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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, 05:49:56 PM)
It is unfair to compare Ziyi to any of the major actresses in Hollywood because her recent rise to prominence has come with much culture shock. What DOES Hollywood seek to re-emphasize in their Asian american roles besides outdated mysticism, exaggerated naivete (especially in the case of female roles), and exotic charm? Ziyi is not the mediocre actress that many would have us believe. Those who have actually seen Zhang Yimou's 'The Road Home' can see the promise that she has. Her on-screen presence and vulnerability are captivating as well as her charm. Besides the naive nature that she portrays in that role, Ziyi clearly demonstrates that she is perfectly capable of playing the deeper characters in her role in CTHD. Actresses that are European-based with the exception of Britain frequently find it hard to escape certain set stereoptypes and Ziyi is no different. From what I hear she is planning to play in an upcoming movie with Adam Sandler as a mail-order bride. Anyone can see how damaging an assault this is to the already much-maligned identity of the Asian-American woman in film. Yet ask yourself what other role she might hope to start off with in the highly repressed environment of Hollywood? Oriental mysticism and subjugation is what most of Hollywood still considers to be the most marketable. Let us not forget how long it has taken for jews and blacks to break into American pictures, as demonstrated by the first sweep of the awards for leading actors by Denzel Washington and Halle Berry at this year's Oscars. It took years for Barbara Streisand to break from the long-established tradition of Jewish actors/actresses in Hollywood to have facial surgery and a name-change when she said 'this is me, I'm not breaking my nose or changing my name for anybody'. Perhaps with some guidance and healthy influences, Ziyi will, if not win an Oscar, at the very least turn out beyond anybody's expectations. I myself prefer not to hastily label her as a "great beauty and first-rate actor" or as a "second-rater whose fame is as uncredible as her CTHD fight sequences", why are we talking about this young actress who is just beginning her career as if it were already set in stone? I see great promise and much room to expand in her future and would rather see some support and guidance shown to her so that she may make a positive impression for mainland Chinese/Asian female actresses. Both Joan Chen and Gong Li found it difficult to escape from any stereotypical role in Hollywood and both were great beauties although hardly first-rate. Ziyi is a new rep of Asian film riding her luck into the Hollywood sunset; true east meets west and not the U.S. cornfed vs. Asian American angst. Give her a chance, and for crying out loud give her some credit for coming this far.
Davidmi
Friday, April 19, 2002 at 00:00:34 (PDT)
I don't believe people are still talking abt Zhang like some wunderkind actress. What I want to see more of is Kelly Hu. She looks incredibly HOT in the Scorpion King. Can we have a feature on her?
IMO
Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 21:00:05 (PDT)
Julia Roberts at 22 was making "Pretty Woman", a huge hit movie that is still a classic. Oprah was fabulous in The Color Purple and Beloved. Have you seen Cate Blanchett as "Elizabeth"? One of the most fascinating performances of the past five years. How could I forget Gwyneth Paltrow in "Great Expectations" or "Sliding Doors"?(Who won an Oscar at the tender age of 26) Or the beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones in "Zorro"? Renee Zellweger is classy, funny, beautiful and multi-talented. I could go on and on all day but if you're convinced that ZZ is some "major talent" then that's what you want to believe.
no way
Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 12:56:45 (PDT)
ZZ looked stunning in those Tag Heuer ads.
ZZ male fan
Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 09:25:46 (PDT)
Zhang Ziyi IS the best actress in the world. Julia Roberts?? Where was Julia Roberts at 22? All Julia Riberts does is give Dreamy smiles and boring kisses. When was she ever asked to play an ancient warrior princess female with a bad attitude and have to convet a romantic side as well. Julia Roberts does nothing more than the simple romances with Pitt, Grant, Gere etc.
Angelina Jolie?? You consider Angelina Jolie a first rate actor? She is there for her chest just like Pamela Anderson was. No credible talent just chest. Zhang Ziyi doesn't need a large bra size to be captivating and beautiful.
Also Kate Winslet? I say Z is better.
Admittedly she has a while to go before she can be compared to Foster, berry and Kidman b/c they have more years of acclaim.
And Oprah Winfrey?? An actor?? What have you been smoking?????
Hidden Dragon
Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at 10:45:34 (PDT)
ZZ is SO not the best actress in the world, what the heck are you talking about? She is mildly talented at best. You seriously think she's better than Jodie Foster, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Connelly, Kate Winslet, Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, etc etc etc?
Pleeeeeaassseeee.
no way
Thursday, April 11, 2002 at 09:52:13 (PDT)
Was it the MTV awards or something that ZZ was paired up with David Spade?
Anyway, like me, do you get the feeling Hollywood is trying to give the image that a white, shrimpy weakling like Spade is better than Asia's finest? I found that kung fu gig he did was kind of insulting too.
I think it would've made more sense if they had paired her up with Jackie.
Oh well, I guess "sense" is the last thing that comes out of Hollywood.
huu76
Tuesday, April 09, 2002 at 14:13:00 (PDT)
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