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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Zhang Ziyi: Major Talent or Lucky Starlet?
or some she was the most memorable part of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. They were mesmerized by the dark energy she brings to her portrayal of a freespirited young adventuress. For others she was one more annoying thing about a glacial, poorly edited sword-fight flick. They were left cold by the hard, souless gleam of her obsidian eyes and her puckish face.
Regardless of your opinion of Zhang Ziyi, one fact is indisputable: since the release of CTHD in late 2000, the media has lionized the gamin-faced actress. Virtually every glossy and tabloid has hailed her as the hot new Asian female actor and/or great new beauty. In the heat of CTHD's surprise success Zhang was signed to several projects, including Rush Hour 2, The Legend of Zu, 2046 (a science fiction flick), Hero (a Jet Li kung-fu flick) and Musa (a Corean film set during the wars between the Yuan and Ming Dynasties).
Luck is essential to every success, but Zhang Ziyi appears to have enjoyed more than her share during her brief acting career.
She was born February 9, 1979 in Beijing to an economist father and a kindergarten teacher mother. At the age of 11 she enrolled in a dance school. Four years later she decided to switch to acting despite some promise as a dancer. She went for a shampoo commercial audition and was picked out by the legendary director Zhang Yimou to play a schoolgirl who falls in love with her teacher.
When The Road Home was released in China in 1999, the young actress was promptly dubbed "Little Gong Li" on the popular suspicion that she had followed the great actress into Zhang Yimou's bed. (Zhang Yimou had discovered Gong Li in 1987 and lost her in 1994 when she left him to marry Singaporean businessman Ooi Hoe Siong.)
The Road Home received no attention in the U.S. but won the 2000 Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. It also caught the eye of Ang Lee who was casting Crouching Tiger. No one suspected that the low-budget film he was planning to shoot in China would go on to become the next year's most profitable film, ultimately grossing $150 million worldwide. It turned Zhang Ziyi into an international superstar in one fell, elaborately-wired swoop.
Is Zhang Ziyi really a great beauty and first-rate actor? Or is she a second-rater whose fame is as un-credible as her CTHD fight sequences?
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WHAT YOU SAY
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(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:49:58 PM)
Hey AC dropout, are you retarded???? BAI LING IS THE BIGGEST SELL OUT EVER!! first off, she dated Chris Isaak, the BIGGEST ASIAPHILE OUTTHERE! You know this guys got a freakin fetish when he dates margaret cho...UGGHH!!!
He's a well known asiaphile and speaks about it publicly. Have you seen his new music video? More of the same asian men bad, asian women good crap he keeps on spewing. Yeah, somehow all asian men beat and abuse their asian women, so then the white knight comes in to save asian women. What a jackass. The only thing Bai Ling is is a FOB white-girl wannabe.
pssh, all asian female celeb's are sellouts!!!
Saturday, March 16, 2002 at 21:17:52 (PST)
The Road Home is one of my favorite movies.
Raise the Red Lantern is also my favorite film . I think ZhangYiMou is the best,in showing Chinese women as strong deeply emotional intelligent people in this world.
Thank god for people to see beyond culture
and make a movie that seems real.
jinyu-nyc
Saturday, March 16, 2002 at 07:39:47 (PST)
She has the body of a 12 year old, is that what mean find attractive? Also I think she looks and acts like a snotty bitch.
lala
Friday, March 15, 2002 at 13:40:37 (PST)
After reading all the previous comments about ZZ, it pisses me off that people and the industry continue to either objectify, glorify, and denigrate whoever the "it" girl may be for the moment. ZZ is arguably one of the most provacative young actors around who has achieved a heap of praise for her role in a blockbuster film. Lots like her, some don't. One can also argue til the cows come home about how worthy she is of fame, her longevity, and credibility at this point, but maybe it's just too early to tell. And to "Uncute AF", you don't have to be a fan or find her beautiful if you don't, but I CAN'T STAND it when people rip on the features of others, as if anyone has any control over how they were born (plastic surgery aside).Better make sure how much of a hottie *you* are before you cut.One more thing- maybe bitchy dragon lady is a cliche, but I'd prefer to have that reputation than subservient slave girl!!
APS
Friday, March 15, 2002 at 12:13:24 (PST)
Shes really pretty~~~
Angelique
Monday, March 11, 2002 at 19:18:38 (PST)
Ghost Writer NYC,
How has Bai Ling forsaken her Chinese Culture. She only been in the country since 1991. She probably more Asian (Chinese) than 90% of the posters on the board. She just another FOB sucess story. Unless there's something in her personal life I'm not aware of.
AC Dropout
Monday, March 11, 2002 at 14:17:30 (PST)
Look.
No matter what the Asians are coming out on entertainment and entertainment is a powerful source in portraying asian awareness. Yes, there are stereotypical scenes in films we don't approve of. But at this time its a start. More Asian entertainers and athletes are becoming well known.
Lavienrose
Saturday, March 09, 2002 at 22:21:05 (PST)
sure she's hot, the only thing I'm worried about is will she set the standard for asian americans in the US or go the route of Bai Ling, Connie Chung etc and forsake her asian heritage for white washed American Hollywood? we'll see how strong she really is...ever notice how if any asian person in the media never supports asian american issues? it's a never ending story...hopefully things will change but it's up to us to make that happen...If she's truly stand up then I'll support her if not then I'll turn my back on her just like Connie Chung, Julie Chen and a host of others who turned their backs on us..
Ghost Writer NYC-"doing my part to promote positive asian issues"
"Revolution is the fuse that ignites change"
Ghost Writer NYC
Friday, March 08, 2002 at 16:18:10 (PST)
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