Anna May Wong was a trailblazer on- and offscreen. Born in Los Angeles in 1905, she began acting full-time at age 16. At first Wong was only cast as passive or villainous characters that reinforced racial stereotypes—while Asian leading roles went to white actors—but she stood up for fair representation in Hollywood. She went on to become the first Asian American TV and film star, acting in more than 60 movies, a Broadway show, and many plays. Now, Wong is remembered as someone who broke barriers for herself and those who came after her, inspiring future generations of Asian American actors. |