The Hollywood Walk of Fame star Anna May Wong will soon appear on US money, making her the first Asian American to do so. Wong, who joins Maya Angelou, Sally Ride, Nina Otero-Warren, and Wilma Mankiller as featured stars, is the first Chinese American actress in Hollywood.
Asian-American actress Anna May Won was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1905. She was given the name Wong Liu Tsong at birth before changing it.
Before getting the lead role in the silent drama The Toll of the Sea in 1922, she had her first role at the age of just 14 in The Red Lantern.
Her remarkable acting career spans more than 30 years in radio, television, theater, and cinema. She made an appearance in almost 60 films.
She played prominent roles in films like the 1932 romantic adventure Shanghai Express, the 1937 criminal drama Daughter of Shanghai, and the 1931 crime thriller Daughter of the Dragon.
Wong has had appearances in movies in English, French, and German. Actress Gemma Chan, who starred in the films Eternals and Don’t Worry, Darling, will play her in the upcoming biopic about her life and career.
Wong died on February 3, 1961, after a heart attack she had while sleeping. She passed away in her Santa Monica home at the age of 56.
Wong was supposed to play Madame Liang in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song before she passed away, but she was unable to do so because of health problems. The actress shot an episode of The Barbara Stanwyck Show two days before her passing.
Wong didn’t have any children but did have two siblings named Mary Wong and Lew Ying.
