Wendi Deng: 10 Things You Didn't Know

The facts behind Murdoch's fast-fisted wife

Prior to yesterday (19 July), not much was known about Wendi Deng Murdoch. But that was before she was caught on live TV leaping to the defence of her 80-year-old husband Rupert as he was attacked by a foam-pie thrower during phone hacking testimony in London (pictured above). Her agile, right-handed knockdown - so quickly administered she beat the security guards - won her immediate acclaim around the world as video of the moment went viral.

In her native China, Wendi quickly earnt the nickname "smack down sister" with one blogger commenting, "the image of Chinese women just got a lift." A Facebook fan page invited people to "express your admiration of Mrs. Murdoch's right hook," while over on Twitter, former CBS news anchor Katie Couric noted that she gave a "whole new meaning to the term tiger mother." Some even credited Mrs. Murdoch, 42, with lifting the share price of News Corporation via her quick-thinking slap.

As the action took us all by surprise, we take a look at what else you might not know about the powerhouse that is Murdoch's other half...

1. She was named 'cultural revolution'

Wendi was born in the Jiangsu province of China and named "Wen Ge" meaning "cultural revolution" (a movement in full swing at the time of her birth in 1968). As a teenager, she changed her name - amid a relaxation of political attitudes towards the West in China.

2. She studied at Yale

Yes, there's brain behind the brawn. After moving to the US in 1988 on a student visa, Wendi was accepted to study at Yale and graduated with an MBA in business administration in 1996.

3. She's a pro-vegan

According to various reports, Wendi has cut dairy from her diet and even holds Meatless Mondays for the rest of her family every week. Evidently, the lack of meat hasn't affected her right-hook...

4. She married Murdoch 17 days after his divorce came through

Rumours of a romance between Wendi and Rupert first surfaced in 1998, when she was working as an executive at News Corp-owned Star TV in Hong Kong. Rupert separated from his second wife of 32 years, Anna, the same year. He married a 30-year-old Wendi in 1999, 17 days after his divorce from Anna was finalised.

5. She produced a blockbuster

Wendi is co-CEO a production company, Big Feet Productions. Last week it released Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, a historical drama based on a lifelong friendship between two women in 19th Century China.

6. She has two daughters

Wendi has two daughters with Rupert Murdoch - Grace, nine (pictured) and Chloe, eight. The family split their time between New York City and California.

7. She's an ace at volleyball

Wendi has had plenty of practise leading up to yesterday's live TV slamdown. At 5ft 10in, she is an accomplished sportswoman and was coached in volleyball at high school in China. She was head of her school's athletic association and also plays basketball and badminton.

8. She's a great match for Murdoch

Friends are agreed that Wendi and Rupert are very much in love, and that it's her head for business and humour that makes him tick. She has played a key role in the expansion of News Corp in China and is widely acknowledged as being a major influence on Rupert's running of the company. According to Michael Wolff, author of a Murdoch biography, "She reminds me in a certain way of Rupert himself. She is out to do what she wants to do. That really makes you someone to be reckoned with and someone who ultimately seems quite fearless."

9. She makes Murdoch drink protein shakes

... with fruit and soy, along with making him exercise at 6am in the morning - something Rupert admitted to in a rare interview with Vanity Fair. The secret to his never-ending energy, perchance?

10. She's mates with Nicole Kidman

Wendi is often pictured with the Oscar-winning actress around town and Nicole is godparent to her and Rupert's children - along with Hugh Jackman. Bono, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Tony Blair and Ivanka Trump are also counted among close friends of the couple.

VIDEO: Watch Wendi hitting her husband's attempted attacker here

Picture credits: Getty Images and Rex Features

Tags: news, female entrepreneurs