Gemma Chan has had a meteoric rise to fame in Hollywood. The British actress of Chinese descent has starred in some of the biggest movies and TV shows of the past few years, including Crazy Rich Asians, Captain Marvel, and Humans. She is one of the most recognizable faces in the entertainment industry, and it seems like her career is only getting bigger and better.
Born in London in 1982, Gemma Chan grew up surrounded by the arts. Her mother was a professional dancer, and her father was a musician. From a young age, she knew that she wanted to be an actress. She studied drama at the prestigious Oxford University, and then went on to train at the respected Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
After graduation, Gemma Chan began her professional acting career in the UK. She appeared in a number of stage productions and made her TV debut in the medical drama Doctors. She also had small roles in a few movies, including The Last Samurai and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
In 2014, Gemma Chan landed her first major Hollywood role in the film Divergent. She played the character of Charlotte, one of the members of the Dauntless faction. The movie was a huge success, and it launched Gemma Chan into the spotlight.
The following year, she starred in another blockbuster movie, Jurassic World. She played the role of Zara Young, a member of the park’s security team. The movie was another huge hit, and it solidified Gemma Chan as a rising star in Hollywood.
In 2016, Gemma Chan starred in the romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to break down barriers for Asian representation in Hollywood. Gemma Chan’s performance in the film earned her rave reviews, and she quickly became one of the most sought-after actresses in Tinseltown.
The past few years have been huge for Gemma Chan. She has starred in some of the biggest movies and TV shows, including Captain Marvel, Humans, and Crazy Rich Asians. She is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, and it seems like her career is only getting bigger and better.
Gemma Chan is a true Hollywood superstar, and she shows no signs of slowing down. She is a talented actress with a bright future ahead of her. We can’t wait to see what she does next!
Hollywood Breakthrough
Chan made her blockbuster debut in 2014’s “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” alongside Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, and Keira Knightley. She was then cast as Madam Ya Zhou in the 2016 Harry Potter spin-off “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” while also voicing the villain Quintessa in 2017’s “Transformers: The Last Knight”. The three films would gross a total of $1.5 billion in the global box office.
2018 would be a big year for Chan as she would receive raving reviews for two performances: first in the science-fiction series “Humans” and second in the comedy film “Crazy Rich Asians”. Her performance as the anthropomorphic robot Anita/Mia in “Humans” earned her multiple nominations while the show itself won a BAFTA for Digital Creativity and a British Screenwriters Award for Best British TV Drama Writing.
In one of Chan’s most iconic roles to date, she portrayed socialite Astrid Leong-Teo in the highly popular “Crazy Rich Asians”. She was initially offered the role of Rachel Chu but turned it down as she was more intrigued with Astrid’s character. The role was eventually offered to Taiwanese American actress Constance Wu.
Upon its theatrical release, “Crazy Rich Asians” became the highest-grossing romantic comedy film of 2018, grossing $238 million in the global box office. The film, which also starred top Asian actors such as Henry Golding, Ken Jeong, Michelle Yeoh, and Awkwafina, was also praised for breaking stereotypes on Asian actors in Hollywood films. “I hope that this is just the beginning, (I hope) that it opens the door for more diverse stories to be told”, said Chan shortly after the film’s release. Most of the cast will be returning in the sequels “China Rich Girlfriend” and “Rich People Problems” but release dates are yet to be announced.
Fresh off her success from “Crazy Rich Asians”, Chan would start to gain more recognition as one of the fastest rising Asian actors today. She portrayed Elizabeth Hardwick in the historical drama “Mary Queen of Scots” (2018); a film that retells the life of Scotland’s controversial monarch Mary I. She then appeared in the Marvel Studios film “Captain Marvel” (2019), portraying the alien Kree soldier Minn-Erva.
“Eternals” and Future Projects
Chan returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a new and bigger role, as the cosmic being Sersi in the upcoming film “Eternals”. The film is directed by Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”) and stars an all-star cast including Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, Kit Harrington, and Dan Stevens.
“Eternals” takes place after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) and revolves around the story of a group of superpowered immortals called “Eternals”. Initially introduced as a comic book series by Jack Kirby in 1976, the movie pits the Eternals against an evil cosmic race called the Deviants led by their leader Kro (portrayed by Stevens). The film will be released globally in theatres in October 2021.
Aside from reprising her role as Astrid in the two “Crazy Rich Asians” sequels, Chan will be appearing in the 2022 psychological thriller “Don’t Worry Darling” and the Apple TV anthology series “Extrapolations”.
Personal Life
Chan is a member of multiple charity organizations including UNICEF and Save the Children. In 2019, she participated in the annual charity event Soccer Aid which showcases a football game between retired football players and celebrities.
Previously a model before becoming an actress, Chan has maintained her love for fashion is currently one of the ambassadors for French cosmetics company L’Oreal. She is currently dating “Preacher” actor Dominic Cooper since 2018.
In Closing
Asian representation is making big strides in Hollywood. With this, expect the beautiful and talented Gemma Chan to continue making big strides in her acting career as well. At the age of 38, the sky is the limit for the British Asian actress.
