Fala Chen to Star in Ang Lee’s “Old Gold Mountain”
Since moving to Hollywood, Fala Chen (陳法拉), 43, has seen her career steadily climb. Recent reports suggest she may be cast in Ang Lee’s (李安) upcoming film Old Gold Mountain <舊金山> ,which is set to begin filming in August. The project is described as Lee’s ambitious Oscar contender, sparking talk that Fala could follow in Michelle Yeoh’s (楊紫瓊) footsteps and potentially become the second Chinese woman to win Best Actress at the Oscars.
The film is adapted from C Pam Zhang’s (張辰極) debut novel, How Much of These Hills Is Gold <金山的成色>. The book was nominated for the Booker Prize in 2020. Set in the late 19th century at the end of the American Gold Rush, the story follows two Chinese orphans navigating life in a hostile foreign country. Ang asked Emmanuel Lubezki, a three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer, to serve as Director of Photography showcasing his ambitions to become an Oscar contender.
According to overseas media, Fala has essentially been confirmed to play the mother of the two main characters in Ang Lee’s Old Gold Mountain. While Fala’s screen time is limited, the role is said to be emotionally impactful and critical to the plot, offering her a chance to demonstrate her acting range.
Fala entered showbiz in 2005 after finishing as first runner-up in Miss Chinese International Pageant. She rose to fame through TVB dramas such as Triumph in the Skies II <衝上雲霄II>, Heart of Greed <溏心風暴>, and Lives of Omission <潛行狙擊>. She transitioned into film in 2010, earning a Best New Performer nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her debut Turning Point <Laughing Gor之變節>.
After completing her contract with TVB in 2013, Fala left Hong Kong to pursue a master’s degree in drama in the United States. Despite marrying in 2019 and having two children, her career ambitions remained strong. Fala broke into the Hollywood market and appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and the HBO series The Undoing.
Fala has been deliberately diversifying her roles in Hollywood. She recently co-starred with Chang Chen (張震) in Lucky Lu, the debut feature by Korean-Canadian director Lloyd Lee Choi. The movie explores the struggles of a Chinese delivery worker in New York after his e-bike is stolen. Fala plays the immigrant wife and brings to life the day-to-day struggles of the impoverished. The film was selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at the 78th Cannes Film Festival and released its first poster. Its official release date remains unknown.
Source: [1]
This article is written by Kiki for JayneStars.com.
I am not sure how much she diversified roles as she’s still working with Chinese directors and only playing roles that would only cast Asian actors. I feel like this article is forgetting about Zhang Zi Yi, who I would say, is the the most well-known actress in the west and most awarded in the east.
Nah, zhang had a very short stint as well on the west, she hasn’t really been in a west movie since early 2000. Agree with you regarding Fala, they’re pretty much the same when it comes to the west.