Sylvia Chang facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sylvia Chang
張艾嘉
Chang at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2024
Born	(1953-07-21) 21 July 1953 (age 72) Dalin, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Other names	Zhang Aijia
Occupation	Actress, writer, director, singer, producer
Years active	1973–present
Spouse(s)	Bob Liu ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1984)​ Billy Wang ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	1
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	張艾嘉
Simplified Chinese	张艾嘉
Hanyu Pinyin	Zhāng Àijia
Jyutping	Zoeng1 Ngaai6gaa1

Sylvia Chang (born 21 July 1953) is a talented Taiwanese actress, singer, director, writer, and producer. She has been involved in many movies and shows for a long time.

Early Life and First Steps

Sylvia Chang was born in Chiayi, Taiwan. When she was 16, she left school and began working as a radio DJ. Just two years later, at 18, she acted in her very first movie.

A Career in Film

Sylvia Chang's first movie was The Tattooed Dragon in 1973. She was known for trying to do her own stunts in the Aces Go Places film series.

Chang has shared her thoughts on the film industry. She believes that there are not many male filmmakers who write stories for women. She helped write the script for Run Papa Run, which was about a man and his family. She wanted to show a softer side of men in the story.

Acting on Stage

More than 30 years ago, Sylvia Chang started performing in plays. She returned to the stage in 2008 for a play called Design For Living. She mentioned that the director convinced her to join because of other famous actors in the play. Critics often praise her for being able to play many different kinds of roles and for always trying new things.

Music and Directing

Besides acting, Sylvia Chang is also a singer. Her songs are very popular, especially in karaoke. One of her well-known songs is "The Cost of Love."

In the 1980s, Sylvia Chang directed her second film, Passion. She also wrote the movie and starred in it. This film won her the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress. She has said that she learned how to direct movies by working on film sets, not by going to a special school.

For a while, Chang was a main producer at New Cinema City in Taiwan. She also wrote, directed, and starred in the movie 20 30 40, where she played a 40-year-old woman.

Awards and Recognition

Sylvia Chang has been a judge at important film festivals, like the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival in 1992 and the 75th Venice International Film Festival in 2018. In 2010, she joined the board of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. In 2018, she was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is the group that gives out the Oscars.

She holds the record for the most nominations for the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress, with ten nominations and two wins. In 2024, at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival, she received a special mention for her acting in the film Daughter's Daughter. This was the first time an actor was recognized in this way by the Platform Prize jury. The film also earned her a nomination for Best Leading Actress at the 61st Golden Horse Awards.

Personal Life

Sylvia Chang married journalist Bob Liu in 1979, but they divorced in 1984. Later, in 1991, she married Taiwanese businessman Billy Wang Jing-xiong. They have one son named Oscar. She also has two stepsons.

In July 2000, when her son Oscar was nine years old, he was taken for a ransom. The police found him safe a few days later and arrested the people involved. Sylvia Chang has spoken about this, saying that you have to keep moving forward in life, no matter what happens.

Helping Others

Sylvia Chang is a strong supporter and "life-long volunteer" for World Vision International. This organization helps people around the world. She has created advertisements to promote World Vision's work and is also part of their "30 Hour Famine" event, which raises money and awareness.

Filmography

Sylvia Chang at the 2011 Hong Kong International Film Festival.

As an Actress

As a Filmmaker

Music Albums

Kolin Records

• 1973 Never Say Goodbye (別說再見)
• 1974 Tearfully Say to You (含淚向你說)
• 1977 Farewell (惜別)
• 1980 Maybe / We Were Young (也许 / 我們曾經年輕)

Rock Records

• 1981 Childhood (童年)
• 1985 Busy and Blind (忙與盲)
• 1986 Do You Love Me? (你愛我嗎)
• 1987 Xi shuo (細說), meaning "clarify" or "elaborate"
• 1992 The Price of Love (愛的代價)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Sylvia Chang para niños