Discover the Glamour and Intrigue: Top 11 Unforgettable Fun Facts About Anna May Wong!

1. Own Production Company

Talk about a silver screen glow-up: Anna May Wong wasn't just a dazzling dame on the big screen, she was a bonafide boss lady behind the scenes too! The serious reveal: In 1924, our leading lady founded her very own production company, Anna May Wong Productions, with the noble aim of creating films that accurately portrayed her Chinese heritage, although it ultimately fell victim to her partner's regrettable business acumen.
Source => womenshistory.org

2. First Asian American TV Star

Shattering fortune cookies as she went: Anna May Wong became the first Asian American actress to star in her own television series, proving that not even Hollywood's anti-Asian policies could dim her rising star – even though the show was axed after just one season.
Source => wams.nyhistory.org

Did you know a die-hard Marilyn Monroe fan was buried face down above her crypt? Discover the bizarre story and the $4.6 million plot twist that followed.

=> Fun Facts about Marilyn-Monroe

3. Overcoming Illness & School Challenges

Despite rumored tales of school-skipping to sashay into the spotlight, Anna May Wong's dropout story has more in common with early 20th-century Saints than Hollywood starlets: Rather than ditching school for her dreams, our favorite screen siren faced an unwelcome intermission from St. Vitus's Dance at 16. Luckily, Anna persevered, returned to Los Angeles High School, and danced her way through the honor roll before making her mark on the silver screen as a 17-year-old leading lady.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. World's Best Dressed Woman

Step aside, Coco Chanel: there was another queen of fashion strutting her stuff in the Roaring Twenties! Anna May Wong, the big screen's dazzling diva, was turning heads and setting trends way before Vogue took over our lives: in fact, the Mayfair Mannequin Society of New York dubbed her the "world's best dressed woman" in 1934. With her penchant for flaunting the iconic flapper look, Miss Wong has flexed her fashion muscles throughout history, giving everyone a run for their 'gilded-era' money.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Real-life Cinematic Heroine

Step aside, Scarlett O'Hara: there was a real-life cinematic heroine who went through her own indomitable share of drama, both on and off the screen. Wind in her hair, jazz fever in her veins, and a dash of unapologetic charisma, Anna May Wong beamed as the first Chinese American Hollywood star, battling racism and stereotypes while sharing screen space with the likes of Douglas Fairbanks and Marlene Dietrich, even headlining America's first TV show with an Asian lead in 1951, "The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong".
Source => theguardian.com

6. Art-Loving Detective Series

Before CSI and Sherlock Holmes, there was an Asian-American queen of sleuths with an affinity for art and fabulous fashion: Anna May Wong starred in the first U.S. television series to feature an Asian-American series lead, "The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong," which aired in 1951 on the DuMont Television Network. In it, she played a chic detective-slash-Chinese art dealer, solving crimes in ten prime time half-hour episodes, but, alas, no copies nor scripts of this groundbreaking show have survived the test of time.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Fashionably Culturally Blended

Anna May Wong was living proof that fashion knows no boundaries: It turns out her dazzling costumes were the brainchildren of Hollywood designers who had a fever dream version of Far East dressing. As a prominent silent screen star, her outfits not only spoke volumes, but inspired entire collections: And just like that, her ensemble became an eloquent fashion statement, setting trends far beyond the silver screen.
Source => vogue.com

8. Mastering Nautch Dancing

When Anna May Wong wasn't out moonlighting as Kung Fu Panda's choreographer: She dazzled audiences in the 1927 film "The Chinese Parrot" with her mastery of nautch dancing, a traditional Indian dance that she spent months perfecting.
Source => imdb.com

9. Flapper Fashion Icon

If there was a runway during the roaring twenties, Anna May Wong would've been the star: widely adored by fans in the U.S. and Europe, this flapper femme fatale rocked the sleek silhouettes and shorter hemlines of the decade, but never designed or created her own Chinese-influenced Western-style wardrobe.
Source => veranda.com

10. Original Fortune-changer

Who needs fortune cookies when you have Anna May Wong, the original fortune-changer: Anna May Wong helped humanize the portrayal of Chinese Americans in Hollywood by advocating for better roles, effectively challenging the stereotypical villainous and exotic depictions, and creating positive representations in her own acting career.
Source => europeana.eu

11. Diva of Duty's Sense of Humor

Before she could say "lights, camera, action," Anna May Wong learned that the diva of duty had a wicked sense of humor, handing her roles with a side of spicy controversy: This Chinese American actress broke barriers in the early 20th century, taking on juicy parts that defied racist stereotypes, expanded public perception, and ultimately starred in the documentary "Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words" that unspooled her dazzling career, including a heart-tugging visit to China and the tug-of-war with her heritage.
Source => emro.libraries.psu.edu