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Joan Chen is a Actor, Director, Writer and Executive producer Chinoise born on 26 april 1961 at Shanghai (Chine)

Joan Chen

Joan Chen
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Birth name Chen Chong (陈冲)
Nationality Chine
Birth 26 april 1961 (63 years) at Shanghai (Chine)

Joan Chen (or Chen Chong; born April 26, 1961) is a Chinese-American actress, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. In China she performed in the 1979 film Little Flower and came to international attention for her performance in the 1987 Academy Award-winning film The Last Emperor. She is also known for her roles in Twin Peaks, Red Rose, White Rose, Saving Face and The Home Song Stories, and for directing the feature film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl.

Biography

Early life and career
Chen Chong was born in Shanghai to a family of pharmacologists. She and her older brother, Chase, were raised during the Cultural Revolution. At the age of 14, Chen was discovered on the school rifle range by Jiang Qing, the wife of leader Mao Zedong and major Chinese Communist Party figure, as she was excelling at marksmanship. This led to her being selected for the Actors' Training Program by the Shanghai Film Studio in 1975, where she was discovered by veteran director Xie Jin who chose her to star in his 1977 film Youth (Chinese: 青春; pinyin: Qīngchūn) 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 the prestigious Shanghai International Studies University, where she majored in English.


Acting career

Chen Chong performed alongside Tang Guoqiang in Zhang Zheng's (Chinese: 张铮) Little Flower (Chinese: 小花; pinyin: Xiǎo Huā) in 1979, for which she won the Hundred Flowers Award (Chinese: 百花奖; pinyin: Bǎi Huā Jiǎng). Chen portrayed a pre-Maoist 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 Hearts for the Motherland (Chinese: 海外赤子; pinyin: Hǎiwài Chìzǐ). The film directed by Ou Fan (Chinese: 欧凡) and Xing Jitian (Chinese: 邢吉田) depicts an overseas Chinese family that returns to China from southeast Asia out of their patriotic feelings but encounter political troubles during the Cultural Revolution. The songs, "I Love You, China" (Chinese: 我爱你中国) and "High Flies the Petrel" (Chinese: 高飞的海燕), sung by Chen's character, are perennial favorites in China. In 1981, Chen starred in Awakening (Chinese: 甦醒; pinyin: Sūxǐng), directed by Teng Wenji (Chinese: 滕文骥).

At age 20, Chen moved to the United States, where she studied filmmaking at California State University, Northridge.

Her first Hollywood movie was Tai-Pan, filmed on location in China. She went on to star in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor in 1987 and the David Lynch/Mark Frost television series Twin Peaks as Josie Packard. In 1993 she co-starred in Oliver Stone's Heaven & Earth. She portrayed two different characters in Clara Law's Temptation of a Monk (Chinese: 誘僧; pinyin: Yòu Sēng): a seductive princess of Tang dynasty, and a dangerous temptress. The award-winning film was adapted from a novel by Lilian Lee.

In 1994 she co-starred with Steven Seagal in the action/adventure On Deadly Ground; she then returned to Shanghai to star in Stanley Kwan's Red Rose, White Rose (Chinese: 紅玫瑰白玫瑰; pinyin: Hóng Méigui Bái Méigui) opposite Winston Chao, and subsequently won a Golden Horse Award and a Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award for her performance. In 1996, she was a member of the jury at the 46th Berlin International Film Festival.

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 (Chinese: 天浴; pinyin: Tiān Yù), adapted from the novella Heavenly Bath (Chinese: 天浴; pinyin: Tiān Yù) by her friend Yan Geling. She later directed Autumn in New York, starring Richard Gere and Winona Ryder, in 2000.

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 Jasmine Women (Chinese: 茉莉花开; pinyin: Mòlìhuā Kāi), alongside Zhang Ziyi, 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 therefore has come to live with her lesbian daughter.

In 2005, she appeared in Zhang Yang's family saga Sunflower (Chinese: 向日葵; pinyin: Xiàngrìkuí), as a mother whose husband and son have a troubled father-son relationship over 30 years. She then starred in the Asian American independent film Americanese and in Michael Almereyda's Tonight at Noon, 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' drama The Home Song Stories. She portrayed a glamorous and unstable Chinese nightclub singer who struggles to survive in seventies Australia with her two children. Chen. The role earned her four awards including the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress and the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress. The same year saw her co-starring in two other acclaimed films: Ang Lee's Lust, Caution, opposite Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, and Jiang Wen's The Sun Also Rises, opposite Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, for which she received an Asian Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2008, she starred alongside Sam Chow (Chinese: 邹爽) in Shi Qi (Chinese: 十七; pinyin: Shíqī), directed by Joe Chow (Chinese: 姬诚; pinyin: Jī Chéng), as a rural mother of a 17-year-old in eastern Zhejiang province. The same year Joan Chen portrayed in Jia Zhangke's 24 City a factory worker once fancied because she resembled Chen herself in the 1979 film Little Flower, but who missed her chance at love.

She then co-starred in Bruce Beresford's 2009 adaptation of the autobiography of dancer Li Cunxin Mao's Last Dancer, along with Wang Shungbao and Kyle MacLachlan.

In 2009, Chen starred alongside Feng Yuanzheng (Chinese: 冯远征) and Liu Jinshan (Chinese: 刘金山) in the Chinese TV series Newcomers to the Middle-Aged (Chinese: 人到中年), directed by Dou Qi (Chinese: 斗琪), 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, directed by Cheng Lidong (Chinese: 程力栋).

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 (Chinese: 三峡好人; pinyin: Sānxiá hǎorén) and Edward Scissorhands.

In 2010, Chen joined the cast of Leehom Wang's directorial debut Lian ai tong gao (Chinese: 恋爱通告; pinyin: Liàn ài tōng gào)., Alexi Tan's Color Me Love (alongside Liu Ye), Ilkka Järvilaturi's Kiss, His First (alongside Tony Leung Ka-fai and Gwei Lun-mei) and veteran acting coach Larry Moss' Relative Insanity (along with Juliette Binoche). In May 2010, she was set to star and direct one of the three parts of the anthology film Seeing Red.

As of the 2011 episode 3.13 entitled "Immortality" she plays Secretary Bishop's girlfriend on the J.J. Abrams created sci-fi television series Fringe.

Chen was cast as the Yuan empress Chabi in the 2014 American television series Marco Polo. Being somewhat unfamiliar with the Mongols, Chen read The Secret History of the Mongol Queens in order to prepare for the role.

Best films

Judge Dredd (1995)
(Actress)
On Deadly Ground (1994)
(Actress)
The Last Emperor (1987)
(Actress)

Usually with

Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
(2 films)
Jiang Wen
Jiang Wen
(2 films)
David Lynch
David Lynch
(1 films)
Lisa Lu
Lisa Lu
(5 films)
Wang Luoyong
Wang Luoyong
(3 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Joan Chen (45 films)

Display filmography as list

Actress

Ava
Ava (2020)

Directed by Tate Taylor
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime
Actors Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell, John Malkovich, Diana Silvers, Geena Davis, Common
Roles Toni
Rating55% 2.7564152.7564152.7564152.7564152.756415
Une femme assasin du nom de Eve travaille pour une importante organisation secrète. Elle parcourt le monde. Une de ses missions se passe mal, elle va être contrainte de lutter pour sa propre survie.
Sheep Without a Shepherd, 1h52
Origin Chine
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Joan Chen, Paul Chun
Roles La Wen
Rating68% 3.4125953.4125953.4125953.4125953.412595
Un homme essaie de couvrir le meurtre du fils d'un policier par sa fille.
For Love or Money, 1h38
Genres Romance
Actors Rain, Liu Yifei, Joan Chen, Tiffany Tang, Andy On, Sun Haiying
Roles Xu's mother
Rating52% 2.622962.622962.622962.622962.62296
Xu Cheng Xun (Bi Rain) est le fils d'un magnat, mais il a son propre rêve : celui d'être peintre.Il ne veut pas hériter de l'entreprise de sa famille et se contente d'être un pauvre artiste.Lu Xing (Crystal Liu) vient d'une noble famille d'aristocrate mais est devenue hôtesse de l'air afin de subvenir à ses besoins.Profondément trahie par l'homme qu'elle aimait ... Elle ne croit plus en l'amour. Tout change le jour où Lu Xing fait la connaissance de Xu Cheng Xun.
Double Xposure, 1h45
Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime
Actors Fàn Bīngbīng (范冰冰), Joan Chen, Liang Jing
Roles Dr. Hao
Rating55% 2.756992.756992.756992.756992.75699
When Song Qi stumbles upon her boyfriend, Liu Dong's (Feng Shaofeng) affair with her best friend, Xiaoxi (Huo Siyan), her life quickly starts falling apart and she is subsequently drawn into revenge and murder. Though all is not as it seems and Song Qi will have to embark on a twisted journey into her past and the very depths of her own mind.
White Frog
White Frog (2012)
, 1h33
Directed by Quentin Lee
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, Films about psychiatry, Films about disabilities, Films about autism, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Booboo Stewart, Harry Shum Jr., Tyler Posey, B.D. Wong, Gregg Sulkin, Joan Chen
Roles Irene Young
Rating67% 3.3903953.3903953.3903953.3903953.390395
Nick Young (Booboo Stewart) is a high school freshman with Asperger's Syndrome, who idolizes his perfect older brother Chaz Young (Harry Shum, Jr.). While riding his bike to a friend's house, Chaz is hit by a group of guys driving recklessly and dies. The crash leaves Nick fighting to overcome his grief while feeling misunderstood by his distraught parents (played by BD Wong and Joan Chen), who are left trying to preserve the memory of their 'perfect son.'
Hemingway & Gellhorn, 2h34
Directed by Philip Kaufman
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Political films
Actors Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen, David Strathairn, Brooke Adams, Molly Parker, Connie Nielsen
Roles Madame Chiang Kai Shek
Rating62% 3.1482753.1482753.1482753.1482753.148275
Telling the story of one of America’s most famous literary couples, the movie begins in 1936 when the pair meet for the first time in a Key West bar. They ran into each other again in Spain where they were both covering the Spanish Civil War. They were staying in the same hotel on the same floor, and she resisted his advances. However, during a bombing raid, they found themselves trapped in the same room, and lust overcame them. They became lovers and stayed in Spain until 1939. In 1940 Hemingway divorced his second wife so that they could marry. Over time she became prominent in her own right. In 1945 she asked Hemingway for a divorce. He credits her with inspiring him to write the novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls.
1911
1911 (2011)
, 2h2
Directed by Jackie Chan, Tang Guoqiang
Origin Chine
Genres Drama, War, Action, Adventure, Historical
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Kung fu films
Actors Jackie Chan, Li Bingbing (李冰冰), Winston Chao, Joan Chen, Jaycee Chan, Hu Ge
Roles Longyu
Rating57% 2.8505352.8505352.8505352.8505352.850535
The story closely follows key events of the Xinhai Revolution, with focus on Huang Xing and Sun Yat-sen. It begins with the Wuchang Uprising of 1911 and follows through historical events such as the Second Guangzhou Uprising on 27 April 1911, the deaths of the 72 martyrs, the election of Sun Yat-sen as the provisional president of the new Provisional Republic of China, the abdication of the last Qing dynasty emperor Puyi on 12 February 1912, and Yuan Shikai becoming the new provisional president in Beijing on 10 March 1912.
To Whom It May Concern: Ka Shen's Journey, 1h48
Directed by Brian Jamieson
Genres Documentary
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about television, Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Documentary films about health care, HIV/AIDS in film
Actors Nancy Kwan, Joan Chen, Bey Logan, France Nuyen, Vivian Wu, Ross Hagen
Roles Herself
Rating70% 3.530933.530933.530933.530933.53093
The film largely proceeds chronologically with Kwan serving both as the person being interviewed and as the narrator. Her colleagues in Hollywood were generally interviewed in Los Angeles. Her family members and companions in her youth were interviewed in Hong Kong.
Love in Disguise
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Actors Liu Yifei, Joan Chen
Roles Joan
Rating56% 2.8040252.8040252.8040252.8040252.804025
Célèbre depuis sa plus tendre enfance, Minghan a connu que les strass de la belle vie. En dépit des paillettes, il ne cherche qu'une chose, vivre une véritable histoire d'amour. En revenant d'un concert, son chauffeur percute une jeune fille, Song Xiaoqing, étudiante au conservatoire. Celle-ci vérifie si son instrument n'est pas cassé en jouant un air et Minghan tombe immédiatement sous le charme de la mélodie. Il décide alors de se déguiser et de s'infiltrer au conservatoire avec son ami et musicien Wei Zhi, afin d'approcher la jolie inconnue...
Mao’s Last Dancer, 1h57
Directed by Bruce Beresford
Genres Drama, Biography, Romance
Themes Dance films
Actors Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan, Joan Chen, Amanda Schull, Penne Hackforth-Jones, Jack Thompson
Roles Niang
Rating72% 3.644313.644313.644313.644313.64431
In the era of Mao's Cultural Revolution, 11-year-old Chinese boy Li Cunxin resides in a rural village commune in Shandong Province, destined to labour in the fields. As often occurred in those times, government officials fanning out across the nation seeking young candidates for centralized training arrive at this school. At first bypassed but selected after a plea by his teacher during the school visit, Li seems bewildered although piqued by the gruff preliminary inspection screening at the provincial capital city of Qingdao. Forwarded to a Beijing audition for a place in Madame Mao's Dance Academy, he is admitted for ballet training based on a series of physique and flexibility examinations.
24 City
24 City (2008)
, 1h52
Directed by Jia Zhang-ke (贾樟柯)
Genres Drama, Documentary
Actors Joan Chen, Zhao Tao, Lü Liping, Chen Jianbin
Roles Xiao Hua
Rating70% 3.545713.545713.545713.545713.54571
Une cité ouvrière est détruite au profit d’un complexe d’appartements de luxe.
The Leap Years
Origin Singapore
Genres Romance
Actors Ananda Everingham, Wong Li Lin, Joan Chen, Vernetta Lopez
Roles Li-Ann (age 48)
Rating60% 3.001693.001693.001693.001693.00169
Li-Ann, a single and attractive teacher in a Singaporean girl's school teaches her students about an obscure leap year custom practiced in Ireland, where men cannot refuse a proposal or date from a woman should she do so on February 29; she chances upon Jeremy at Windows Cafe who becomes a major part of her life.