Chen Pei-Pei, a Chinese-born martial arts actress who appeared in a variety of films including “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Mulan,” died on Wednesday, it was announced.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce that the rumours are true. Our mother, Cheng Pei-Pei, passed away peacefully at home on July 17th, surrounded by her loved ones,” her family wrote on Facebook.
A representative for Echelon Talent Management confirmed her death to People magazine, saying, “We are mourning the loss of our client and dear friend, Cheng Pei-Pei. Not only was she the 'Queen of Martial Arts' and Asia's first action heroine, but she was also a true hero who continued to help others until the very end. She will be deeply missed by all who touched her.”
Chen was diagnosed with a rare degenerative brain disease similar to Parkinson's in 2019.
According to CNN, Chen's family said in a statement that he had been living with corticobasal degeneration, a rare and progressive disease that causes brain cells to die over time, worsening problems with movement, speech, memory and swallowing. There is currently no treatment to stop the disease's progression.
According to ABC News, Cheng began her acting career in Hong Kong in 1964 and became one of the stars of the martial arts film genre, with her breakthrough performance in the Academy Award-winning kung fu classic “Come Drink With Me.”
In 2000, she gained international acclaim for her role as the villain Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, co-starring with Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chow Yun-Fat and Chang Chen.
Her last role was in Disney's live-action remake of Mulan, where she played the matchmaker.
She is survived by three daughters and a son.
“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 six decades, both in Asia and internationally,” they said.
Ms Chen's final wish was to make a donation to the Brain Support Network, where her brain was donated.
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