During a time of racial discrimination and limited job opportunities, a young hopeful actress by the name of Anna May Wong refused to allow her hardship to hold her back from becoming Hollywood’s first Chinese American movie star. Here are some intriguing facts about the trailblazing actress who broke barriers on the way to becoming a household name.
Growing Up in Film
In the 1910s, when Wong was a little girl, the movie industry moved from New York City to Los Angeles, her hometown. While working in her parents’ laundromat, Wong would use the money she earned to buy movie tickets. She would also head to movie sets and watch as the actors and crew members got to work. “I would worm my way through the crowd and get as close to the cameras as I dared…I’d stare and stare at these glamorous individuals, directors, cameramen, assistants, and actors in grease paint, who had come down to our section of town to make movies,” Wong explained.
Barrier to Entry
As an up-and-coming actress, Wong’s work opportunities were sadly limited due to America’s anti-miscegenation laws which prohibited interracial relationships and cohabitation. Because many white actors would take on roles as Asian characters, Wong would be barred from performing if the costar was white, even if the character they were portraying was of Asian descent.
The Entrepreneur
With roles being few and far between, Wong went on to establish her own film production company called Anna May Wong Productions. Sadly, the company only lasted one year due to financial issues.