Hollywood’s early filmmakers had a knack for using vibrant real-life locations, like the bustling streets of Los Angeles’ Chinatown, to bring their movies to life. It was during this era that a young Anna May Wong, a third-generation Chinese-American, found herself captivated by the magic of cinema. Watching films as a child sparked a lifelong passion that would eventually make her a pioneer in the industry.
“She would see people shooting movies right there on the streets,” shares Katie Gee Salisbury, author of Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong, in an exclusive interview with Closer. “Her father owned a laundry business, so she and her older sister were often out and about, delivering items or picking things up from customers. That’s where her fascination with filmmaking truly began.”
From Extras to Star: Anna May Wong’s Rise to Fame
By the time she was 17, Anna May had already begun dipping her toes into the world of cinema, working as an extra in films. But her big break came just a few years later with the 1924 release of The Thief of Bagdad. This film not only made her a star but also cemented her status as a fashion icon, thanks to her dazzling Jazz Age flapper style.
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“She skyrocketed to fame incredibly quickly,” explains Salisbury. “After The Thief of Bagdad, she started appearing in the credits alongside the other principal actors, which was a huge deal for someone of her background at that time.”
Facing Challenges in a Racially Segregated Industry
Despite her growing popularity, Anna May soon encountered the harsh realities of Hollywood’s racial barriers. In 1927, the Motion Picture Association began implementing strict guidelines about what could and couldn’t be depicted on screen. One of the most restrictive rules was the ban on interracial romances, severely limiting the roles available to Anna May.
“They were hesitant to cast her as a leading lady because they didn’t want her paired with a white actor,” Salisbury elaborates. “And if she was cast opposite a white actor, the story couldn’t have a happy ending. It was a frustrating and unjust system that she had to navigate throughout her career.”
Anna May also grew increasingly disheartened by the typecasting she faced. “Why is it that on the screen, the Chinese are nearly always the villain of the piece?” she once lamented. “Why should we always be portrayed as scheming, killing, or robbing? I grew so tired of it all.”
Expanding Horizons: Anna May’s European Adventures
Realizing that Hollywood wasn’t the only place where she could thrive, Anna May began taking on theater and film roles in London, Paris, and Vienna. She learned French and German to expand her opportunities and even perfected a British accent, quickly becoming a sensation across Europe.
Back in the United States, however, things remained challenging. In 1936, she lost the lead role in The Good Earth to Luise Rainer, who would go on to win an Oscar for playing a Chinese woman. “It was a sympathetic story about the Chinese, yet they cast a German actress,” recalls Salisbury. “Anna May responded by embarking on her first trip to China, bringing along a cameraman to document her journey and turn it into a documentary.”
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A Groundbreaking Comeback
Hollywood eventually attempted to make amends by casting Anna May as the heroine in Daughter of Shanghai, a film co-starring Korean-American actor Philip Ahn. “It’s incredibly rare to see two Asian-American leads in a movie even today, but Anna May was paving the way nearly a century ago,” notes Salisbury. “Her legacy reminds us that progress doesn’t happen on its own—we have to keep pushing for change.”
