Chen Shu stars with Huang Lei in the popular TV series Husband and Wife. Photo provided to China Daily

Director stresses indie spirit

Chinese art-house film wins at the box office

When she won Best Actress at the Golden Eagle Awards and the China TV Director Committee Awards, her reputation as a serious actress was elevated.

"I never feel nervous when I perform onstage. Instead, I feel powerful and confident there. It seems like no one exists anymore and all my pores open up, my arms and legs stretching out. Though I am alone, the stage is mine," Chen says.

She plays an actress during the 1980s in the TV series Theater, by renowned playwright Yan Geling, which will be broadcast soon.

"The role is like a mirror to me, giving me a chance to look at myself as an actress," she says.