was in the controversial film "Birds of Passage" costarring with Stacy Keach and French actress Charlotte de Turckheim. The Chinese government banned the filming of the this project in China due to the "One Child Policy" story line. The film later took place in the Philippines.
Wang was cast as Fu -- A pregnant Chinese woman who refused to get an abortion and escaped from her husband and family in China in order to keep her baby girl. For over three and a half months on location Wang was in Cebu, Philippines working on this project. "The director of this film told me that I was under weight for this role. So I went out of my way eating non stop in order to gained 15 pounds in two months prior to the initial filming of this project so I can portray my character more truthfully. Plus, I have never had a child before so I actually moved in with a friend of mine who happened to be pregnant at the time so I can fully understand what a pregnant woman would act and feel during her last days of her pregnancy." Wang says "Toward the end of filming on this project, I actually lost 25 pounds due to the humid weather and boy it was Hot! Hot! Hot! The weather was way over 95 F and I was wearing a heavy coat with a huge artificial stomach wrapped around my waist for over long hours most of the time and I felt like a big, fat Thanksgiving turkey baked in the oven."
Due to the story line of this film, the producers and director hired real orphans from Cebu, Philippines to portray the 109 Chinese children in the film. "I had so much fun working with these beautiful children from Cebu and I still kept in touch with some of them." Wang says "At the second week of the filming I caught 'Lice' on my hair because of these children but I didn't care. You see, to me working with them was something that I will always treasure for the rest of my life, and I will never forget them." Wang later donated a small portion of her earning to the 'Cebu Orphanage Fund' to buy books for some of the kids. "One of the children's mother had generously invited me to her place on my day off from work. I was grateful for her family's hospitality. They really treated me as if I was a member of their family and I gained knowledge as to how a real Filipino family would live in Cebu. I was also surprised and stunned as to how many children didn't attend school because they didn't have the money and it really just breaks my heart to see the growing rate of child prostitution." Wang explained "At night in a street full of beer houses, night clubs and restaurants I actually saw Foreign men picking up young males and females. They were heckling prices openly and I was so disgusted by it. You read about these issues in the papers and yet when you actually see it in front of your face it just blows you away. Children are our future and I really wish and hope that the government and Countries like the Philippines can do something about this terrible Social issue!"
The Producers and Director of the film had informed the Cast prior to the filming that there will be several "Storm Scenes" with in the script. What Wang didn't realized was that they were actually "Chasing" real rain storms all over the Pacific ocean during Hurricane season and the ship was actually on "Fire" accidentally at one point. "My character actually gave birth during the storm at night and I was hiding under a piece of plastic draped at the bow of the ship crying to myself. They asked me to jump down from the side stairs on to the floor during the darkness of the rain storm... I chipped a tooth and lost half of a finger nail while shooting it" Wang says "I turned down a job offer as a VJ for MTV Asia to work on this project because of the fabulously written script and so far I don't regret it. The producer and director of this film warned me ahead of time that we all will be in very 'Dangerous' filming conditions due to the weather and also we will be on a huge Cargo ship out sailing in the Pacific Ocean 75% of the time." The Ship (with the Cast and Crew) later was actually lost at sea in the hurricane storm near the Palawan Islands at one point and some people including Wang was prying to God to calm their nerves. "All the furniture was moving rapidly from one end of the room to the other all over the place... I was so sick to my stomach that I couldn't help throwing up until there was only acid like fluid coming out of my lung. A Filipino woman working on the ship was crying hysterically and she was just screaming non stop for her mother... I took her along with some of the crew members of the film and we all pray silently in fear for our lives" Wang says.
Wang expressed her sorrow on the last day of her job. "I was in a very strange mood after the completion of the last scene on this project. The day seemed to move in slow motion. I felt as if I was in a dream and I have this tremendous sadness with in me that was about to burst... I think I knew I was going to go back home soon and I might never again have the opportunity to see the wonderful people that I work with in the Philippines. I still can clearly remembered that day as I walked away from the ship. I turned around and took a last peek. Some people who was still working and somehow they stopped and waved good-bye to me. I smiled nervously and I poked out my head at the edge of the window as my taxi cab drove away slowly. At the corner of my eyes tears were rolling down on my face and the cab driver asked me if I was OK... Wang continued "I went back to my hotel room that night and I just broke down. You see, we were all like a big family. We got up early in the morning to catch the day light and we all worked together in long strenuous hours. Most of us help one and another and I know there were lots of issues and conflicts among all of us that seemed impossible to resolve at the time, but the bottom line is it was all about making this film project the best it can possibly be."
After completing this film project Wang took several weeks off and toured the surrounding islands of Cebu. "One of the actor from the film had offered to take me along to toured the different parts of the islands out side Cebu, so we went island hopping for several weeks." Wang says "We rented a car and we went to the 'Panglao Island' and viewed the 'Hinagdanan Cave.' We later took a jeepny and saw the smoky 'Mag-aso falls' in the town of Antequera. We walked 'The Inang-angan stairs' and toured 'The Baclayon Church.' We fed the smallest monkey in the world and I actually ride a motor car and fell in to a garbage pile! We went snorkeling at an unknown beach and a few tourist were sun bathing nude and I was attacked by a Killer Filipino jelly fish! We also went to 'Chocolate Hills' which was amazingly beautiful. It really took my breath away and I stopped counting the number of the cone shape hills after I reached 100!"
Later Wang returned to New York City and received a phone call from a source in the Philippines about the film. Apparently, the Filipino Radio/TV news was reporting about one of the producer of the film who was arrested due to the illegal usage of the military firearms with in the film. The producer denied all charges and will appear in court for the charges. "I knew that 'They' hired the Filipino Navy seals and used real weapons/firearms for some of the scenes. I did place a call to Europe and was told that everything was fine. I wish Manny (Producer) all the luck and I hope they will resolve the issue peacefully." Wang also wanted to add "Working on this project for me was an experience of a life time. Nothing can really shock me any more and this is coming from someone that was raised in New York City! I have learned so much from this project not only as an actor but also as a human being."
Written by: John R Lipenski
Asian American actress Linda Wang to Appear on NBC (2000-04-29)Birds of Passage -- starring Asian American actress Linda Wang (2000-04-10)2 (11285)
