16-Year-Old Actress, Vanda Margraf, Makes Debut in “Ip Man 4”
With her deep-set features and impressive performance, the young actress is the film’s breakout star.
Directed by Wilson Yip (葉偉信), Ip Man 4 <葉問4：完結篇> stars Donnie Yen (甄子丹), Wu Yue (吳樾), British action actor Scott Adkins who appeared in Doctor Strange, Vanness Wu (吳建豪) and the introduction of new actress Vanda Margraf (李宛妲).
The movie will be 16-year-old Vanda’s first film appearance as the daughter of Wan Zong Hua (played by Wu Yue). Vanda plays a second-generation Chinese immigrant born in San Francisco, who is bullied, beaten, slapped by her white classmates and even forced to cut off her long hair. As Ip Man visits the United States to find a suitable school for his son, he witnesses these incidents and tries to stop them by showing his prowess.
To perform her best for the many fighting scenes in the film opposite the skilled Donnie, Vanda had started practicing tai chi one month prior to filming, and successfully left an impression on viewers. Many viewers were full of praises for Vanda’s spirited performance.
Debuted in China’s “Got Talent”
Born in 2003, Vanda signed on to Jet Tone production and became an artiste under Wong Kar Wai (王家衛). The director reportedly signed her when she was just 15 upon seeing a set of photos of Vanda and her sister, taken by renowned photographer Shuai Xia.
The father of the young Chinese-German actress was a German biologist who acquired a rubber plantation in Yunnan and focused on rain forest restoration. Growing up close to nature was perhaps why Vanda possessed an aura distinct from kids who grew up in the city. Home-schooled since seven years old, Vanda was only sent to school by her mother when his father passed away from illness. She and her sister were given the nickname “Forest Genie” when they went on China’s Got Talent <中國達人秀> in 2012 and performed a song dedicated to their father who had passed away from cardiac arrest.
Said the first-time actress, “Filming an action movie is hard work. Every day, you’ll realize bruises on different parts. While I was very happy to hear the director’s compliment after the slapping scene, I had a nosebleed when I got home and that was the first time my nose bled!” She also revealed that the martial arts director Yuen Woo Ping (袁和平) requested for more of her beating scene, joking that he “took care” of her well.
According to sources, Vanda is currently taking dancing classes and her company has also arranged French and Spanish language classes for her. Set for a bright future, the actress already has many work projects scheduled for her in the coming year.
Source: HK01
This article is written by JoyceK for JayneStars.com.
Wow, she’s gorgeous. Didn’t realize she was a mainlander until she spoke.
I remember watching that clip about 5 years ago of the sisters living in the rain forest and thinking they were really pretty and cute kids. Didn’t realized that she has actually become an actress now but I remember her name used to be Wanda. Her older sister is really pretty too. Does anyone know if she is also an actress?
OMG can people stop calling others pretty just because they’re mixed or looks mixed or a foreigner?! I understand the exoticism, but you cannot call every foreign-looking woman pretty! Some of them are NOT! They’re not even considered attractive in every other nation =___=.
But otoh, i guess this is how westerners feel about Asian people, regardless of how they look lol.
@coralie That makes absolutely no sense, it just happens that a lot of mixed are also really pretty, so people are calling them pretty, and what people find attractive are different with each person. Maybe you’re that odd one where 9 people find someone attractive and you’re the odd 1 where you don’t find the person attractive. Or you’re just jealous people are calling them pretty and not you?
@deagore Name one actor/actress/model that hasn’t been called pretty or set on a pedestal in Asia because they’re mixed/foreign. One.
The compulsion to claim possession of Asian-mixed race is strong all over Asia, regardless of how they really look.
@coralie i agree that when someone is mixed, it’s considered “cool” Of course not ALL mixed people are pretty, but i think if they’re an actor, then they’ve got to have the looks, regardless of being mixed or not.