Tsai Chin, born Zhou Caiqin on September 1, 1933, in Shanghai, China, is a Chinese-British actress, singer, director, and teacher whose career spans over six decades across three continents.
At age 17, she left Shanghai for England, becoming the first Chinese-born student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where she later became an Associate Member.
She also earned a master’s degree from Tufts University in Boston. Known for her versatility, Tsai Chin has made significant contributions to film, theater, television, and music.
Siblings
Tsai has a notable sibling, her younger brother Michael Chow, born in 1939, who is a well-known restaurateur, actor, and artist.
Michael gained fame as the founder of the Mr. Chow restaurant chain, a high-end Chinese dining establishment with locations in cities like London, New York, and Beverly Hills.
Like his sister, he pursued a creative path, appearing in films such as Violent Playground (1958), The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966), and You Only Live Twice (1967), where he played the role of Number Four.
Interestingly, both siblings appeared in You Only Live Twice, though they did not share any scenes.
Career
Chin’s early career began with a significant role in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958), where she played the adopted daughter of Ingrid Bergman’s character.
Her breakthrough came with the lead role in The World of Suzie Wong (1959–1961) at London’s Prince of Wales Theatre, a commercial hit despite mixed reviews, where she earned praise for her vivacity and talent.
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She chose this role over a lead in the musical Flower Drum Song, a decision that led to her performing the song “The Ding Dong Song” (a translation of the Chinese “Second Spring”) in Suzie Wong, which became a chart-topping hit in Asia after its 1960 Decca Records release.
This success launched her music career, with two LPs, The World of Tsai Chin (1962) and The Western World of Tsai Chin (1965), and a cabaret act performed across the UK and Europe from 1961 to 1966.
In film, Tsai Chin appeared in two James Bond movies, playing Ling in You Only Live Twice (1967) and Madam Wu in Casino Royale (2006), a 39-year gap that underscores her enduring presence.
She portrayed Lin Tang, the daughter of Fu Manchu, in five films opposite Christopher Lee from 1965 to 1969, advocating for more truthful Asian roles.
Her American breakthrough came as Auntie Lindo in The Joy Luck Club (1993), a role that cemented her status in Hollywood.
Other notable credits include Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), and TV roles in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
In China, she gained acclaim for playing Grandmother Jia in the 2010 TV drama The Dream of Red Mansions.
Accolades
Chin’s role in The World of Suzie Wong garnered critical praise, with reviewers like Milton Shulman of the Evening Standard lauding her “vivacity, simplicity, and gusts of unpredictable Eastern temperament” and Harold Hobson of the Sunday Times noting her “cool clear beauty and considerable talent.”
Her single “The Ding Dong Song” topped Asian music charts, and her albums Tsai Chin Live 2007 and Golden Voice were honored as Top-10-Selling Mandarin Albums at the 2007 IFPI Hong Kong Album Sales Awards.
As a pioneer, she was the first Chinese student at RADA and the first to teach acting in China after the Cultural Revolution.
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