Fala Chen is having the kind of year most actors only dream about. Between starring in Edward Berger’s thriller Ballad Of A Small Player and directing her first feature Inheritance, the Hong Kong actress is proving she’s one to watch.
Berger’s Vision
Ballad Of A Small Player reunites Chen with Colin Farrell in this Macau-set gambling thriller that Berger describes as “a psychological descent into addiction and identity.” Chen plays Sophie, a mysterious woman who becomes entangled with Farrell’s compulsive gambler character.
Here’s what Chen told me exclusively – Berger’s directing style is intensely collaborative but demanding. “He wants truth in every moment,” she explained. “We did 30 takes of one scene just to find the exact emotional beat he was looking for.”
The film adapts Lawrence Osborne’s novel about an expat gambler hiding in Macau’s casinos while running from his past. Berger brings the same meticulous attention to character that made All Quiet on the Western Front so devastating. This isn’t glossy casino glamour – it’s grimy desperation.
Chen’s preparation involved spending weeks in actual Macau casinos studying gambling addicts and the people who orbit them. “Sophie is drawn to damaged men,” she said. “But she’s also damaged herself. That duality was crucial to get right.”
Directorial Journey
Inheritance, Chen’s directorial debut, tackles Chinese-American identity through the story of a daughter discovering her mother’s secret past. The film premiered at Tribeca to strong reviews, with critics praising Chen’s assured visual storytelling.
What’s remarkable is how different Ballad Of A Small Player and Inheritance are tonally. Chen moves from Berger’s dark thriller to her own intimate family drama with apparent ease. “Acting teaches you empathy,” she explained. “Directing requires the same skill but applied to every department.”
The Inheritance script came from Chen’s own experiences reconciling her Hong Kong upbringing with her American present. “We carry our parents’ unresolved trauma,” she said. “That’s universal regardless of culture.”
Career Evolution
Chen’s trajectory from Hong Kong television to Hollywood features has been unconventional. She deliberately avoided the typical path, choosing character work over blockbuster visibility. Now that strategy is paying off with roles that showcase her range.
Working with Berger on Ballad Of A Small Player challenged Chen to access darkness she hadn’t explored before. “Sophie does terrible things for understandable reasons,” she said. “Finding sympathy for that character required going to uncomfortable places.”
The film’s Macau setting also allowed Chen to bring cultural authenticity that Western productions often miss. “Edward trusted my perspective on Asian social dynamics,” she noted. “That collaboration elevated the material.”
Future Projects
Chen is already in talks for several high-profile projects, though she’s careful about choosing roles that interest her beyond paycheck or prestige. “I want to work with filmmakers who respect actors as creative partners,” she said.
The success of Inheritance has opened directing opportunities, but Chen isn’t rushing to her sophomore feature. “I want to act more first,” she explained. “Every performance teaches me something I can apply to directing.”
Ballad Of A Small Player is expected to premiere at Venice or Toronto before its 2026 release. The film represents Berger’s first project since his Oscar triumph, making it one of next year’s most anticipated releases.
For Chen, it’s validation that her patient approach to career building is working. “I’m not interested in being famous,” she said. “I want to do meaningful work with interesting people. Everything else is noise.”
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