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IMDbPro

Gemma Chan

  • Actress
  • Producer
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000600
Gemma Chan attends the Eternals photo call, Rome (Italy), on October 25th, 2021
Take a closer look at the various roles Gemma Chan has played throughout her acting career.
Play clip1:05
Gemma Chan | Career Retrospective
77 Videos
99+ Photos
Gemma Chan (born 29 November 1982) is a British film, television, and theatre actress and former fashion model. She played Charlotte in season four of the Showtime and ITV2 series Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2007); Ruth in Channel 4's Fresh Meat (2011); Mia Bennett in The Waters of Mars (2009), and Soo Lin in The Blind Banker (2010). She also appeared in the feature films Exam (2009) and Paramount Pictures' action-thriller Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014). Chan made a film for Amnesty International to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Chan was born at Guy's Hospital in London, England. Her father grew up in Hong Kong and was an engineer. Her mother, a pharmacist at Guy's Hospital, emigrated from pre-Cultural Revolution Communist China via Hong Kong with her parents (Chan's maternal grandparents) and younger sister, growing up in Greenock, Scotland. Chan was raised near Sevenoaks, Kent, and attended Newstead Wood School for Girls in Orpington, Bromley, London. She later went on to read law at Worcester College, Oxford.

Following graduation, Chan gained a training contract offer as a graduate at the law firm Slaughter and May, but instead pursued an acting career and studied at the Drama Centre London. Spotted at her showcase by British film producer Damian Jones, she signed to acting agent Nicki van Gelder. In 2006, Chan was one of the models in series one of Project Catwalk, the UK version of Project Runway. She has been photographed by Rankin for a campaign for Nivea Visage, having previously worked as a model in order to fund her studies and drama school training.

Chan played geologist Mia Bennett in The Waters of Mars (2009), starring David Tennant and Lindsay Duncan, which aired 15 November 2009 in the UK. She was cast as a series regular in Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2007), the fourth and final series airing on ITV2 in the UK and Showtime in the US in 2011. She also appeared in Sherlock (2010), and the fourth series of The IT Crowd (2006) for Channel 4.

In 2012, Chan was a regular in series two of Sky Living's supernatural drama Bedlam (2011) and in True Love (2012), a five-part semi-improvised television series produced by Working Title for the BBC One. In 2013, she starred in new BBC One crime drama Shetland (2013), alongside Douglas Henshall and Steven Robertson, and guest starred in the BBC's Death in Paradise (2011). She was a cast-member of Channel 4 romantic drama, Dates (2013).

Chan played the synthetic Anita/Mia in the AMC/Channel 4 eight-part science-fiction drama Humans (2015). Filming commenced in autumn 2014 with a June 2015 premiere. The second series premiered on 30 October. For her portrayal, she was nominated for numerous awards. In July 2016, Chan provided the voice "Dewdrop" in BBC One's animated television series Watership Down (2018). She appeared in the World War II drama film Shanghai (2010) and the comedy-drama Submarine (2010). Chan starred in Jean-Paul Rappeneau's Families (2015).

She made her professional stage debut in the British Premiere of Bertolt Brecht's last play, Turandot, at the Hampstead Theatre, London, directed by Anthony Clark. In November 2012, she performed in The Sugar-Coated Bullets of the Bourgeoisie, a new play by Anders Lustgarten at the Finborough Theatre. In June 2013, she performed in the UK premiere of Yellow Face by American playwright David Henry Hwang at The Park Theatre, London, directed by Alex Sims. It was revived in 2014 at the Royal National Theatre with the original London cast returning. In November 2013, Chan performed in the world premiere of Our Ajax by Timberlake Wertenbaker at the Southwark Playhouse, London. Wertenbaker chose her to play the war goddess Athena after she saw her performance in Yellow Face.
BornNovember 29, 1982
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornNovember 29, 1982
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000600
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Awards
    • 3 wins & 8 nominations

Gemma Chan's Surprise 'Captain Marvel' Audition

Gemma Chan's Surprise 'Captain Marvel' Audition

The secrecy behind the Marvel process is real. Find out how Captain Marvel star Gemma Chan had to keep everything under wraps.
Watch now
Editorial Image
2:57

Photos250

Gemma Chan attends the "Don't Worry Darling" Red Carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 05, 2022
Gemma Chan attends the "Don't Worry Darling" Red Carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 05, 2022
Gemma Chan attends the "Don't Worry Darling" Red Carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 05, 2022
Gemma Chan attends the "Don't Worry Darling" Red Carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 05, 2022
Gemma Chan attends the Eternals photo call, Rome (Italy), on October 25th, 2021
Gemma Chan attends the Eternals photo call, Rome (Italy), on October 25th, 2021
Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, and Lia McHugh in Eternals (2021)
Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Kumail Nanjiani, and Lia McHugh in Eternals (2021)
Gemma Chan and Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
Gemma Chan in Gemma Chan (2019)
Marcus Mok and Gemma Chan in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Jude Law, Djimon Hounsou, and Gemma Chan in Captain Marvel (2019)

Known for:

Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, and Lia McHugh in Eternals (2021)
Eternals
6.3
  • Sersi
  • 2021
Tom Goodman-Hill, Katherine Parkinson, Gemma Chan, and Pixie Davies in Humans (2015)
Humans
7.9
TV Series
  • Mia
  • Anita
Meryl Streep in Let Them All Talk (2020)
Let Them All Talk
6.1
  • Karen
  • 2020
Constance Wu and Henry Golding in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Crazy Rich Asians
6.9
  • Astrid Young Teo
  • 2018

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress

  • The Creator
    • Maya
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • The Actor
    • Edna
    • Post-production
  • Meryl Streep, Sienna Miller, Gemma Chan, Kit Harington, and Daveed Diggs in Extrapolations (2023)
    Extrapolations
    • Natasha
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • Harry Styles and Florence Pugh in Don't Worry Darling (2022)
    Don't Worry Darling
    • Shelley
    • 2022
  • Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, and Lia McHugh in Eternals (2021)
    Eternals
    • Sersi
    • 2021
  • Alan Tudyk, Benedict Wong, Gemma Chan, Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Thalia Tran, and Izaac Wang in Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
    Raya and the Last Dragon
    • Namaari (voice)
    • 2021
  • Meryl Streep in Let Them All Talk (2020)
    Let Them All Talk
    • Karen
    • 2020
  • Thunderbirds Are Go (2015)
    Thunderbirds Are Go
    • Professor Kwark (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • Jamie Sives, Gemma Chan, and Carla Juri in Intrigo: Dear Agnes (2019)
    Intrigo: Dear Agnes
    • Henny
    • 2019
  • Vicky McClure in I Am... (2019)
    I Am...
    • Hannah
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Brie Larson in Captain Marvel (2019)
    Captain Marvel
    • Minn-Erva
    • 2019
  • Mr. Malcolm's List (2019)
    Mr. Malcolm's List
    • Miss Thistlewaite
    • Short
    • 2019
  • Watership Down (2018)
    Watership Down
    • Dewdrop (voice)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2018
  • Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
    Mary Queen of Scots
    • Bess of Hardwick
    • 2018
  • Billy Bob Thornton, Jim Sturgess, Amber Heard, Theo James, and Cara Delevingne in London Fields (2018)
    London Fields
    • Petronella
    • 2018
  • Constance Wu and Henry Golding in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
    Crazy Rich Asians
    • Astrid Young Teo
    • 2018
  • Felicity Jones, Catherine Tate, Gemma Arterton, Anthony Welsh, and Emilia Clarke in Leading Lady Parts (2018)
    Leading Lady Parts
    • Actress 5
    • TV Short
    • 2018

Writer

  • Vicky McClure in I Am... (2019)
    I Am...
    • story
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos77

'Eternals' Stars Richard Madden and Gemma Chan Ask Each Other Anything
Clip 2:53
'Eternals' Stars Richard Madden and Gemma Chan Ask Each Other Anything
Gemma Chan | Career Retrospective
Clip 1:05
Gemma Chan | Career Retrospective
How Chloe Zhao's 'Eternals' Will Change Marvel Forever
Clip 4:28
How Chloe Zhao's 'Eternals' Will Change Marvel Forever
'Raya' Stars Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina Can Prove They're Compatible
Clip 3:47
'Raya' Stars Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina Can Prove They're Compatible
Jon M. Chu Gives a 'Crazy Rich Asians 2' Update
Clip 1:18
Jon M. Chu Gives a 'Crazy Rich Asians 2' Update
IMDbrief: Kree, Skrull & Fury's Killer Kitty: 'Captain Marvel' Trailer Breakdown
Clip 2:40
IMDbrief: Kree, Skrull & Fury's Killer Kitty: 'Captain Marvel' Trailer Breakdown
IMDbrief: How Captain Marvel Stole Shazam's Name
Clip 3:03
IMDbrief: How Captain Marvel Stole Shazam's Name
'Captain Marvel' Cast Pick Their Favorite MCU Scenes
Interview 1:48
'Captain Marvel' Cast Pick Their Favorite MCU Scenes
'Captain Marvel' Stars Love the '90s
Interview 1:22
'Captain Marvel' Stars Love the '90s
'Crazy Rich Asians' Stars Recall Their Inspirations From Childhood
Interview 2:21
'Crazy Rich Asians' Stars Recall Their Inspirations From Childhood
All-Star 'Crazy Rich Asians' Cast Ready to Take Hollywood by Storm
Interview 3:16
All-Star 'Crazy Rich Asians' Cast Ready to Take Hollywood by Storm
Teaser Trailer
Trailer 2:25
Teaser Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • Height
    • 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
  • Born
    • November 29, 1982
    • London, England, UK
  • Children
    • No Children
  • Relatives
    • Helen Chan(Sibling)
  • Other works
    [September 2008] Made her stage debut in the British premiere of Bertolt Brecht's final play "Turandot" - Hampstead Theatre, London.
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Articles
    • 1 Pictorial
    • 5 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    In October 2012 she witnessed a murder of a homeless gentleman outside the Putney Bridge Tube station in West London. She stayed with the gentleman while medics and police were called, but he soon expired. In September 2013 she gave evidence in the trial of the defendant.
  • Quotes
    All of us have a lot of physical tics that we don't realize that we're doing subconsciously.

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