A regal presence

Chen Shu's versatility transcends films, TV and theater.

Chen starred in the 1998 Chinese premiere of the stage musical for The Sound of Music as Liesl, the eldest daughter. (Full disclosure: I was a producer and director for that production.)

It turned out to be a launching pad for her acting career. Before that, she was a professional dancer with the Oriental Song and Dance Ensemble, specializing in classic Chinese dance.

In China, many fine actors got their initial training in dance, such as Zhang Ziyi and Yang Yang.

Chen calls the opportunity "a gentle way to segue into acting with such a classic piece". The role contains a love story as a side plot and was quite "demanding" in its own way, which is why she loved it. The pas de deux for "I am 16 going on 17" provided full flourish for her dance skill.

Soon after, she got herself enrolled in the prestigious Central Academy of Drama and received serious and systematic training for acting, especially line reading.

But the biggest revelation, she says, is in the proactive approach she must take as an actor.

"It is not like every movement was choreographed for you," she explains.

The process of creation for an actor may involve the analysis of text and the design of the role's details including what she may wear.

"I learned how to actively participate in this process and collaborate with others."