Joan Chen

**Joan Chen** (born April 26, 1961) is a Chinese-American actress and film director who began her career in China in the 1970s before transitioning to Hollywood in the 1980s. Chen became a star in China for her performance in the 1979 film Little Flower and received international recognition for her role in the 1987 film The Last Emperor, which won nine Academy Awards including Best Picture. Her other notable roles include Twin Peaks, Red Rose White Rose, Saving Face, and The Home Song Stories. As a director, Chen is known for the acclaimed feature film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl. Born to a family of pharmacologists in Shanghai, Chen was discovered at the age of 14 by Jiang Qing, the wife of Chinese leader Mao Zedong. She was selected for the Actors' Training Program by the Shanghai Film Studio in 1975 and made her cinematic debut in the 1977 film Youth. She later attended the Shanghai International Studies University, where she majored in English, before moving to the United States at age 20. In Hollywood, she gained further recognition with roles in films like Tai-Pan and the TV show Miami Vice. As an actress, she is particularly known for her versatility, having portrayed a wide range of characters.