Photo provided to China Daily

"I was terrified competing with all those talented and experienced professionals, especially the dancers, but I guess eventually my ability to interpret the character helped me get the role," Chen said. "I'm lucky that my director thinks that story-telling is above all."

Language is another hurdle for Chinese actors entering showbusiness and must be taken seriously. But for Chen, it is an obstacle she has long since conquered.

"My friends in the States were surprised when they heard me speaking Chinese. Many think I am a native [English] speaker," she said.

It's not a matter of perfect pronunciation or grammar, Chen emphasized. What it takes is to think in the English mentality and understand the local culture, idioms and values to master the language.

Occasionally Chen needs to pick up new accents to better interpret a character. When she was preparing for a role in Neil Simon's The Star-Spangled Girl she had to speak like someone from the American South.