She already managed the breakthrough in the German film business in 1920 and she impersonated numerous roles in movies with promising titles as: "Indische Rache" (1920), "Das schwarze Boot" (1920) and "Der langsame Tod" (1920).
With her exotic roles in numerous German films of the early 1920's, she became the German equivalent of Theda Bara. But soon her star faded.
In order to create a more exotic name for her activity she added the name Yong to her name Mabel May and Mabel May-Yong was born. Sometimes she is also credited as Mabel de Jong which probably was her real name.
In the early twenties years she acted successfully in front of the camera and she often impersonated exotic roles and women.
Because of her popularity the film business became aware of the graceful dancer and she made her screen debut with "Allan Quatermain" (1919) - a South Africa production. It was the first filming of the famous novel "King Solomon's Mines" written by Horace Lisle Lucoque.