She created a buzz among fanboys (and fangirls) for her physically-grueling performance in The Blood of Heroes, and then hit the big-time as the mysterious Josie Packard in Twin Peaks.
Unfortunately, this resulted in her becoming typecast as an "enigmatic exotic beauty".
Feeling her acting choices were becoming limited, Joan turned to other aspects of filmmaking, resulting in her first project as director and co-writer, Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl!
Critical acclaim and numerous awards have been showered on the film itself and her work on it.
She continues to act, direct and produce.
Joan made a return to genre with appearances on Fringe and the most recent version of Journey to the West.
Trivia: A rock band named itself Xiu Xiu in honor of the awrd-winning film!
Genre appearances include...
Fringe "Immortality"
Journey to the West [2010] (Guan Yin)
Avatar [2004] aka Cyber Wars aka Matrix Hunter (Madame Org)
Purple Storm (Shirley Chen)
Outer Limits [1998] "Phobos Rising"
Judge Dredd (Ilsa Hayden)
The Hunted (Kirina)
On Deadly Ground (Masu)
Tales from the Crypt "Food for Thought"
Steel Justice (Nicole Loa)
Nightmare Cafe "Pilot"
Twin Peaks / Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (Jocelyn Packard aka Josie)
Wedlock aka DeadLock (Noelle)
The Blood of Heroes aka Salute of the Jugger (Kidda)
The Night Stalker aka The Man Who Could Not Be Killed (Mai Wing)
WiseGuy "All or Nothing"
MacGyver "Golden Triangle"
Miami Vice "Golden Triangle"
Note: the two "Golden Triangle" episodes are not related.
Joan plays different characters in each.
Knight Rider "Knight of the Drones"
Matt Houston "Target: Miss World"
Check out...
Joan Chen Picture Galleries (FanSite)
Joan Chen Pictures (FanSite)
Fringe "Immortality"
Journey to the West [2010] (Guan Yin)
Avatar [2004] aka Cyber Wars aka Matrix Hunter (Madame Org)
Purple Storm (Shirley Chen)
Outer Limits [1998] "Phobos Rising"
Judge Dredd (Ilsa Hayden)
The Hunted (Kirina)
On Deadly Ground (Masu)
Tales from the Crypt "Food for Thought"
Steel Justice (Nicole Loa)
Nightmare Cafe "Pilot"
Twin Peaks / Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (Jocelyn Packard aka Josie)
Wedlock aka DeadLock (Noelle)
The Blood of Heroes aka Salute of the Jugger (Kidda)
The Night Stalker aka The Man Who Could Not Be Killed (Mai Wing)
WiseGuy "All or Nothing"
MacGyver "Golden Triangle"
Miami Vice "Golden Triangle"
Note: the two "Golden Triangle" episodes are not related.
Joan plays different characters in each.
Knight Rider "Knight of the Drones"
Matt Houston "Target: Miss World"
Check out...
Joan Chen Picture Galleries (FanSite)
Joan Chen Pictures (FanSite)