Bruce Lee’s heir? 5 things to know about JuJu Chan, the Wu Assassins star opposite Nicolas Cage in upcoming movie Jiu Jitsu

1. She’s mathematically minded

Chan has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and mathematics, with honours, from the University of San Francisco. She also holds a master’s degree in film and television from New York University (NYU). This early introduction to filmmaking doubtlessly helped when it came to her career in movies, which kicked off (pun intended) in 2016 with her role in action fantasy sequel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny.

2. She proudly embraces her Chinese culture

The Hong Kong-born actress once pledged, “Every time I take on a role, I will bring some Asian culture to it”. She’ll add Chinese words into dialogue when the scene commands it, and when filming Wu Assassins, she brought her own food, like dim sum and hotpot, to crew gatherings after work. She says, “It’s very family-oriented. We created our own family and bring other Western crew members into our Asian family.”

3. She’s a singer and a writer

Beyond martial arts, JuJu has a host of other talents. She released an album in Hong Kong in 2011, and wrote her own songs. She’s also published two books in Hong Kong. One, To Live a Beautiful Life, is an inspirational semi-autobiography about her experience in the reality show Rich Mate Poor Mate. It was published in 2010. Her second book, published in 2013, is a guide to Western dining called Food and Ordering at a Restaurant. She has also competed in beauty pageants – winning Miss Chinatown USA in 2009.