Joan Chong Chen (born April 26, 1961) is a Chinese American actress, film director, screenwriter and film producer. She became famous in China for her performance in the 1979 film Little Flower and came to international attention for her performance in the 1987 Academy Award-winning film The Last Emperor. She is also known for her roles in Twin Peaks, Red Rose White Rose, Saving Face and The Home Song Stories, and for directing the feature film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl.
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Biography from TMDB.
- April 26, 1961 (65)
- Shanghai, China
- Actor, also director, producer and writer
- 53 on MovieCove · 112 credits in all
What are Joan Chen's films like?
Across their 43 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 1 · Earnest 38
A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 10 · Dark 19
A split, not a type: Grounded 21 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 5
Gentle 4 · Charged 21 · Intense 15
Steady 17 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 29 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 2
A split, not a type: Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 3
Casual 12 · Engaged 23 · Full focus 5
Easy watch 6 · Affecting 18 · Heavy 16
Resolved 27 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 4
Roles they play
Usually the Ally: 6 of 19 analyzed roles.
Show the 19 rolesHide the roles
- Allyas May-May in Tai-Pan (1986)
- Heraldas Kidda in The Blood of Heroes (1989)
- Shadowas Noelle in Wedlock (1991)
- Allyas Mama in Heaven & Earth (1993)
- Shapeshifteras Marilyn Song in Golden Gate (1994)
- Allyas Masu in On Deadly Ground (1994)
- Allyas Virginia Chow in Wild Side (1995)
- Allyas Camilla Jones in Precious Find (1996)
- Shapeshifteras Hwei-Lan Gao - Ma in Saving Face (2004)
- Shadowas Rose in The Home Song Stories (2007)
- Shapeshifteras Dr. Lin in The Sun Also Rises (2007)
- Shadowas Empress Longyu in 1911 (2011)
- Shadowas Irene Young in White Frog (2012)
- Shadowas Psychologist in The House That Never Dies: Reawakening (2017)
- Allyas La Wen in Sheep Without a Shepherd (2019)
- Mentoras Yuan in Tigertail (2020)
- Threshold guardianas Li Jiazhen in Hachiko (2023)
- Mentoras Chungsing Wang in Dìdi (2024)
- Heroas Feng Xia in Montreal, My Beautiful (2025)
Moods and endings
- Happy9
- Bittersweet23
- Tragic3
- Ambiguous8
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Joan Chen's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 36 of their 53 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) · actor · free
- Mao's Last Dancer (2009) · actor · free
- Sheep Without a Shepherd (2019) · actor · free
- Wiseguy (1987) · actor · free
- Miami Vice (1984) · actor · free
- White Frog (2012) · actor · free
- What's Cooking? (2000) · actor · free
- The Blood of Heroes (1989) · actor · free
- Knight Rider (1982) · actor · free
- In a Class of His Own (1999) · actor · free
- Wedlock (1991) · actor · free
- 1911 (2011) · actor · free
- +5 more
- Fringe (2008) · actor
- Mao's Last Dancer (2009) · actor
- The Outer Limits (1995) · actor
- Wiseguy (1987) · actor
- Serangoon Road (2013) · actor
- In a Class of His Own (1999) · actor
- Wedlock (1991) · actor
- 1911 (2011) · actor
- Tai-Pan (1986) · actor
- Judge Dredd (1995) · actor
- Autumn in New York (2000) · director
- Ava (2020) · actor
- +2 more
- Mao's Last Dancer (2009) · actor · free
- The Outer Limits (1995) · actor · free
- Wiseguy (1987) · actor · free
- White Frog (2012) · actor · free
- Knight Rider (1982) · actor · free
- Serangoon Road (2013) · actor · free
- Wild Side (1995) · actor, producer · free
- Wedlock (1991) · actor · free
- 1911 (2011) · actor · free
Subscription and free streaming for Joan Chen's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
112 credits, 53 with a MovieCove page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
The Evil Inside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
No Other Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Montreal, My Beautiful(2025)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Oh. What. Fun.(2025)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
Slow Conversation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
The Wedding Banquet(2025)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
The Truck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
The Making of Dìdi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Dìdi(2024)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows
Under the Light(2023)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Hachiko(2023)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Logic Paralyzes the Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Hero(2022)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
Breathe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Ava(2020)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
The Iron Hammer(2020)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
The Way to World Culture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Tigertail(2020)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Sheep Without a Shepherd(2019)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
My Brilliant Masters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
The 40th Anniversary of Chinese Film Since China's Reform and Opening-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
The One(2017)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
鲁豫有约一日行 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Thirteen Talks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Cairo Declaration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Nature Is Speaking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Lady of the Dynasty(2015)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
You Are My Sunshine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
旗 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Marco Polo(2014)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
For Love or Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Meng's Palace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Serangoon Road(2013)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows
White Frog(2012)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Double Xposure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Let It Be (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Passion Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Hemingway & Gellhorn(2012)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
Shanghai Strangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
1911(2011)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Color Me Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Love in Disguise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Journey to the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Mao's Last Dancer(2009)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
人到中年 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
24 City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Fringe(2008)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
The Leap Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Shi Qi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Lust, Caution(2007)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
The Sun Also Rises(2007)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
The Home Song Stories(2007)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Americanese (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Sunflower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Cyber Wars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Saving Face(2004)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Jasmine Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Autumn in New York(2000)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
What's Cooking?(2000)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Purple Storm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
In a Class of His Own(1999)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Precious Find(1996)
Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
Wild Side(1995)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Judge Dredd(1995)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
The Outer Limits(1995)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows
The Hunted(1995)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Red Rose White Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
On Deadly Ground(1994)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Golden Gate(1994)
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Heaven & Earth(1993)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Temptation of a Monk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all showsShadow of a Stranger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Steel Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Children of the Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Strangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Turtle Beach(1992)
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
Nightmare Cafe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Wedlock(1991)
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
Twin Peaks(1990)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Twin Peaks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
The Blood of Heroes(1989)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Tales from the Crypt(1989)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all showsDim Sum Take-Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
The Last Emperor(1987)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Wiseguy(1987)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
The Night Stalker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
Tai-Pan(1986)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Goodbye My Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
MacGyver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Miami Vice(1984)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
Knight Rider(1982)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
Matt Houston (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Peking Encounter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Awakening (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
The Little Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
A Loyal Overseas Chinese Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
English (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Flayer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Tonight at Noon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 112 titles, 108 of them dated from 1977 to 2026; peak year 2008.
Biggest box office
Sheep Without a Shepherd (2019)
Highest rated
The Last Emperor (1987)
Most popular right now
Marco Polo (2014)
Film career
Peak 2008 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 16 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1986Screen debut· Tai-Pan
- 2004First top-billed film· Saving Face
- 2004Career best· Saving Face
- 2014Career best· Marco Polo
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
Awards
1 major award from 4 major nominations, 1998–2025.
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Performance
- Sundance award, won · Ensemble
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best First Feature - Over $500,000
- Berlinale award, nominated · Best Film
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Joan Chen's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 41st percentile, the median of all 41; across their 40 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up20
- 50th to 74th10
- 25th to 49th12
- Below 25th11
Shape of the crowd
20 of their 53 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved7
- Universally Panned1
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic2
- Crowd Pleaser20
- Broadly Agreed6
- Mixed16
Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 34 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Joan Chen's work okay for kids?
Across up to 18 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Joan Chen work with?
People who share at least 2 of Joan Chen's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tzi Ma shares the most, 3.
Writers
- James SchamusShared titles: The Wedding Banquet (2025), Lust, Caution (2007)See all 2 shared titles with James Schamus
Actors
- Tzi MaShared titles: Tigertail (2020), All God's Children Can Dance (2008), Golden Gate (1994)See all 3 shared titles with Tzi Ma
- Vivian WuShared titles: The House That Never Dies: Reawakening (2017), Heaven & Earth (1993), The Last Emperor (1987)See all 3 shared titles with Vivian Wu
- Rutger HauerShared titles: Precious Find (1996), Wedlock (1991), The Blood of Heroes (1989)See all 3 shared titles with Rutger Hauer
- James SaitoShared titles: Tigertail (2020), The Hunted (1995)See all 2 shared titles with James Saito
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Xiaolin ZhouShared titles: Hero (2022), The One (2017)See all 2 shared titles with Xiaolin Zhou
- Nigel BluckShared titles: Tigertail (2020), The Home Song Stories (2007)See all 2 shared titles with Nigel Bluck
- Ruby YangShared titles: Autumn in New York (2000), Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl (1998)See all 2 shared titles with Ruby Yang
- Ryūichi SakamotoShared titles: Wild Side (1995), The Last Emperor (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Ryūichi Sakamoto
Producers
- David LeeShared titles: Tigertail (2020), Lust, Caution (2007)See all 2 shared titles with David Lee
- Zhonglun RenShared titles: 1911 (2011), Lust, Caution (2007)See all 2 shared titles with Zhonglun Ren
Mixed roles
- Justin MonjoShared titles: Serangoon Road (2013), The Blood of Heroes (1989)See all 2 shared titles with Justin Monjo
- David Henry HwangShared titles: White Frog (2012), Golden Gate (1994)See all 2 shared titles with David Henry Hwang
- Ang LeeShared titles: Hollywood Chinese (2007), Lust, Caution (2007)See all 2 shared titles with Ang Lee
