WATN: Bai the way

Back in the 90s, one of my favorites Asian-American actresses was Bai Ling.

What I like about her is the fact that she was very unconventional. From her looks, to her roles, she was really a stand-out and she shone in every role she played.

I first took notice of her in “Nixon.” Then, she had a stellar turn with Richard Gere in “Red Corner.” Later on, she did a very mainstream Hollywood comedy - “Wild, Wild West” with Will Smith. That was quickly followed by her poignant portrayal as Tuptim in “Anna and the King.”

In 2004, while on a work-trip in HKG, I caught “Dumpling,” a horror film where she appeared as Aunt Mei. Her portrayal was riveting, and it turns out she won several awards for that role.

There was news that she’s appear in “Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith,” and I waited for her role there. Alas, she was edited out. Boo!

After that, her big screen roles were few and far between. She was in “Crank 2” - a B-movie where she shone, as per usual. But after that, I didn’t really see much of her anymore.

Which begs the quest: Where in Bai Ling now? With that kind of depth and talent, I think she should be appearing in more Hollywood films.

Heck, I’d love to see her in the next installment of “Crazy Rich Asians.”

I’d definitely Bai that!