Born Shiu-Yung in China, she was raised by a German stepmother and spent a significant portion of her later acting career in Germany. Her early life was marked by a unique cultural blend, having taken ballet classes at the prestigious Hanover Opera House. Subsequently, she pursued her passion for the performing arts by studying at the renowned Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media.
At the tender age of nineteen, she made the bold decision to relocate to London, where she initially worked briefly at a cousin's auction house and later as an advertising model. Her thirst for further knowledge and skills led her to enroll in the esteemed London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. This rigorous training prepared her for her first screen acting job at BBC TV in 1966, marking the beginning of her illustrious career.
Initially billed as 'Poulet Tu', she appeared in small film roles during the second half of the 1960s, with one of her most memorable performances being that of Lotus, the handmaiden of the enigmatic arch villain (played by the iconic Christopher Lee) in the trilogy The Face of Fu Manchu (1965),The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966),and The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968). Her versatility as an actress was further showcased in her cameo appearance as Osato's secretary in the James Bond thriller You Only Live Twice (1967),as well as her roles in the sub-par heist picture Diamonds for Breakfast (1968) and the Gregory Peck cold war thriller The Chairman (1969).
As her career progressed, she adopted the stage name 'Francisca Tu' and began to appear on British television, including a stint in the popular series Department S (1969) and its spin-off series Jason King (1971). In 1973, she returned to Germany for an episode of the crime drama series Tatort (1970). After an eight-year hiatus, she resumed her regular appearances on German TV, including a recurring role as a veterinarian working at Seaworld, Orlando, in the family drama series Florida Lady (1994). Francesca Tu's impressive career spanned an impressive five decades, with her final screen credit being in 2014.
