Come see the girl with the china heart.

Every time your picture is taken, you lose a part of your soul.

- Anna May Wong -

Anna May Wong was born Wong Liu Tsong (meaning frosted yellow willows) on January, 3 1905 in Los Angeles. She later became the first Chinese American movie star and the first Asian American to become an international star. Movies were shot in her neighborhood that's why she got interested in the motion picture industry. At nine years of age, she begged filmmakers for parts, earning herself the nickname "C.C.C." or "Curious Chinese Child". At the age of 19, Anna May Wong was cast in a supporting role as a Mongol slave in the Douglas Fairbanks picture The Thief of Bagdad (1924). Playing a stereotypical "Dragon Lady" role, her brief appearances on-screen caught the attention of audiences and critics alike. During her career she remained that "Dragon Lady", playing stereotypical roles. But at that time, she was a fashion icon, a representation of exoticism in movies. You may remember her as Hui Fei opposite Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express. In 1961 she had been planning to return to film but she died at the age of 56. She may now be a forgotten star but she helped to "humanize" Asian-Americans to white audiences during a period of overt racism and discrimination.