Shang-Chi’s Fala Chen on Marvel, motherhood and Asian representation in Hollywood – an exclusive interview with the former HBO’s The Undoing and Hong Kong TVB star

Sep 12 , 2021

Chinese-American actress Fala Chen is making history as a member of Marvel’s first Asian-led cast, in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Photo: Invision/AP

The Chengdu-born actress stars alongside Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Michelle Yeoh and Tony Leung in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ historic Asian-majority cast

Here she talks exclusively to STYLE about integrating into US life as a teen, joining TVB in Hong Kong, studying at Juilliard and meeting Mr Giorgio Armani

Asian cinema has finally come of age in the West. Despite a long and glorious history that encompasses elegant directors like Akira Kurosawa and art-house favourite Wong Kar-wai, thrilling martial artists like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, and countless Korean heartthrobs, it is only recently that Asian cinema has broken through to mainstream attention in America.

First came Parasite’s historic Oscar victory in 2020, an accomplishment followed 12 months later by Minari’s Steven Yeun becoming the first Asian-American to earn an Academy Award nomination for best actor and Chloé Zhao smashing through the glass ceiling to win the Oscar for best director for Nomadland, a first for an Asian woman. Between rows over the potentially Chinese origins of Covid-19 and an attendant spike in hate crimes, cinema has proven a positive refuge for Asian-Americans.

It was a dream come true to work alongside an all-Asian cast, telling a beautiful and powerful story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Fala Chen

The latest milestone is Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe led by Asian actors, Shang-Chi smashed US box office records to record a new high for a movie opening over the Labour Day weekend.

At the heart of this movie is Chinese-American actress Fala Chen who plays Ying Li, mother of the eponymous hero.

It’s been a long journey to Hollywood for Chen, who was born in Chengdu, China. She was raised there until she was 14, when the family moved to the United States, but her heritage remains important. “I’m glad I was old enough to know the Chinese language and culture well enough – I still read books in Chinese regularly today – while yet not too old to become fluent in another language,” the 39-year-old tells STYLE.

Despite viewing the move abroad as something of an adventure, it wasn’t long before Chen returned to East Asia. In 2005, having graduated from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in Atlanta, she took part in the Miss Chinese International Pageant 2005 hosted by local Hong Kong TV station TVB, where she represented New York by winning Miss New York Chinese 2004. Entering a beauty pageant might seem an auspicious start for a serious actress, but the move brought her to the attention of TVB and saw her follow in the footsteps of other famous actresses like Maggie Cheung, Michele Reis and Anita Yuen who had also first been noticed in pageants.

Aside from acting, Fala Chen carries out important charity work and is an ambassador for Cancer Fund Pink Revolution. Photo: Bruce Yan

“After college, I joined TVB in Hong Kong as an ‘artist’,” Chen explains. “First, I was a host on TVB8, a Mandarin TV channel, for live entertainment news. Then I received my first offer to play a small role in a crime drama on TVB Jade. The very first day on set was the day when I caught the bug for acting. I was almost certain on that day that acting was the thing I wanted to do.”

Chen signed an initial six-year contract with TVB that was later extended to eight years. These early years of her acting career were fruitful ones where she learned her craft. The results were impressive and include three separate awards for best supporting actress for her work in Steps (2007) and No Regrets (2010 and 2011).

Actress Fala Chen and Jayden Tianyi Zhang in Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi. Photo: Marvel

It was while working for TVB that Chen came to know veteran actress Louise Lee Si-kei. The pair worked together on dramas like Heart of Greed and Moonlight Resonance. While many younger actresses name-drop the likes of Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau or Brigitte Lin as their idols, for Chen no one is more esteemed than Lee.