ForJoan Chenplaying a doting but slightly disregarded Taiwanese immigrant mother inSean WangsDidiwas a healing experience.
Im talking to you.
Im trying to say, Im sorry, and I love you.'
Joan Chen and Izaac Wang in ‘Dìdi’Focus Features
Looking back, I slowly fell in love with this profession because I did find self-expression in it.
I was so lucky I was assigned to star in movies.
Were they creatives in any way?
Chris Wang (Izaac Wang), Chungsing Wang (Joan Chen) and Chang Li (Nǎi Nai) inDìdiFocus Features
I know you fell into acting in an untraditional way, but have you traced back your origins?
JOAN CHEN:There certainly is.
She was a great singer.
She played the grand piano, and she loved literature.
Eventually, she followed in her own fathers footsteps and went into neuropharmacology.
But all her life, I think what kept her happy was music.
I fell into acting completely by accident, but they were my teachers.
My brother taught me how to look at the world and how to actually see it.
I remember he was painting cows.
I only see black and white and maybe green grass.
So, when I became a director, the way he taught me how to see was very important.
DEADLINE: You were discovered in your hometown in China during rifle training.
CHEN:I was 14 years old.
I dont think any 14-year-olds wanted to go back to school [laughs].
When they picked me out of the rifle team, I was overjoyed.
One reason is that I would now get to go to work instead of going to school.
I can wear a watch.
It was just little things that really had nothing to do with acting at first.
Then, when I started practicing my lines, there was one line that I would speak.
So that was the line I practiced.
I remember it being in the hallway or in the office before we were shooting.
I think its these things that intrigued me.
DEADLINE: Was there any other path for you?
Would you have perfected being a rifleist or perhaps being a musician or painter with your family background?
CHEN:It was such a different era and culture.
During the Cultural Revolution, our piano was taken.
People would come and raid your house.
My parents were considered the intellectual class as well as the bourgeoisie, so I didnt have a choice.
Looking back, I slowly fell in love with this profession because I did find self-expression in it.
I was so lucky I was assigned to star in movies.
DEADLINE: Getting into your role as Chungsing inDidi, shes nuanced.
Shes silently keeping everything together.
Shes protecting her children from the brunt of the verbal sparring from the grandmother.
Shes also a supportive mother.
Are there things that you agree with regarding her parenting style?
As well as things you necessarily dont?
CHEN:I think most kids see their parents as just somebody who provides what they need.
In the film, Chungsings children are teens, and I dont think they would see things that way.
It is, in a way, my own personal experience.
So, when I read the script, I felt instantly empathy toward the characters sympathy and empathy.
I felt like this was a part of my own life, now finding its expression.
Theyve been trying to teach me to be a better mother.
I dont know how to raise them.
Is their behavior the norm in the society, or is it my own children that are difficult?
There are so many uncertainties.
Chungsings art and paintings are so important to her.
Thats a very difficult job.
Sean [Wang] s mom really did a marvelous job.
Im talking to you.
Im trying to say, Im sorry, and I love you.’
DEADLINE: So, one of your daughters is in the film industry?
Or are they trying to break in?
Have you had the talk with them in terms of what the industry entails?
Whatever youd like to share about them, Im sure you dont want to dox your children.
CHEN:My younger daughter does want to be an actress.
Right now, her strongest passion is for social justice.
Shes still a student at NYU, so thats her strongest passion right now.
But she does love acting also.
My older daughter is a writer.
Is she ever going to be like this or that?
Having played this character helped that.
DEADLINE: Sean gave you reference material to play this loosely biographical version of his mother.
How did those tools help inform your performance?
CHEN:It was interesting to learn about her mannerisms, tone of voice, beliefs, and faith.
What I admire most about Seans mom is that she has very deep faith within her.
So, I learned a great deal from that part.
Throughout my interviews with her, I saw she had such a gentle touch and spoke gently.
And a lot of the dialogue came from her in real life.
She was part of the scriptwriting.
She was very helpful in creating the character of the mother.
CHEN:Its very interesting.
So, its not really hard to jump from one Chinese movie to a U.S. movie and vice versa.
But the audiences appetite is culturally different.
I think the Chinese audience likes sentimental things more.
However, they are reviewed very well in China.
People actually love these films, so tastes are different.. Not good or bad.
Its just as I see it.
There is only one subjective view, and you cant consider this and that.
We build our tents and start performing.
That punch in of lifestyle is very similar.
Its the same in China or the U.S..
I feel very fortunate to be able to constantly work in both or other countries.
I just finished a Canadian film in Quebec, where half of my lines are in French.
Its a wonderful thing to make films with different cultures.
DEADLINE: How much of you is director Chen vs. actor Chen at this stage in your career?
Are you still finding an eye for writing and creating films versus taking roles?
Or are you just leaning back into acting?
CHEN:I love acting, writing and directing.
I need to feel 100% passion for it to go for it.
There is this little difference.
it’s crucial that you be constantly acting because thats how you practice.
And so when the good part does show up, youre good at it.
For directing, its not just a craft thing.
The story has to drive me insane.
I would have to tell it, or else I couldnt live.
Thats the difference, but I do love both.
DEADLINE: I cant stop thinking aboutXiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl, your directorial debut film.
CHEN:Its very interesting.
When it first came out, I think one critic mentioned it.
Maybe it was subconsciously.
Consciously, I was making a film about my generations loss of innocence.
DEADLINE: Its so surprising to me that its not available on streaming.
How do we help you with that?
Who do we, as an audience, get it in the hands of one of these services?
The funny thing is I couldnt find my cut negative.
[The company] has since folded, so Im like, where would that be?
How do I restore it now?
And so now, good question.
I do want to bring it to a good platform.
But first, I need to find where my negative is.
Were going to try, though.
I appreciate your question.
