Film The cinema of the United States, consisting mainly of major film studios (also known as Hollywood) along with some independent film, has had a large effect on the global film industry since the early 20th century. The dominant style of Ame ...

''. Volume 15: Issue 8. May 1990. p. 32.
"''Heavenly And Hearthy''"
by Tom Kagy. '' Goldsea Asian American Daily''. August 1992. * "''Chen Reaction''", by Alison Dakota Gee. ''

Movieline ''Movieline'' was a website, formerly a Los Angeles-based film and entertainment magazine, launched in 1985 as a local magazine, which went national in 1989. Known for its cult status and popularity among film critics,Saba, Michael''Movieline'' m ...

'' (USA). December 1993. p. 54-59, 88.
"''West To East''"
by Richard Corliss. ''TIME'' (USA). Volume 153: Issue 13. April 5, 1999.

by Richard Corliss. ''TIME'' (USA). April 5, 1999.

by Steven Schwankert. ''

Beijing Scene } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

''. Volume 5: Issue 8. May 7, 1999.
"''Joan Chen: Guerilla Director''"
by Michael Sragow. ''

Salon.com ''Salon'' is an American politically progressive/ liberal news and opinion website created in 1995. It publishes articles on U.S. politics, culture, and current events. Content and coverage ''Salon'' covers a variety of topics, including re ...

''. May 27, 1999. * "''Reel Poetry''", by Kevin Berger. ''

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

'' (USA). July 2000. p. 51.
"''Joan Chen: Whether it's China or Hollywood, this actress/director tells it like it is''"
by Franz Lidz. ''

''. August 2000. p. 80-81.
"''An Interview with Joan Chen''"
by Michelle Caswell. '' Asia Source''. November 2000.
"''Is Joan Chen Done with Hollywood?''"
'' Goldsea Asian American Daily''. January 28, 2003.
"''Empress and Enigma''"
''

China Daily ''China Daily'' () is an English-language daily newspaper owned by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party. Overview ''China Daily'' has the widest print circulation of any English-language newspaper in China. T ...

''. October 25, 2003.
"''Joan Chen's Wild Side''"
by Malinda Lo. ''

Curve In mathematics, a curve (also called a curved line in older texts) is an object similar to a line, but that does not have to be straight. Intuitively, a curve may be thought of as the trace left by a moving point. This is the definition that ...

''. Volume 15: Issue 4. June 2005.
"''The Face Behind'' Saving Face"
by Kenny Tanemura. ''

Asian Week ''AsianWeek'' was America's first and largest English language print and on-line publication serving Asian Americans. The news organization played an important role nationally and in the San Francisco Bay Area as the “Voice of Asian America”. ...

''. June 3, 2005. * "''Sensuously Elegant: An Interview with Joan Chen''", by Lisa Odham Stokes. '' Asian Cult Cinema'' (USA). Issue 48. October–December 2005. p. 51-61.
"''Joan Chen on Filming'' Lust, Caution ''in Shanghai: Follow One's Heart''."
by Liu Qing. ''

The Chinese Mirror ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

''. February 28, 2007.
"''The Many Faces of Joan Chen''."
by Glen Schaefer. ''

The Province ''The Province'' is a daily newspaper published in tabloid format in British Columbia by Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, alongside the '' Vancouver Sun'' broadsheet newspaper. Together, they are British Columbia's on ...

''. October 3, 2007.
"''Joan Chen returns to Chinese film''."
by Min Lee. ''

The China Post ''The China Post'' () was an English-language newspapers published in Taiwan (officially the Republic of China), alongside the ''Taipei Times The ''Taipei Times'' is the only printed daily English-language newspaper in Taiwan, and the thi ...

''. October 17, 2007.

Early life

Career

Early career in China

Hollywood breakout

Later career

Personal life

Charitable work

Filmography

Actress

Director

Writer

Producer

Other media

Awards and nominations

Other recognition

References

Articles and interviews

External links