Anna May Wong, a member of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, may soon be the first Asian American to feature on US currency. Wong is the first Chinese American actress in Hollywood and joins Maya Angelou, Sally Ride, Nina Otero-Warren, and Wilma Mankiller as featured actresses.
Anna May Won, a famous Asian-American actress, was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1905. Wong Liu Tsong was her birth name before she changed 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 passed away on February 3, 1961, after a sleep-related heart attack. At the age of 56, she passed away in her home in Santa Monica.
Before she died away, Wong was scheduled to perform as Madame Liang in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song, but she was unable to do so due to health issues.
Two days before she passed away, the actress filmed an episode of The Barbara Stanwyck Show.
Wong didn’t have any children but did have two siblings named Mary Wong and Lew Ying. Anna May Wong did not get married, but it didn’t stop rumors about her marital status from circulating online.
As part of the American Women Quarters Program, which will recognize significant women through 2025, Wong is the fifth woman to be recognized in a US quarter.
Director of the US Mint Ventris Gibson commended Wong’s work as “a fearless crusader who championed for better representation and more multi-dimensional parts for Asian American performers” (via BBC News).
“This quarter is intended to showcase the breadth and depth of Anna May Wong’s achievements, who overcame obstacles and challenges throughout her life,” Gibson concluded.
