TAIPEI — Vicky Chen is a laid-back 14-year-old with an easy smile, but the Chinese Taipei actress is already a force to be reckoned with, nominated for two major awards at the Chinese-language equivalent of the Oscars.

Chen could make history on Saturday as the youngest ever contender to be crowned best actress at the Golden Horse film awards in Taipei.

Local media have dubbed her a "prodigy" able to play complex characters in movies that tackle a range of difficult subjects.

Chen is nominated for the best actress award for her role in Angels Wear White directed by China’s Vivian Qu, in which she plays a runaway who witnesses a sexual assault and struggles between her conscience and saving her job by staying quiet.

She is also up for best supporting actress in director Yang Ya-che’s thriller The Bold, the Corrupt and the Beautiful, where she takes the role of an upper-class heiress in a family gripped by dark political and business intrigues. The film includes a scene in which her character is raped.

Chen describes the roles as "very challenging".

"I wanted to try them out, even though I felt nervous," Chen said.

"I am very young so there are some things I don’t understand. I rely on communicating with my seniors, other actors and the director about any questions I have over the script."

Chen’s acting career started four years ago when she was cast in a film in mainland China, where her family is based. She went on to appear in a number of movies and TV dramas before landing a lead role in Angels Wear White, which competed  at this year’s Venice film festival.

"I like acting because I feel very happy and accomplished after finishing a scene," she said. AFP