Fala Chen’s Role in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
Production has finally wrapped for Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings after a temporary filming suspension amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In celebration of the movie’s progress, Marvel officially revealed on social media the actors who will be bringing the highly anticipated film to life. Among the cast members is 38-year-old Fala Chen (陳法拉), confirming previous speculations that the former Hong Kong actress is starring in Marvel’s first Asian superhero film.
Fala followed Marvel’s lead and ecstatically shared the news on her personal Instagram. She wrote, “Finally can announce this! Are you excited to see #shang-chi?”
Co-star Simu Liu, who will be playing the titular Shang-Chi, teasingly commented, “Wait you’re in this movie??”
A while back, various media outlets reported that Fala would play S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Leiko Wu, who investigates the Ten Rings terrorist organization alongside coworker and lover Clive Reston. A powerful martial artist, Leiko later joins hands with Shang-Chi to fight the bad guys and helps him defeat the Mandarin, played by fellow Hong Kong actor Tony Leung (梁朝伟).
However, Marvel shot down those rumors. Instead, Fala will star as Jiang Li, whose name is a bit similar to that of Michelle Yeoh‘s (楊紫瓊) character Jiang Nan. Perhaps the two characters have a special relationship, such as sisters or master and apprentice. Whatever it is, viewers will find out when the movie gets released on July 9, 2021.
Though Fala is not well-known in Hollywood, she is not alone: 33-year-old Zhang Meng’er (張夢兒) is also a cast member. Marvel fans first noticed Meng’er when the director shared a group photo earlier that featured her. At the time, fans discovered that she participated in the mainland talent audition show Super Girl <快樂女聲> in 2009 and made it to the top 20 with her talent in rock music.
She graduated from the Nanjing University of the Arts and later went to the United Kingdom to further her studies. Her character in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is named Xialing. Sporting a domineering look, it is unknown if Meng’er’s role is that of an assassin yet.
Source: HK01
This article is written by MelodyC for JayneStars.com.
Can’t wait to watch:)
Wouldn’t be surprised her role is as big as her role in the “Undoing”, you know blink and you’ll miss it.
@seriously they wouldn’t put her in the cast announcement if she didn’t have a bigger role. Not saying her role would be like a main role but definitely not as small as the HBO show
Lol i don’t think her role in shang chi would be that bad compared to the undoing. I think her role here would probably be somewhere in the middle not a main character but still somewhat significant. Either way being in a marvel movie is a huge step up.
Hollywood only casts AF with a white partner and Fala is no exception. Look at Crazy, Rich Asian, all leading AF has a white partner in real life.
@jace99 That’s interesting, but I dont know if Hollywood only casted Fala because her husband is white. Is her husband in the industry?
Seems to be self hatred that some of the members have similar hatred at other success be it small or big. I feel so sry for these people. I personally not a fan of Fala but I applaud her humbleness to accept how small a role is just for exposure and not act like some dumb big shot from Hong Kong.
@skyblue totally agree with you. Haters gonna hate. There are many actors out there who would spend years and years in acting and would still never be able to land in a big major movie franchise such as marvel. And for people who keep saying she only got short appearance in Undoing needs to know its her first major gig for an American tv show. After her hard work at Julliard, This is a definitely a BIG step up compared to all other tvb fadans for sure.
@charcoalmuffins @skyblue Exactly, people have to work their way up. Hollywood isnt going to give Fala a lead role right away. At least she’s stepping out of her comfort zone. Going from TVB to Hollywood is a big difference.
Plus Marvel is known to take talented and not necessary A list stars all the time and making great movies with them…I’m sure Fala and the rest of the cast will be great in this.