Cultural Imagination of the Other: Chinese American Women in Hollywood Cinema

This PhD thesis examines the representation and inclusion of Chinese American women in Hollywood cinema and beyond, focusing on the lives and careers of Anna May Wong, Nancy Kwan, and Lucy Liu. These stars symbolize significant transitional periods in American history, each confronting dominant discourses that both regulated their presence and provided space for resistance, allowing them to claim their agency and assert their subjectivity. Anna May Wong (1905-1961) achieved stardom in the early twentieth century, a time overshadowed by the Yellow Peril discourse. Nancy Kwan (1939- ) became a key figure in the mid-twentieth century, embodying the Model Minority stereotype. Meanwhile, Lucy Liu (1968- ) represents the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, marked by Post-racial and Post-feminist ideologies. By adopting an intersectional approach, this thesis explores how the on-screen portrayals and off-screen identities of these stars were shaped and negotiated within their respective eras. It reveals that, while Wong, Kwan, and Liu achieved significant success, their Americanness was often scrutinized due to their racial and ethnic backgrounds. Through reflection on three transitional periods and a textual analysis of films and interviews, the research examines how these women engaged with their on-screen portrayals, their star images, and their own identities. It traces their journey from being passive figures subjected to systemic biases to becoming subjects-in-awakening who actively exercised their agency within the constraints of the system. By providing an in-depth exploration of the personal challenges and cinematic portrayals of these stars, the thesis depicts the broader narrative and struggles of Chinese American women in American cinema and society. These portrayals not only speak to the star images of Wong, Kwan, and Liu but also reflect how Chinese Americans, especially Chinese American women, have been perceived throughout American history. Furthermore, these stars, as individuals, represent how Chinese American women faced both opportunities and constraints in their respective eras.