‘Mulan’ and ‘Crouching Tiger, Hiden Dragon’ star Cheng Pei-pei dead at 78
Actor Cheng Pei-pei, known for her starring roles in films like Ang Lee’s Oscar-nominated Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has died agedf78 in the San Francisco Bay Area due to a degenerative brain disease.
Pei-pei was born in Shanghai, China, and moved to Hong Kong in her teenage years to pursue her acting career. Following her debut, Lovers’ Rock, she became a popular figure in martial arts, action, and swordplay films.
After starting a new life in Hong Kong, Pei-pei began working with the Shaw Brothers studio on films including Come Drink with Me. It marked her breakout role and saw her portray a skilled martial artist on a mission to rescue her brother.
Directed by King Hu, Come Drink With Me helped redefine the role of women in action films, paving the way for future female action stars in Chinese cinema.
In the 1970s, Pei-pei moved to San Francisco and attended the University of California Irvin while raising four children, each pursuing their own careers in show business.
Pei-pei is now best known for her starring role as Jade Fox in 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The movie won several coveted accolades and grossed more than $100 million in the US, making it the first foreign-language film to hit this milestone.
Sadly, Pei-pei was diagnosed in 2019 with a neurodegenerative disease similar to Parkinsons. Following her death, her family shared a heartfelt statement: “Our mom Cheng Pei Pei wanted to be remembered for who she was: the legendary ‘Queen of Martial Arts’.”
They continued: “She loved being an actress and knew, even with her hard work, how fortunate she was to have the career she had.”
Pei-pei requested that donations be made to the Brain Support Network (BSN), where her brain was donated, instead of alternative commemorative gifts.
Michelle Yeoh is among the Hollywood figures to pay tribute to Pei-pei, sharing on Instagram: “Heartfelt condolences to Pei Pei Jie’s family, friends and fans. We will miss your kindness and shining talent RIP.” Notably, the two actors worked together on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Wing Chun.
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