Despite early successes and critical acclaim, Chen revealed in a recent interview that she felt compelled to return to working primarily in China because roles in Hollywood “dried up” for her. She expressed frustration with the lack of substantial roles being offered, noting that, despite her talents, she found herself sidelined in the industry.

She said, “Parts dried up for me a long time ago, and that’s why I went back to China to work.”

Chen chose to concentrate on China at the same time when Hollywood began to present stories that were more inclusive and diverse. In the last ten years, films like Crazy Rich Asians and television shows like Fresh Off the Boat have taken significant efforts toward depicting Asian American experiences in authentic and diverse ways.

“I have witnessed how Asian-American portrayal has progressed and made great strides from the time I was in my twenties and thirties to now,” she adds. “It’s to the point that we don’t have to be exotic—you could just be human and tell a great story.”

The actress noted that recent projects like Dìdi, a poignant coming-of-age story set in the U.S., reflect this evolving narrative. In Dìdi, Chen plays a Chinese immigrant mother navigating the challenges of raising her children in a new country, drawing from her own experiences as an immigrant and mother.