Joan Chen stunned the critics at last Saturday's Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan. But she's eager to resume a bigger role - of mum. The Shanghai-born actress-director admits she was shocked to carry off the best actress award for her role as Rose in The Home Song Stories, when many critics expected it to go to Lust, Caution's Tang Wei, who won the best new performer gong.
'I reckon everyone in Taiwan is so much in love with Lust, Caution [directed by Taiwanese director Ang Lee]. I thought the film was going to win every award at the Golden Horse Awards,' said Chen (left).
The Shanghai-born actress' portrayal of a Hong Kong nightclub singer and single mother's struggle in Australia has also won her the best actress prize at the Australian Film Institute Awards, Inside Film Awards in Australia and Torino International Film Festival in Italy this year.
The Home Song Stories is also Australia's entry for best foreign-language film at next year's Oscars, but its production and publicity reminded Chen of her own parental obligations.
She said missed her daughters so much at times that she burst into tears at the thought that she was a neglectful mother. Now the 46-year-old mum plans to make up for lost time by taking her girls ice-skating on her return to the US, and will then take her seven-year-old to Rome for Christmas. She said
The Home Song Stories script was irresistible, but now she's looking forward to going home.
