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Gemma ChanEnglish actress
Date of Birth: 29.11.1982
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Education and Modeling Career
- Theater Debut and Television Appearances
- "Fresh Meat" and "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit"
- "Humans" and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
- Personal Life and Activism
- Recent Projects and Upcoming Roles
- Filmography
Early Life and Education
Gemma Chan is an English actress born in London to Chinese parents. She grew up in the quaint town of Sevenoaks, Kent. Her mother, a pharmacist, emigrated from China at a young age, while her father, a highly skilled engineer, moved from Hong Kong later in life.
Chan attended Newstead Wood School for Girls and received classical music training on the violin and piano. Despite her artistic inclinations, she initially pursued a law degree at Oxford University, where she excelled academically. She was offered a position at the renowned law firm Slaughter and May, but ultimately decided to follow her passion for acting.
Education and Modeling Career
Chan left Oxford and moved to London, enrolling in the prestigious drama school at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). To support herself, she worked as a model, appearing in advertisements for brands such as Nivea, Nokia, and Reebok. She also participated in the reality television show "Project Catwalk," where she placed among the top three.
Theater Debut and Television Appearances
In 2008, Chan graduated from LAMDA and made her stage debut in a production of "Turandot." She continued to perform in theater regularly, appearing in several acclaimed productions at prestigious London venues.
On television, Chan first appeared in a small role in the 2006 horror film "When Evil Calls." Following her graduation from LAMDA, she featured in episodes of "Doctor Who," "Sherlock," and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl." Her breakthrough role came in the psychological thriller "Exam" in 2009, leading to appearances in the romantic drama "True Love," the social commentary series "Dates," and the comedy "Brotherhood."
"Fresh Meat" and "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit"
In 2011, Chan joined the cast of the ensemble comedy-drama "Fresh Meat," which followed a group of university students as they navigated their newfound independence and identity. She then gained international recognition in the 2014 action thriller "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit," alongside Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, and Elena Velikanova.
"Humans" and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
Chan's career reached new heights when she was cast in the leading role of Anita in the high-concept sci-fi drama "Humans" in 2015. In 2016, she made her debut in the Harry Potter universe as the Chinese witch Ya Zhou in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," opposite Eddie Redmayne.
Personal Life and Activism
Chan has kept her personal life relatively private. She was in a long-term relationship with British comedian and actor Jack Whitehall, who was a contender for the role of Harry Potter before Daniel Radcliffe's casting. In 2017, they announced their separation due to conflicting work schedules.
Chan is actively involved in human rights advocacy. She produced and presented the documentary film "Amnesty" on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and testified at the Old Bailey as an official witness in the trial against those responsible for the 2013 London Bridge stabbings.
Recent Projects and Upcoming Roles
In 2017, Chan starred in the action thriller "Stratton: First into Action" and provided the voice of Quintessa in "Transformers: The Last Knight." She also voiced Raindrop in the animated miniseries "Watership Down" in 2018.
Chan joined the cast of the highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe film "Captain Marvel" in 2018, playing Dr. Minerva/Minn-Erva, a Kree geneticist and spy. The film premiered in March 2019 to critical and commercial success.
Filmography
2009: Doctor Who2010: Sherlock
2011: Secret Diary of a Call Girl
2011: Fresh Meat
2012: True Love
2013: Death in Paradise
2014: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
2015-2016: Humans
2016: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
2017: Stratton: First into Action
2017: Transformers: The Last Knight
2018: London Fields
2018: Mary Queen of Scots
2019: Captain Marvel
