Ratna Assan

Last updated
Ratna Assan
Born
Ratna Setiawati Assan

(1954-12-16) December 16, 1954 (age 69)
Los Angeles, California
NationalityAmerican
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
  • dancer
  • singer
Years active1961–1974
Notable work Papillon (1973)
Mother Devi Dja

Ratna Setiawati Assan (born December 16, 1954) is an actress, model, dancer, and singer of Indonesian descent. She is the only daughter of Devi Dja with her third husband, Ali Assan, and became the first woman of Indonesian descent to be featured in Playboy magazine. Assan started her career as a singer and dancer, then began acting in television series before rising to stardom as an Indian girl Zoraima in Papillon (1973).

Contents

Early life

Ratna Setiawati Assan was born on December 16, 1954, in Torrance, Los Angeles, as the only child of Ali Assan from Gresik, and Devi Dja, an actress and dancer from Yogyakarta. She was named after Ratna Asmara, a friend of her mothers from the Dardanella theatre company and co-star in Dr. Samsi (1937).

Assan's mother migrated to the United States in 1940 to develop her career as a dancer. [1] At the age of three, Assan was trained by her mother to dance, sing, and model. [2] During her high school years, she joined the cheerleading squad, and received a brown belt in Karate. [3]

Personal life

Assan was married to a carpenter from Las Vegas, Nevada, and had a daughter, Aisah Dewi, before later divorcing. [3]

Career

Assan began her career at the age of seven as a srimpi dancer and singer at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, and was featured in the far eastern ballet and dance troupes led by her mother. [2] [3] She made her acting debut in Bonanza as a child actress. She also appeared in episodes of the Western Destry (1964) and the sitcom Mister Roberts (1965), and performed as one of Yul Brynner's wives in Anna and the King . [2]

Assan and Steve McQueen in a scene from Papillon (1973) Steve McQueen, Ratna Assan Papillon.jpg
Assan and Steve McQueen in a scene from Papillon (1973)

In September 1972, Assan auditioned for the film Papillon (1973), and was cast to play the role of an Indian girl, Zoraima, co-starring with Steve McQueen. [1] [2] During filming, Assan expressed her discomfort at catcalls by the film crew. [2] The film was a box office success, and Assan was praised for her role and audacity to appear topless. [1] [2] During the screening of Papillon in Indonesia, Assan's scene was censored to the point of being almost non-existent. [1] Later, Assan signed a contract with Playboy , and became the first woman of Indonesian descent to be featured in Playboy magazine, in February 1974. [1]

In an interview with Wimar Witoelar in 1973, Assan expressed excitement to start a career in Indonesia. [1] But because the media business in Indonesia at that time was not yet developed, Indonesia was unable to contract a Hollywood star, [1] and Assan did not continue her film career. She received criticism, with claims that she did not want to memorize her scripts, or travel to the shoot location. [3]

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
1973 Papillon Zoraima

Related Research Articles

<i>Papillon</i> (1973 film) 1973 prison escape film by Franklin J. Schaffner

Papillon is a 1973 historical adventure drama prison film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. The screenplay by Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr. was based on the 1969 autobiography by the French convict Henri Charrière. The film stars Steve McQueen as Charrière ("Papillon") and Dustin Hoffman as Louis Dega. Because it was filmed at remote locations, the film was quite expensive for the time ($12 million), but it earned more than twice that in its first year of release. The film's title is French for "Butterfly", referring to Charrière's tattoo and nickname.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Hakim</span> Indonesian actress (born 1956)

Herlina Christine Natalia Hakim is an Indonesian actress, film producer, and activist. Born to a devout Muslim family of mixed-race background in Jambi, she grew up in Yogyakarta, aspiring to be an architect or psychologist. This changed after she was discovered by Teguh Karya for his 1973 movie Cinta Pertama, a role which garnered her a Citra Award for Best Actress and convinced her to follow a career in acting. Since then, she has starred in numerous films, including 1977's Badai Pasti Berlalu and 1988's Tjoet Nja' Dhien; she also had a minor role in the 2010 Hollywood movie Eat Pray Love. As of 2011, she has won six Citra Awards, received a lifetime achievement award from the Cinemanila International Film Festival, and served as a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bunga Citra Lestari</span> Indonesian singer and actress

Bunga Citra Lestari, often referred to by her initial BCL, is an Indonesian singer, actress, talent show judge, and television personality of Minangkabau descent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revalina S. Temat</span> Indonesian actress

Revalina Trinovianti Sayuthi Temat, Revalina Trinovianti Gunawan or better known as Revalina S. Temat is an Indonesian actress and model of mixed Malay and Minangkabau descent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruhana Kuddus</span> Indonesian journalist

Ruhana Kuddus, or Rohana Kudus was the first female Indonesian journalist, founder of the newspaper Soenting Melajoe, and an activist for women's emancipation.

<i>Gita Cinta dari SMA</i> 1979 film by Arizal

Gita Cinta dari SMA is a 1979 Indonesian film directed by Arizal and starring Rano Karno and Yessi Gusman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ratna Asmara</span> Indonesian actress and director (1913–1968)

Ratna Asmara, also known as Ratna Suska, was an Indonesian actress and director. Originally active in theatre, she starred in the romance film Kartinah (1940), which her first husband Andjar directed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fifi Young</span> Indonesian actress (1915–1975)

Fifi Young was an Indonesian actress of mixed French and Chinese descent who acted in at least 86 films over her 34-year career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astaman</span> Indonesian actor 1900–1980

Astaman also known as Tirtosari, was an Indonesian actor active from the 1910s until the mid-1970s. He was a leading actor in the influential theatre company Dardanella and, after entering the film industry with 1940s Kartinah, acted in 43 films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chitra Dewi</span> Indonesian actress and director (1930–2008)

Rara Patma Dewi Tjitrohadiseikusumo, best known under her stage name Chitra Dewi, was an Indonesian actress and director. She was noted for her roles in Usmar Ismail's films of the 1950s, appearing in films such as Tamu Agung, Tiga Dara, and Pedjuang, although she remained active in cinema until 1993 and won a Citra Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 1979 Indonesian Film Festival for Gara-gara Isteri Muda. Dewi also had a brief stint film directing in 1971, making her one of only six Indonesian women to direct a film before 1998.

<i>Sedap Malam</i> 1951 Indonesian film

Sedap Malam is a 1951 film directed by Ratna Asmara and produced by Djamaluddin Malik for Persari. Starring Sukarsih and M. Pandji Anom, it follows a woman who descends into prostitution after her husband marries another woman. It was both Persari's first production and the first film directed by a woman in Indonesian history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rima Melati</span> Indonesian actress (1937–2022)

Marjolein Tambayong, better known by her stage name Rima Melati or by her nickname Lientje, was an Indonesian actress, model, and singer. She appeared in close to one hundred feature films, including works by Wim Umboh, Sjumandjaja, and Teguh Karya. She received multiple awards, including a PWI Award for Best Actress for Noda Tak Berampun, a Citra Award for Best Leading Actress for Intan Berduri, and five nominations for the Citra Award for Best Supporting Actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tara Basro</span> Indonesian actress

Tara Basro is an Indonesian actress and musician. Born in Jakarta and educated in Australia, she began her career as a teenaged model before becoming established in the Indonesian film industry. Beginning with A Copy of My Mind (2015), Basro became a frequent collaborator of director Joko Anwar, starring in his horror films Satan's Slaves (2017) and Impetigore (2019), and superhero film Gundala (2019). She was awarded Citra Award for Best Actress in 2015.

Marissa Anita is an Indonesian journalist, actress and television news presenter. She began her acting career as a theatre actress in 2005, but rose to prominence in 2008 as a TV news reporter and later anchor for Metro TV. Her acting career took off in 2013 with a supporting role in Lucky Kuswandi's drama In the Absence of the Sun, for which she won a Maya Award for Best New Actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devi Dja</span> Indonesian-born American actress and dancer (1914–1989)

Devi Dja, better known as Miss Dja, was an Indonesian-born American actress, dancer, and singer. A member of the Dardanella Opera group, founded by Willy A. Piedro, who later became her husband. She moved with him to the United States around 1940, and remained there for the rest of her life as a professional entertainer, taking American citizenship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mimi Mariani</span> Indonesian actress, model, and singer (1928–1971)

Sumiarto Suharto, better known by the stage name Mimi Mariani, was an Indonesian actress, model, and singer of classical Indonesian cinema. Known as the first actress to portray the character Sri Asih, she was one of the best-known lead actresses in Indonesia in the 1950s. Mariani was ranked third on the list of the best Indonesian pasindhèn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferry Kock</span> Indonesian actor and singer (1904–1945)

Frederik de Kock was an Indonesian actor and singer who was active in the 1930s and 1940s. He was one of the top five stars of Dardanella, along with Devi Dja, Astaman, Tan Tjeng Bok, and Miss Riboet II.

Miss Riboet II, also known as Miss Riboet Muda, was an Indonesian actress and singer who was active from the 1920s until 1950s and was one of the top five stars of Dardanella, along with Devi Dja, Astaman, Tan Tjeng Bok, and Ferry Kock. She was the mother of actress Netty Herawaty and was considered as the part of Classical Indonesian Cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora Ribero</span> Musical artist

Jennifer Aurora Ribero is an Indonesian actress, model, and singer of Italian descent. She made her acting debut in Ernest Prakasa's 2017 film Susah Sinyal.

Amelia Amante, later known as Amelia De La Rama Braly, is a Filipino actress and socialite who is known as the 10th wife of Indonesian President Sukarno.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bhawono, Aryo. "Ratna Assan, Perempuan Indonesia Pertama di Majalah Playboy". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Tidak Menyangka" . Tempo (in Indonesian). 1974-03-09. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Ratna Assan, Perempuan Berdarah Indonesia Pertama yang Tampil di Majalah Playboy". Historia – Majalah Sejarah Populer Pertama di Indonesia (in Indonesian). 2017-08-24. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.