| 1 | [[quoteright:214:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/joanchenimdb_3309.jpg]] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Joan Chen (born April 26, 1961 in Shanghai, China) is a Chinese-born actress, director, writer, and producer who has gained stardom on both sides of the Pacific. |
| 4 | |
| 5 | She was born in Shanghai as Chen Chong, and grew up during the UsefulNotes/CulturalRevolution. When she was in high school, Jiang Qing (the wife of UsefulNotes/MaoZedong) saw her excel in target shooting. This led to the young Chen Chong being inducted into the Young Actors' Training Program of the Shanghai Film Studio. She graduated school at 17, and began acting while studying English in university. In 1979, she starred in ''Little Flower'', and the fame she received from this role led to ''Time'' calling her "the Creator/ElizabethTaylor of China." |
| 6 | |
| 7 | In 1980, Chen moved to the USA, and studied film. Her first Hollywood role was in ''Literature/TaiPan''. She also acted in ''Film/TheLastEmperor'' and ''Heaven And Earth'', and played DragonLady Jocelyn Packard in the Creator/DavidLynch series ''Series/TwinPeaks''. But she grew tired of playing the "exotic Asian lady," and began directing both Chinese and American films, such as ''Xiu Xiu The Sent Down Girl'' and ''Autumn In UsefulNotes/{{New York|City}}''. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Chen returned to acting in the 2000s, starring in ''Jasmine Women'' alongside Creator/ZhangZiyi. Other roles since her return to acting have been in ''Film/SavingFace'', ''Tonight At Noon'', ''The Home Song Stories'', ''Film/LustCaution'', ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'', and ''Series/{{Fringe}}''. She also curated the first Singapore Sun Film Festival. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | Chen lives in both Shanghai and San Francisco with her husband Peter Hui and their two daughters, and is now an American citizen. |
| 12 | ---- |
| 13 | !Roles |
| 14 | * ''Little Flower'' (1979) as Zhao Xiaohua |
| 15 | * ''Series/{{MacGyver|1985}}'' (1985 episode "The Golden Triangle") as Lin |
| 16 | * ''Series/MiamiVice'' (1985 episode "Golden Triangle") as May Ying |
| 17 | * ''Literature/TaiPan'' (1986) as May-May |
| 18 | * ''Film/TheLastEmperor'' (1987) as Wan Jung |
| 19 | * ''The Blood Of Heroes'' (1989) as Kidda |
| 20 | * ''Series/TwinPeaks'' (1990-1992) as Jocelyn Packard |
| 21 | * ''Film/{{Wedlock}}'' (1991) as Noelle |
| 22 | * ''Series/NightmareCafe'' (1992) as the first customer |
| 23 | * ''Film/HeavenAndEarth'' (1993) as Mama |
| 24 | * ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'' (1993 episode "[[Recap/TalesFromTheCryptS5E4FoodForThought Food for Thought]]") as Connie |
| 25 | * ''Temptation Of A Monk'' (1993) as Scarlet and Violet |
| 26 | * ''Golden Gate'' (1994) as Marilyn |
| 27 | * ''Film/OnDeadlyGround'' (1994) as Masu |
| 28 | * ''Film/{{The Hunted|1995}}'' (1995) as Kirina |
| 29 | * ''Film/JudgeDredd'' (1995) as Dr. Ilsa Hayden |
| 30 | * ''Film/WildSide'' (1995) as Virginia Chow - also producer |
| 31 | * ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'' (1997 episode "Wu's On First?") as Elizabeth Wu |
| 32 | * ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'' (1998 episode "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1995S4E24PhobosRising Phobos Rising]]") as Major Dara Talif |
| 33 | * ''Xiu Xiu The Sent Down Girl'' (1998) - wrote, directed, and produced |
| 34 | * ''Purple Storm'' (1999) as Shirley Kwan |
| 35 | * ''Autumn In New York'' (2000) - directed |
| 36 | * ''What's Cooking?'' (2000) as Trinh Nguyen |
| 37 | * ''Avatar'' (2004) as Madame Ong |
| 38 | * ''Jasmine Women'' (2004) as Mo and Mo's mother |
| 39 | * ''Film/SavingFace'' (2004) as Hwei-Lan Gao |
| 40 | * ''The Home Song Stories'' (2007) as Rose Hong |
| 41 | * ''Film/LustCaution'' (2007) as Mrs. Yee |
| 42 | * ''Literature/TheSunAlsoRises'' (2007) as Dr. Lin |
| 43 | * ''Mao's Last Dancer'' (2009) as Li Cunxin's mother |
| 44 | * ''Tonight At Noon'' (2010) as [[TheDanza Joan]] |
| 45 | * ''1911'' (2011) as Longyu |
| 46 | * ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' (2011 episode "Immortality") as Reiko |
| 47 | * ''Seeing Red'' (2011) - also director |
| 48 | * ''Film/WhiteFrog'' (2012) as Irene Young |
| 49 | * ''Series/SerangoonRoad'' (2013) as Patricia Cheng |
| 50 | * ''Film/{{Ava}}'' (2020) as Toni |
| 51 | * ''A Murder at the End of the World'' (2023) as Lu Mei |
| 52 | ---- |
| 53 | !!Tropes |
| 54 | %%Please do not add any personal tropes. This page is for her works. |
| 55 | |
| 56 | * FakeNationality: As an Eskimo in ''Film/OnDeadlyGround'', a Vietnamese woman in ''What's Cooking?'', and a Japanese woman in ''Series/{{Fringe}}''. |
| 57 | * MoneyDearBoy: Her roles in ''Film/OnDeadlyGround'' and ''Film/JudgeDredd''. |
| 58 | * StarMakingRole: In ''Little Flower'' (for Chinese audiences) or ''Film/TheLastEmperor'' (for Westerners). |
| 59 | * TypeCasting: As a DragonLady. |
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