3 weeks ago
EXCLUSIVE: Shanghai and Los Angeles-based Fundamental Films has announced that Xin Zhilei, Best Actress grant victor astatine nan 2025 Venice Film Festival, will play Hollywood’s first Chinese star, Anna May Wong, successful an upcoming biopic.
Mark Gao’s Fundamental Films is financing and producing nan film, Sunset Boulevard – The Anna May Wong Story, astir nan bonzer life of nan groundbreaking character who battled against stereotypical attitudes towards Asian women successful Hollywood passim nan 1920s and 1930s.
Currently successful pre-production, nan English and Mandarin-language accumulation follows Wong’s life from her humble beginnings arsenic a third-generation Chinese American calved successful Los Angeles during nan early days of Hollywood, done a profession that mesmerized audiences worldwide. Her activity included roles successful inconic films specified arsenic The Thief Of Bagdad, other Douglas Fairbanks, and Shanghai Express, other Marlene Dietrich.
Xin won Best Actress astatine past year’s Venice movie show for her domiciled successful Cai Shangjun’s The Sun Rises On Us All, nan first Chinese female to person nan honour successful 14 years. Her credits besides see nan Chao’s Crosscurrent (2016), which premiered successful title astatine Berlin movie festival; Midi Z’s The Unseen Sister (2025), selected for Tokyo movie show competition, and Wong Kar Wai’s caller bid Blossoms Shanghai.
In summation to her movie roles, Xin antecedently starred successful nan Chinese type of nan one-woman play, Prima Facie, successful nan domiciled originated by Jodie Comer successful London.
Sunset Boulevard – The Anna May Wong Story, scripted by Brant Boivin (Tow) and Jonathan Keasey (Tow, Parallel), will recreate nan lavish sets of nan Golden Age of Hollywood successful productions for illustration The Thief Of Bagdad and Shanghai Express.
Fundamental Films – which has a agelong way grounds successful world development, world co-productions and distribution – is attending Cannes to present nan task to buyers. The institution has co-produced films including Lucy, The Transporter Refueled, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, 24 Hours To Live and Replicas.
Fundamental Films’ founders noted that Xin’s profession has mirrored Wong’s successful galore ways. Both actresses were calved into humble circumstances, and defied expectations by moving their measurement up done mini films to yet gaining world attention. Both actesses person besides worked crossed film, tv and theatre.
Xin Zhilei said: “Anna May Wong’s communicative profoundly moves me. She remained existent to her taste roots and was wished to travel her ain path, while besides speaking up for different women. In nan look of difficulties and doubt, she ne'er stepped back. This movie is simply a tribute to Anna May Wong’s courageousness and resilience, and I dream it will let much group to retrieve this talented, intelligent, and eager legendary woman.”
Fundamental Films’ Founder and Chairman Mark Gao added: “Xin Zhilei’s singular profession very overmuch echoes Anna May Wong’s ain ascent and groundbreaking achievements, which makes her cleanable for this role. The task besides encapsulates Fundamental Films’ ain instruction of championing Chinese stories and civilization and utilizing our imaginative resources and acquisition to entreaty to audiences some astatine location and globally.
“We dream this movie will bring Anna May Wong’s communicative backmost from nan edges of history and punctual nan world that Chinese artists were ne'er absent from Hollywood history and proceed to beryllium portion of its future.”
