Chinese actress Yao Chen on motherhood and her career: ‘I couldn’t get the same roles any more’
- Times 100 list actress won an outstanding achievement award at the 21st Far East Film Festival, where her latest film, Lost, Found, had its European premiere
- She told festival-goers she was offered lesser roles after returning from maternity leave, and says social media is a double-edged sword
A packed house gave Yao Chen a standing ovation when she accepted a Golden Mulberry award for outstanding achievement at the 21st Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, this month. The Chinese actress stars in the tense drama Lost, Found, which received its European premiere at the festival.
“Chinese cinema today lacks this type of character,” Yao told the audience of her role as a lawyer, Li Jie, who goes on a desperate search when her young daughter is abducted. “She’s a very modern character, a woman who is capable of independent thinking.”
After the screening and a panel discussion, she spoke to the Post about enduring similar problems to her character. “As an actress, I’ve faced challenges similar to the ones Li Jie faced in her career as a lawyer,” says Yao, 39.
“I went through the experience of becoming a mother, and maternity was very important for me. But when I returned to the industry where I had worked for a long time, it wasn’t that easy to get back into the inner circle.
“After becoming a mother, I couldn’t get the same roles any more. Maybe what they offered to me were ‘other’ roles, ‘lesser’ roles. It also was challenging for me in terms of balancing my family and career.”