BEGUILINGLY beautiful, Fan has long been high on Forbes China’s celebrity rankings, and with a role in the upcoming film “X-Men: Days of Future Past” alongside Hugh Jackman and Jennifer Lawrence, the 32-year-old is about to go global.

    Fan, who plays Blink in “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” is proud to portray the Marvel heroine as Asian. Blink, popular in the Marvel comics, has never appeared in an “X-Men” film before, and the mutant with the power of teleportation has never been Asian.

    “I was under pressure in this role because she’s loved by so many people,” Fan said. “I feel very proud. It’s difficult for Asians to play roles in Hollywood blockbusters, but Hollywood can’t ignore Chinese elements anymore,” she said.

    China is the second-largest film market after the United States, with a total box office take near 22 billion yuan (US$3.6 billion) in 2013.

    “The actors of my generation are fortunate to grow up in such an era. I am very proud to see my posters in the United States, Mexico and Australia as a part of an American mainstream movie,” she said.

    The Chinese market is easier when a Hollywood film adds a Chinese character, and it usually drives up the box office in China. Fans are frequently disappointed when their idols only appear for a very limited time on screen. Fan said the on-screen time isn’t the only thing that she cares about.

    “There are plenty of Hollywood stars in the movie, so everyone’s time on screen is limited. The movie is said to be the best of the ‘X-Men’ franchise. So it’s good to play a part in it even if it is small,” Fan said.

    Fan is not the only Chinese actress to star in Hollywood films. Li Bingbing starred in “Resident Evil: Retribution” as Ada Wong. She also plays a major role in “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” which will debut this summer.

    Earlier this month, Fan topped the 2014 Forbes China celebrity list for the second time. She has over 8 million followers on her Weibo account.

    (SD-Agencies)