Photo: Patrick / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Vivian Wu is one of those quietly remarkable figures who bridged two film worlds before it was fashionable to do so. Born in Shanghai and later educated in Hawaii, she broke onto the international scene in Bernardo Bertolucci's sweeping 1987 epic The Last Emperor — not a bad debut credit by anyone's measure. She went on to navigate both Hollywood and Chinese cinema with real grace, turning up in everything from the goofy-fun Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III to more serious prestige fare. What I find genuinely admirable is that she carved out a niche at a time when Asian actresses in Western film had precious few doors open to them, and she kept working steadily across decades without ever feeling like she was chasing trends. That kind of longevity, earned quietly through craft rather than celebrity machinery, deserves more credit than it usually gets.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Vivian Wu
- Name (Japanese)
- ヴィヴィアン・ウー
- Reading
- ゔぃゔぃあん・うー
- Born
- February 5, 1966 (age 60)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Horse
- Origin
- Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Occupation
- actor / film actor
2. Background
- High school
- Shanghai Shixi High School
- University
- Hawaii Pacific University
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Vivian Wu born?
Born February 5, 1966 (age 60).
Where is Vivian Wu from?
Vivian Wu is from Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
What does Vivian Wu do?
Vivian Wu works as actor, film actor.
What is Vivian Wu known for?
Notable works include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III.
Actor — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from People's Republic of China →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.