{{Short description|Chinese actress (born 1966)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{family name hatnote|Wu|lang=Chinese}}{{for|the Taiwanese businessperson|Vivian Shun-wen Wu}} {{Infobox person | name = Vivian Wu | image = 邬君梅.jpg | caption = Wu in 2007. | native_name = 邬君梅 | native_name_lang = zh | birth_name = Wu Junmei | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|02|05}} | birth_place = [[Shanghai]], China | citizenship = United States | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1981–present | spouse = {{marriage|Oscar Luis Costo|1994}} | module = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes|t=鄔君梅|s=邬君梅|p=Wū Jūnméi|mi={{IPAc-cmn|wu|1|-|j|ün|1|.|m|ei|2}}}} }} '''Vivian Wu''' ({{nee}} '''Wu Junmei'''; {{zh|s=邬君梅}}; born February 5, 1966) is a<!--Please discuss before changing. She holds American citizenship and Chinese nationality law does not recognize dual citizenship. --> Chinese-born American actress.<ref>[https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3149438/which-chinese-celebrities-renounced-their-native Reference to Chinese celebraties who hold citizenship in other countries], scmp.com. Accessed 24 August 2022.</ref><ref name="Nan">Chen Nan: [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bjweekend/2007-04/27/content_861613.htm ''Lady Shanghai''], ''China Daily'', 27 April 2007.</ref> Starring in a variety of North American and Chinese productions, her big break came in 1987, when she appeared in the biographical film ''[[The Last Emperor]]''. She later went to starring in films ''[[Iron & Silk (film)|Iron & Silk]]'' (1990), ''[[The Guyver]]'' (1991), ''[[Heaven & Earth (1993 film)|Heaven & Earth]]'' (1993), ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III]]'' (1993), ''[[The Joy Luck Club (film)|The Joy Luck Club]]'' (1993), and most notably playing the leading roles in ''[[The Pillow Book (film)|The Pillow Book]]'' (1996) and ''[[The Soong Sisters (film)|The Soong Sisters]]'' (1997). In 2020, she starred as Dr. Lu Wang in the [[Netflix]] science fiction drama series ''[[Away (TV series)|Away]]'', while in 2023, she portrayed Vivian Zhu in the [[Apple TV+]] murder mystery comedy series ''[[The Afterparty (TV series)|The Afterparty]]''.
==Early life== Wu Junmei was born in [[Shanghai]], China.<ref name=bio>{{Cite web|url=http://travel.cnn.com/shanghai/life/vivian-wu-worlds-most-beautiful-shanghai-woman-205585|title=Vivian Wu: The Shanghainese beauty takes to the silver screen once more|website=travel.cnn.com}}</ref> Wu is the daughter of Zhu Manfang, one of the leading actresses in China during the 1940s and 1950s.<ref>Liu Wei: [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2007-04/28/content_862332.htm ''For love or money'']. China Daily, 28 April 2007.</ref> She attended [[Shanghai Shixi High School]] and began acting at the age of 16 in [[Shanghai Film Studio]].<ref name="Yi">Feng Yi: [http://travel.cnn.com/shanghai/life/vivian-wu-worlds-most-beautiful-shanghai-woman-205585/ ''Vivian Wu: The Shanghainese beauty takes to the silver screen once more'']. CNN, 20 June 2011.</ref> In 1987, she attended the [[Hawaii Pacific University]], studying tourism.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}
==Career== In 1985, Wu was given an audition for the role of [[Wenxiu]] in [[Bernardo Bertolucci]]'s 1987 film ''[[The Last Emperor]]''. Six months later, she was chosen for the role, making her big screen debut.<ref name=bio/> Wu went on to star in the drama film ''[[Shadow of China]]'' (1989), directed and co-written by [[Mitsuo Yanagimachi]], followed by the action comedy ''[[Iron & Silk (film)|Iron & Silk]]'' (1990). The following year, she appeared in the poorly received superhero comedy film ''[[The Guyver (film)|The Guyver]]'' with [[Mark Hamill]]. She was chosen by ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' as one of The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1990.<ref name="Yi"/>
Wu gained some critical acclaim after appearing in ''[[The Joy Luck Club (film)|The Joy Luck Club]]'' (1993), directed by [[Wayne Wang]], and playing the leading role in the erotic drama film ''[[The Pillow Book (film)|The Pillow Book]]'' (1996).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_pillow_book|title=The Pillow Book (1997)|via=www.rottentomatoes.com}}</ref> Wu also played Mitsu in the 1993 film ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III]]''. She portrayed the historical figure of [[Soong Mei-ling]] in the films ''[[The Soong Sisters (film)|The Soong Sisters]]'' (1997) and ''[[The Founding of a Republic]]'' (2009), as well as the 2011 television series ''Departed Heroes''. As May-Lin Eng in ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005), Wu received a [[Genie Award]] nomination.
Beside films, Wu has worked in television, making guest appearances in shows such as ''[[The Untouchables (1993 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'', ''[[L.A. Law]]'', ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]'', ''[[Highlander: The Series]]'', ''[[JAG (TV series)|JAG]]'', ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'', ''[[F/X: The Series]]'', ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'', and ''[[Ghost Whisperer]]''. She was one of the original four judges of Hunan TV's ''World's Got Talent''.
Wu also starred in the [[live action]] [[video game]] ''[[Supreme Warrior]]'' (1994)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Supreme Warrior Prepares to Fight|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=64|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=November 1994|pages=60–62}}</ref> and appeared in the video game ''[[Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb]]'' as Mei Ying.
In 2020, Wu made her return to Hollywood productions after nearly 25 years with a starring role as Chinese astronaut Lu Wang in the [[Netflix]] science fiction drama ''[[Away (TV series)|Away]]'' opposite [[Hilary Swank]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.etonline.com/away-star-vivian-wu-on-her-return-to-hollywood-after-nearly-25-years-exclusive-152650|title=Vivian Wu Talks 'Away' on Netflix and Her Return to Hollywood|website=Entertainment Tonight}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://poptimesuk.com/away-star-vivian-wu-on-her-return-to-hollywood-after-nearly-25-years-exclusive/190441/|title='Away' Star Vivian Wu on Her Return to Hollywood After Nearly 25 Years (Exclusive)|first=Poptimes News|last=Team|date=September 10, 2020}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
==Personal life== Wu married Cuban-born American director and producer Oscar Luis Costo in 1994.<ref name="Nan"/> She later became a United States citizen.<ref>[https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3149438/which-chinese-celebrities-renounced-their-native Reference to Chinese celebraties who hold citizenship in other countries], scmp.com. Accessed 24 August 2022.</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== * ''[[The Last Emperor]]'' (1987) * ''[[Iron & Silk (film)|Iron & Silk]]'' (1990) * ''[[Shadow of China]]'' (1990) * ''[[The Guyver]]'' (1991) * ''[[Heaven & Earth (1993 film)|Heaven & Earth]]'' (1993) * ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III]]'' (1993) as Mitsu * ''[[The Joy Luck Club (film)|The Joy Luck Club]]'' (1993) * ''[[Vanishing Son]]'' (TV) (1994) * ''Woman Rose'' (1996) * ''[[The Pillow Book (film)|The Pillow Book]]'' (1996) * ''[[The Soong Sisters (film)|The Soong Sisters]]'' (1997) * ''[[A Bright Shining Lie (film)|A Bright Shining Lie]]'' (1998) (TV Film) * ''The Legend of Pig Eye'' (1998) * ''Blindness'' (1998) * ''[[8½ Women]]'' (1999) * ''[[Dinner Rush]]'' (2000) * ''Roses Are Red'' (2000) * ''Red Skies'' (2002) * ''[[Encrypt (film)|Encrypt]]'' (2003) * ''[[Beauty Remains (film)|Beauty Remains]]'' (2005) * ''[[Kinamand]]'' (2005) * ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005) * ''[[Shanghai Red]]'' (2006) * ''[[Desires of the Heart (2008 film)|Desires of the Heart]]'' (2008) * ''[[The Founding of a Republic]]'' (2009) * ''Shanghai Blue'' (2010) * ''[[Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (film)|Snow Flower and the Secret Fan]]'' (2011) * ''The Story of a Piano'' (2011) * ''Departed Heroes'' (2011) * ''To Forgive'' (2012) * ''Judge Zhan'' (2012) * ''[[The Palace (2013 film)|The Palace]]'' (2013) * ''[[Feed Me (film)|Feed Me]]'' (2013) * ''[[Who is Undercover]]'' (2014) * ''[[Perfect Couple (TV series)|Perfect Couple]]'' (2014) * ''[[The Queens (2015 film)|The Queens]]'' (2015) * ''[[Go Lala Go 2]]'' (2015) * ''[[Everybody's Fine (2016 film)|Everybody's Fine]]'' (2016) * ''[[Youth Dinner]]'' (2017) * ''[[The Chinese Widow]]'' (2017) * ''Father and Son'' (2017) * ''Cry Me a Sad River'' (2018) * ''[[Knockout (2020 film)|Knockout]]'' (2019) * ''[[Dead Pigs]]'' (2019) * ''[[Slanted]]'' (2025)
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/m/2017-11-02/doc-ifynhhaz2081986.shtml|title=邬君梅变身霸气甄嬛 《如懿传》再度开启诡谲宫斗|date=November 2, 2017|website=Sina|language=zh}}</ref> <ref name="one">{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943180/ |title=Vivian Wu |access-date=February 26, 2010 |website=imdb.com}}</ref> <ref name="two">{{Cite web |url=http://chinesemov.com/actors/Vivian%20Wu.html |title=Vivian Wu |access-date=February 26, 2010 |publisher=chinesemov.com}}</ref>
=== TV series === * ''[[Millennium (TV series)|Millennium]]'' - "[[Siren (Millennium)|Siren]]" (1998) * ''[[Dwelling Narrowness]]'' (2009) * ''[[Strange World (TV series)|Strange World]]'' (1999 - 2000) * ''[[Highlander: The Series]]'' (1994) May-Ling Shen * ''[[Secret Agent Man (TV series)|Secret Agent Man]]'' (2000) "Uncle SAM" Ling #1 * ''[[JAG (TV series)|JAG]] '' “Deja Vu” (1995) Angelique Sonsiri * ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]'' "Comes the Dawn" (1995) Jeri Drumbeater * ''[[Murder She Wrote]]'' "Kendo Killing" (4 Jan 1996) Miko Ishida * ''[[The First Half of My Life]]'' (2017) * ''[[Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace]]'' (2018) * ''Qin Dynasty Epic'' (2019) * ''[[Away (TV series)|Away]]'' (2020) * ''[[Station 19]]'' (2021) * ''[[Irma Vep (miniseries)|Irma Vep]]'' (2022) * ''[[The Afterparty (TV series)|The Afterparty]]'' (2023) * A Better Life (2025)
===Video games === * ''[[Supreme Warrior]]'' (1995) as Yu Ching * ''[[Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb]]'' (2003)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0943180|name=Vivian Wu}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wu, Vivian}} [[Category:1966 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Actresses from Shanghai]] [[Category:Chinese expatriates in the United States]] [[Category:Chinese film actresses]] [[Category:Chinese television actresses]] [[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]] [[Category:20th-century Chinese actresses]] [[Category:21st-century Chinese actresses]]