Anna May Wong (1905–1961), born as Wong Liu Tsong in Los Angeles, was one of Hollywood’s first Asian-American film stars. Her career spanned silent films, talkies, stage, and television. Her debut was as an extra in The Red Lantern (1919) and her first significant role was in one of the first color films, The Toll of the Sea (1922). She then became an international star with roles in The Thief of Bagdad (1924), Shanghai Express (1932), and
Daughter of Shanghai (1937).
“There seems little for me in Hollywood, because, rather than real Chinese, producers prefer Hungarians, Mexicans, American Indians for Chinese roles.”
Because of racism in Hollywood, she fled to Germany and became a film sensation. Notable films were Song (1928), also known as Schmutziges Geld (Dirty Money), a British-German silent drama, Pavement Butterfly (1929), also known as Großstadtschmetterling, a silent film set on the French Riviera, and Der Weg zur Schande (The Road to Dishonour, 1930), all three directed by Richard Eichberg. In Vienna, she played the role in the operetta Tschun Tschi in fluent German. An Austrian critic wrote, “Fräulein Wong had the audience perfectly in her power and the unobtrusive tragedy of her acting was deeply moving, carrying off the difficult German-speaking part very successfully.”
Wong was also a well-known fashion icon and a symbol of resilience in adversity. She paved the way for future generations of Asian-American performers. Her unique style blended traditional Chinese attire with modern trends. In 1960, she became the first Asian-American actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Anna May Wong died on February 3, 1961, in Santa Monica, California, leaving behind a well-earned legacy as a pioneer for Asian representation in the entertainment industry.
Comments