Gemma Chan to play Anna May Wong in new biopic

Gemma Chan is set to star in a biopic of Anna May Wong.

The 39-year-old actress and producer Nina Yang Bongiovi are joining forces with Working Title Films to develop a biopic of Hollywood’s first Chinese American movie star.

Looking forward to the project, Gemma - who starred in 'Crazy Rich Asians' in 2018 - said: "Anna May Wong was a trailblazer, an icon and a woman ahead of her time.

"Her talent and her exploration of her art both in and outside of the US was groundbreaking - and the challenges and prejudice she faced in the early 20th century as an actress speak directly to the conversations and the world we are navigating today."

Wong’s niece, Anna Wong, is working as a consultant on the film, and she's "delighted" to be involved with the project.

She said: "I’m delighted that I’ll get to build on my aunt’s legacy with Gemma and Nina, who are Asian leaders in the forefront of storytelling.

"Anna May Wong’s presence in American and worldwide cinema was the first of its kind, and her representation continues to resonate today. She is the embodiment of inspiration for artists of color."

Meanwhile, Gemma previously observed that Asian women playing on-screen protagonists is a "fairly recent thing".

The London-born star - whose parents emigrated from Hong Kong - said: "It's only a fairly recent thing that Asian females have been able to be the protagonists of stories.

"Individual successes are one thing. But structurally, when you look at who can actually get projects green-lit in the UK, who are in those positions of power, those gate-keeping positions - there aren’t that many Asians.

"There aren’t many people of color in those positions."