By Jenny Zeng
(The English version was translated from the Chinese story.)
“I’ve never been one to scheme or be calculating. What I say is what I mean. I believe in living honestly and treating people with sincerity,” Lisa Lu told a roomful of youngsters eager to hear her philosophy for living. A first-generation Asian American actress in Hollywood, the 98-year-old star is as spirited and radiant as ever—unbowed by decades in the spotlight.
Last July, she attended the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) for the international premiere of her documentary Lisa Lu Plays Herself. At the press conference, Lu greeted reporters warmly and empathized with the challenges of their work. “I’ve done jobs like this before, so I totally understand,” she said, her eyes misty with tears as she spoke about life before Hollywood—the days when she, too, was just a young reporter in Hawaii.
“Every morning, I started translating the news at 5:00. By 9 o’clock, the drafts had to be off to the press,” Lu recalled. During those years, she interviewed famous figures such as Madame Chiang Soong Mei-ling, the former first lady of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and even reported on the historic meeting between former President Truman and General Douglas MacArthur. “I was the only writer in the agency at the time. International news, local stories, societal issues—I covered them all,” she said.
Those demanding early days both sharpened her eye for detail and deepened her understanding of people’s interactions. These skills would later help her bring a remarkable range of characters to life on-screen.
(Courtesy of New York Asian Film Festival)
An Apple Close to the Tree
Lu was surrounded by the arts practically from the moment she came into the world. Born in 1927, she was the daughter of celebrated Peking opera actress Li Guifen. Mei Lanfang, the man widely hailed as the greatest Peking opera performer of his time, became her godfather. Even her Chinese name, Yanxiang, was a gift from late-Qing poet Fan Zengxiang, who drew inspiration from a Tang Dynasty verse.
Lu’s childhood in Beijing was filled with music and theater. “When I was young, I watched the adults rehearse and sing. Even now, I can remember their every movement and every line,” she said.
Her gift for language blossomed soon after her family moved to Shanghai. Still a student, she worked as a simultaneous translator for foreign films in local theaters and quickly earned a reputation for her talent. Just a young girl doing what came naturally, Lu had no way of knowing that she would one day appear on the big screen.
Dreams Remembered
In 1947, Lu and her mother moved to Honolulu to reunite with Lu’s sister. A year later, she met her husband, Xilin Huang, then a diplomat of China’s Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek. After the couple had three children, Lu decided to put her dreams of performing on hold to support her family.
Determined to brave the challenges of life in a foreign land, Lu took on many jobs, moving from Chinese tutor to lab technician to radio program host. Over time, she worked her way up from cashier to budget manager at The Queen’s Medical Center. “I was quite good at math,” Lu said with a chuckle. “I didn’t need a calculator at all; everything was done in my head.”
Through it all, the future actress refused to give up her passion. In 1956, she enrolled at the renowned Pasadena Playhouse to study performing arts and began taking onstage roles. Blending the best of Eastern and Western culture, Lu could convey emotion with the subtlest glance while still speaking out boldly when the moment called for it.
