Beyond the Icon: Anna May Wong

From an early age, Anna May Wong knew she wanted to be in Hollywood. Born in Los Angeles as Wong Liu Tsong in 1905, she came up with her stage name by the age of 11, cut class as a teen to work as an extra, and stepped into her starring role in The Toll of the Sea by 17. While Wong gained international success as an Asian American star of her era, her career was not easy. Time and again, she was cast in stereotypical roles or relegated to supporting parts, which eventually led her to leave the United States for Europe, where her career flourished. When she returned to Hollywood in the 1930s, she faced continued frustrations with typecasting. Yet films like Daughter of Shanghai gave Wong greater creative satisfaction, and she continued to champion the need for multi-dimensional Asian characters until her death in 1961.

This spotlight celebrates Wong’s work on the screen as well as her legacy, which is very much alive today.