Rachel DeWoskin
Encyclopedia
Rachel DeWoskin is an American
screen actress and author.
DeWoskin was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan
, USA, where she attended the alternative Community High School. The daughter of a Sinology
professor at the University of Michigan
, she majored in English and studied Chinese at Columbia University
in New York City. She went to Beijing
in 1994 to work as a public-relations consultant and later starred in a Chinese nighttime soap opera
, the hugely successful Foreign Babes in Beijing
, which was watched by approximately 600 million viewers. DeWoskin played the character of Jiexi. As the Reuters
news agency noted, the show was a "sort of Chinese counterpart to Sex and the City
revolving around Chinese-Western culture clashes." At the time, she was one of the few foreign actresses working in mainland China and was considered a sex symbol.
DeWoskin returned to the United States in 1999 where she began graduate work in poetry at Boston University
. In 2005, W.W. Norton published her memoir of her time spent in China, Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China
. Reviewing the work, The New Yorker
commented, "DeWoskin's cleverly layered account thus charts parallel culture clashes, one that she experiences as a Western woman in modern China, and the other, a TV-ready version of the first, tailored to Chinese expectations." DeWoskin appeared as a guest on National Public Radio's syndicated program Fresh Air
to discuss the book. The film rights to her book have been purchased by Paramount Pictures
, where production is underway as of spring 2006. The director and screen adaptor for the film is Alice Wu
.
DeWoskin has also briefly appeared in the movies "Restless" and Chinese indy film "Huang Lian Hou Pu" or "Bitter Herbs."
DeWoskin is married to playwright Zayd Dohrn (son of Bernadine Dohrn and William Ayers). She is also currently an adjunct professor at New York University.
DeWoskin interview with Columbia Magazine
NYTimes Review of Foreign Babes in Beijing
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screen actress and author.
DeWoskin was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, USA, where she attended the alternative Community High School. The daughter of a Sinology
Sinology
Sinology in general use is the study of China and things related to China, but, especially in the American academic context, refers more strictly to the study of classical language and literature, and the philological approach...
professor at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, she majored in English and studied Chinese at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City. She went to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in 1994 to work as a public-relations consultant and later starred in a Chinese nighttime soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, the hugely successful Foreign Babes in Beijing
Foreign Babes in Beijing
Foreign Babes in Beijing, subtitled Behind the Scenes of a New China, is a memoir published in 2005 by Rachel DeWoskin. Production is also underway on a movie of the same name based on the book, to be directed by Alice Wu. The memoir details the author's personal experiences in Beijing shortly...
, which was watched by approximately 600 million viewers. DeWoskin played the character of Jiexi. As the Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
news agency noted, the show was a "sort of Chinese counterpart to Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
revolving around Chinese-Western culture clashes." At the time, she was one of the few foreign actresses working in mainland China and was considered a sex symbol.
DeWoskin returned to the United States in 1999 where she began graduate work in poetry at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
. In 2005, W.W. Norton published her memoir of her time spent in China, Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China
Foreign Babes in Beijing
Foreign Babes in Beijing, subtitled Behind the Scenes of a New China, is a memoir published in 2005 by Rachel DeWoskin. Production is also underway on a movie of the same name based on the book, to be directed by Alice Wu. The memoir details the author's personal experiences in Beijing shortly...
. Reviewing the work, The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
commented, "DeWoskin's cleverly layered account thus charts parallel culture clashes, one that she experiences as a Western woman in modern China, and the other, a TV-ready version of the first, tailored to Chinese expectations." DeWoskin appeared as a guest on National Public Radio's syndicated program Fresh Air
Fresh Air
Fresh Air is an American radio talk show broadcast on National Public Radio stations across the United States. The show is produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its longtime host is Terry Gross. , the show was syndicated to 450 stations and claimed 4.5 million listeners. The show...
to discuss the book. The film rights to her book have been purchased by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, where production is underway as of spring 2006. The director and screen adaptor for the film is Alice Wu
Alice Wu
Alice Wu is a Chinese American film director and screenwriter.-Personal life:Alice Wu was born on April 21, 1970 and raised in San Jose, California, then moved to Los Altos, California where she graduated from Los Altos High School at the age of 16. In 1990, she received her B.S. in Computer...
.
DeWoskin has also briefly appeared in the movies "Restless" and Chinese indy film "Huang Lian Hou Pu" or "Bitter Herbs."
DeWoskin is married to playwright Zayd Dohrn (son of Bernadine Dohrn and William Ayers). She is also currently an adjunct professor at New York University.
External links
DeWoskin interview on Salon.com- http://dir.salon.com/story/books/int/2005/05/17/dewoskin/
DeWoskin interview with Columbia Magazine
NYTimes Review of Foreign Babes in Beijing
- http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/13/books/13book.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=rachel+dewoskin&st=nyt&oref=slogin