Sylvia Chang

Biography

Sylvia Chang was born in 1953 in Chiayi City, Taiwan, and spent her childhood in Dalin, Chiayi County. She came from a distinguished family; her maternal grandfather held prominent positions including general manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of China and Minister of Information. Her father, an Air Force officer, died in a plane crash when she was only one year old, after which her mother moved with her to the United States before eventually settling in Hong Kong. Chang began her career early as a radio DJ, then as a singer and host, rising to fame with enduring songs such as "Childhood" and "The Price of Love," collaborating with renowned musicians like Lo Ta-yu and Jonathan Lee. She entered cinema in 1972 with "The Little Fighter" and became known for action roles before transitioning to directing with a distinctive feminine perspective that contrasted with the male-dominated Hong Kong action films of the era. She won the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress three times and the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress twice, as well as a Golden Horse for Best Supporting Actress for "Cloud of the Sky" in 1976. She continued to excel, eventually winning both the Best Actress and Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Asian Film Awards in 2018, and served as chair of the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival from 2014 to 2018.