Her story fascinates and inspires, as it shows that, despite challenges, one can reach heights. Anna May Wong is an international movie star who received leading roles in Hollywood. She is a fashion icon who was a role model for others. Losangeleska will share more about the story of the beauty from Los Angeles.
Wong’s childhood. Under what conditions did the future celebrity grow up?
Anna May Wong (real name Wong Liu Tsong) was born in Los Angeles to second-generation Chinese Americans. It was 1905, Chinatown. Her father worked as a laundress and ran a store on Figueroa Street. Just at that time, more films began to be shot in that neighborhood. It was the beginning of a strong desire that emerged in the little girl to play big, truly significant roles. She would sneak out of school to see how the shooting was going. Anna approached the cameras, directors and cameramen and actors who came to her area. That is why from the age of 14, she got supporting roles in films, for example, in The Red Lantern. The first leading part Wong played at the age of 17, in 1922, the film was The Toll of the Sea.
Significant works of Anna Wong
Anna’s career spanned the silent film era, sound and color movies, television and radio. She managed to star along with the legends of the Golden Age, for instance, with Douglas Fairbank in The Thief of Bagdad, Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express and many other world-class stars.
In Hollywood productions, Anna played reluctantly due to disappointment with the stereotypical roles in Butterfly and Dragon Lady. These kinds of roles were offered to the beauty. She told that she “died a thousand times” because she was killed in every film in which she appeared. But it could not last forever.
In 1928, she managed to leave Europe. She became a sensation and gained incredible fame after playing on the London stage in A Circle of Chalk. Anna Wong starred with Laurence Olivier.
Wong appeared in several Paramount Pictures films, portraying mostly positive American-Chinese characters.
In 1951, Wong starred in the first TV series in the United States, The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong. She played the leading role in the movie.
In total, Anna Wong appeared in over 60 films during her career (silent and color movies).
A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Anna Wong was considered one of the most attractive women in Hollywood. She did not get romantic roles because of the law that forbade the kissing of actors of different races. In Hollywood, she continued to face unfair restrictions and prohibitions. After encountering discrimination in the USA, Anna went to Europe for a shoot in English, German and French movies.
It should be added that after the outbreak of World War II, the film star donated funds to support China’s fight against Japan.
A year before her death, in 1960, Anna Wong received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is one of four pioneer actresses depicted on Gateway to Hollywood.
According to TIME, in March 2020, Anna Wong became one of the 100 most influential women of the last century.
On American currency
Anna May Wong is the first Asian-American to appear in the US currency. It happened in October 2022, the event went down in history. From that time, the United States Mint began producing coins with a close-up picture of Wong. This is a manifestation of respect and honor. After all, it was hard for the woman to get leading roles, being an actress of Asian-American origin. But she made it and left her mark.
She was remembered as an actress with big and expressive eyes. The New York Times added after Anna’a death:
“one of the most unforgettable figures of Hollywood’s great days”.
