Actress Cheng Peipei, a cast member of the film “Lilting,” poses at the film's premiere screening at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014. Associated Press file photo
HONG KONG — Chen Pei-pei, the Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee's “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” has died at the age of 78, his family announced Friday.
Chen, who had been diagnosed with a rare condition with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, died Wednesday at home surrounded by his loved ones, his family wrote on Facebook. The disease, called neurodegenerative atypical Parkinsonism, cannot be slowed by current treatments, and Chen had donated his brain for medical research, his family said.
“Our mother wanted to be remembered as a legendary martial arts queen and a versatile, award-winning actress who worked in film and television for more than 60 years, both in Asia and internationally,” her parents said.
The source said Chen loved being an actress and knew how lucky she was to have had the career she did.
Entertainment magazine Variety reported that she died in the San Francisco Bay area.
The Shanghai-born movie star rose to fame in Hong Kong, once known as the Hollywood of the Far East, for her performances in martial arts films in the 1960s. One of her best-known films was King Fu's “Come Drink with Me,” released in 1966.
She played the stinger-wielding Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, a film that also starred Hong Kong luminary Chow Yun-Fat and Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh. Released in 2000, the film grossed $128.1 million in North America and won four Academy Awards.
Most recently, Chen appeared in the 2020 Disney film “Mulan.”
She is survived by three daughters and one son.
The company she worked for, Supreme Art Entertainment, expressed deep sadness over her death.
“In addition to her tireless work ethic, Sister Peipei was also a friendly, kind, helpful and patient mother. Sister Peipei, we will always miss you!” the Facebook post read.
