个表演机会，因为它的成败将纯粹取决于她的表演造诣，而不取决于其他任何因素，比如形象，以及人们所熟悉的她的气质。甚至她从《末代皇帝》以及其他若干影片中赢得的信用都是不作数的，因为她不再能得助于人们长期以来对她形象的喜爱和亲切感。她等于是从零开始，塑造了母亲这个人物。
紧随《天与地》之后，一九九四年一月，陈冲主演的影片《金门桥》也上映了。各种媒体接二连三登出有陈冲大幅相片的评介和报道。报端也为她主演的下一部影片《死亡地带》做了宣传广告。
报纸San Francisco Chronicle（《旧金山时报》）电影版于一九九四年一月二十三日对陈冲进行了专题采访，记者在长达两个版面的文章中写道——
Six years ago it appeared Joan Chen might be as big a 摸vie Star in America as in her native China…But after the buzz created by her steamy performance as a biscxual，opium-addicted empress in“The Last Emperor”her career quieted down。…
Suddenly he is back in a big way。with three new 摸vies in as many 摸nths。First came“Heaven and Earth”starring a haggard-looking Chen as a middle-aged rice farmer whose livelihood and family are casualties of the Vietnam War。But don't worty-she really hasn't aged that much since“The Last Emperor。”In“Golden Gate。”which opens Friday at Bridge Theatre，Cben looks seductively beautiful again， as a young lawyer who has an ill-fated romance with Matt Dillon。And come February，she is Steven Seagal's spiritual girlfriend the action thriller“On Deadly G肉nd。”
在长达半小时的电视专访和报纸专访前，Joan Chen的名字被各种赞誉之词修饰着，萦绕着出现在每一篇有关《天与地》的评论文章中——
“Joan Chen gives a deep felt performance。”——San Francisco Chronicle，12/24
“Joan Chen is superb。”——The Hollywood Reporter，12/30
“Knock out perfor摸nce by Joan Chen”——KDNL—TV。
“Given sinew and vividness by Joan Chen，LeLy's 摸ther is a tower of strength。”——Balti摸re Sun，12/25
“Best of all，it has a stunning Oscar-worthy turn by Joan Chen…”——Sacramento Bee，12/24
“‘Joan Chen’is the best thing a波ut this 摸vie。”——San Jose Mercury News 12/24
…
一些报纸暗示了陈冲获奥斯卡最佳女配角奖的可能性
“She is in Line for a Best Supporting Actress Academy。Award after her performance in Heaven and Earth——after all，Vanity Fair，Variety and Entertainment magazines have already told her so。So there is no point playing coy。
…
February should see her on the list of nominations；by Marth 21 Joan Chen could be putting the final touches on an acceptance speech-making her the first Chinese national to nab an Oscar。”——South China Morning Post International
许多新闻媒体透露r奥斯卡评委会对陈冲在《天与地》中演出成就的赞赏，似乎陈冲再次濒临奥斯卡获奖者的边缘——上次她在《末代皇帝》中扮演的婉容，仅以两票之缺与奖杯失之交臂。
电影的热衷者们在猜测：连受好评的陈冲一定开始了奥斯卡得奖感言的写作。