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- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Born to immigrants in New York City, Lucy Liu has always tried to balance an interest in her cultural heritage with a desire to move beyond a strictly Asian-American experience. Her mother, Cecilia, a biochemist, is from Beijing & her father, Tom Liu, a civil engineer, is from Shanghai. Once relegated to "ethnic" parts, the energetic actress is finally earning her stripes as an across-the-board leading lady.
She graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1986 & enrolled in NYU. However, she was discouraged by the dark and sarcastic atmosphere, so she transferred to the University of Michigan after her freshman year. She graduated w/ a degree in Asian Languages & Cultures, managing to squeeze in some additional training in dance, voice, fine arts & acting. During her senior year, she auditioned for a small part in a production of Alice in Wonderland and walked away with the lead. Encouraged by the experience, she decided to take the plunge into professional acting. She moved to L.A., splitting her time between auditions & food service day jobs. She eventually scored a guest appearance as a waitress on Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990). That performance led to more walk-on parts in shows like NYPD Blue (1993), ER (1994) & The X-Files (1993). In 1996, she was cast as an ambitious college student on Rhea Perlman's ephemeral sitcom Pearl (1996).
She first appeared on the big screen as an ex-girlfriend in Jerry Maguire (1996) (she had previously filmed a scene in the indie Bang (1995), but it was shelved for 2 years). She then waded through a series of supporting parts in small films before landing her big break on Ally McBeal (1997). She initially auditioned for the role of Nelle Porter, which went to Portia de Rossi. However, writer-producer David E. Kelley was so impressed w/ her that he promised to write a part for her in an upcoming episode. The part turned out to be that of growling, ill-tempered lawyer Ling Woo, which she filled w/ such aplomb that she was signed on as a regular cast member.
The "Ally" win gave her film career a much-needed boost-in 1999, she was cast as a dominatrix in the Mel Gibson action flick Payback (1999) & as a hitchhiker in the ill-received boxing saga Play It to the Bone (1999). The following year brought even larger roles: first as the kidnapped Princess Pei Pei in Jackie Chan's western Shanghai Noon (2000), then as one-third of the comely crime-fighting trio in Charlie's Angels (2000).
When she's not hissing at clients or throwing well-coiffed punches, she keeps busy w/ an eclectic mix of off-screen hobbies. She practices the martial art of Kali-Eskrima-Silat (knife-and-stick fighting), skis, rock climbs, rides horses &plays the accordion. In 1993, she exhibited a collection of multimedia art pieces at the Cast Iron Gallery in SoHo (New York), after which she won a grant to study & create art in China. Her hectic schedule doesn't leave much time for romantic intrigue, but she says she prefers to keep that side of her life uncluttered.Kung Fu Panda (Anime)
Lucky Number Slevin
Kill Bill
Cypher
Rise: Blood Hunter
Code Name: The Cleaner
Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever
Charlie's Angels
Shanghai Noon
Payback- Actress
- Soundtrack
Chiaki Kuriyama was born on October 10, 1984 in Tsuchiura, Japan. She was a popular model during Japan's child model boom in the mid-90s. In 1997, she appeared in the photo books Girl of Myth & Girl's Residence, which were photographed by Kishin Shinoyama. Girl of Myth became a best-seller but as it contained some nudity, it was discontinued by the publisher in 1999 after the institution of new anti-child pornography laws. She also posed as a model for the child fashion magazines Nicola & Pichi Lemon.Kill Bill
Battle Royal- Actress
- Producer
Born in New York but raised in California, Devon Aoki is no stranger to the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Her father is former Olympic wrestler and Benihana restaurant magnate Rocky Aoki and her mother is Pamela Hilburger, a jewelry designer. Devon is of Japanese (from her father) and German and English (from her mother) ancestry. She started modeling when she was 13, the same year her godmother introduced her to modeling legend Kate Moss. She is now the face of Lancome and is one of the top earners at her agency, Women.Sin City
Mutant Chronicles
Sin City
D.E.B.S.
DOA: Dead or Alive- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Ziyi Zhang is a Chinese actress and model. She is best known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Rush Hour 2 (2001), Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).
She made her feature film debut in The Road Home (1999).
For her work in Memoirs of a Geisha she was nominated for an Golden Globe for Best Actress.Mulan (Anime)
TMNT
House of Flying Daggers
My Wife Is a Gangster 2
Zu Warriors
Rush Hour 2
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Michelle Yeoh was born in Ipoh, Malaysia. She's the daughter of Janet Yeoh & Kian Teik Yeoh. She's of Hokkien descent, speaking English and Malay before Chinese. A ballet dancer since 4, she moved to London to study at the Royal Academy as a teen. After a brief dance career, she won the Miss Malaysia beauty pageant title in and the Miss Moomba beauty pageant title in Melbourne, Australia in the early 1980s. Her first on camera work was a 1984 commercial with martial arts star Jackie Chan. In 1985, she began making action movies with D&B Films of Hong Kong. She was first billed as Michelle Khan, then Michelle Yeoh. Never a trained martial artist, she relied on her dance discipline and on-set trainers to prepare for martial arts action scenes.
She uses many dance moves in her films and does most of her own stunts. In 1988, she married wealthy D&B Films executive Dickson Poon & retired from acting. Even though they divorced in 1992, she's close to Poon's second wife and a godmother to his daughter. When she returned to acting, she became very popular w/ Chinese audiences. She later became known to Western audiences through role in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and in the phenomenally successful Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). She turned down a role in a sequel to The Matrix (1999).
She has her own production company, Mythical Films. She trained with the Shen Yang Acrobatic team for her role in The Touch (2002), an English-language film she both starred in and produced. She hopes to use her company to discover and nurture new film-making talent. She also aspires to act in roles that combine both action and deeper spiritual themes.Kung Fu Panda 2
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Tomorrow Never Dies
Wing Chun
Supercop 2
Dung fong saam hap
In The Line of Duty aka Riyal Warriors
In The Line of Duty 2 aka Yes, Madam aka Police Assassins- Actress
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Meiko Kaji was born on March 24, 1947 in the Kanda area of Tokyo, Japan. Following graduation from the Yakumo Academy High School in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan in 1965, Kaji first began acting in films in the mid-1960's under her real name of Masako Ôta. She was given the stage name Meiko Kaji by director Masahiro Makino. Meiko achieved her greatest enduring cult cinema popularity with her fierce portrayals of various tough outlaw characters which include young rebellious delinquents in the Stray Cat Rock series, the lethal Sasori from the Female Prisoner Scorpion pictures, and, most famously, the ruthless and driven titular assassin in the Lady Snowblood films. Kaji won a plethora of awards for her stand-out performance in Double Suicide of Sonezaki (1978). In the 1980's Meiko started acting more on television. Moreover, Kaji has also eked out a career as a singer: She not only sang the haunting theme song "Flower of Carnage (Shura No Hana)" for Lady Snowblood (1973) and the theme song "Urami-Bushi" for Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972), but also has recorded and released several albums and singles. ("Flower of Carnage (Shura No Hana)" and "Urami-Bushi" were both featured on the soundtracks to Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), respectively.) In addition, Meiko has turned down offers to act in Hollywood movies because she believes she can't give a good performance in a language other than Japanese.Lady Snowblood
Female Convict Scorpion
Blind Woman's Curse- Actress
- Producer
Margaret Denise Quigley was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a father of Polish and Irish descent (originally based in New York) and a Vietnamese mother. Her parents met during the Vietnam War. Maggie has two older half-siblings from her mother's previous marriage, and two older sisters. The family moved to Hawaii and settled in Mililani.
Maggie dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, but modeled and found herself bursting onto the Hong Kong movie scene - eventually becoming a full-fledged superstar in Asia. She changed her name to the easily pronounceable "Maggie Q" (for the Chinese audience). She had a cameo in the Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker smash hit Rush Hour 2 (2001) and is part of the supporting cast in Mission: Impossible III (2006), starring Tom Cruise.Before her career jolted into fame, she was an assassin in a cheesy flick called "Naked Weapon." Maggie does her own stunts in this and shows true skill as a martial artist. Someone recently told me she was the female Jet Lee in that, whom by the way co-stared with another pair of tough ladies (Michelle Yeoh and Fennie Yuen) in his best film Twin Warriors. Do not let either go under your radar. Naked Weapon and Twin Warriors are a must see for action - martial arts fans
Since Naked Weapon, Q has stared in such titles as
Live Free or Die Hard
Nikita (TV)
Operation: Endgame
Mission Impossible III
The King Of Fighters
Balls of Fury
Dragon Squad
Rush Hour 2
Gen-X Cops 2: Metal Mayhem- Minase Yashiro was born on 3 February 1985 in Gifu, Japan. She is an actress, known for The Machine Girl (2008), Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate (2010) and Kamen Rider Zi-O (2018).The Machine Girl
- Actress
- Producer
Jamie Chung was born and raised in California, the daughter of Korean parents. She studied Economics at the University of California, Riverside. Chung's break came in 2004, when she was working in a sports bar. MTV held auditions for The Real World (1992) there, she tried out, and was successful, appearing in the San Diego based fourteenth season.
Chung went on to successfully launched an acting career, making her debut with a small part in Veronica Mars (2004). Roles in other TV series followed, including Days of Our Lives (1965) and Greek (2007). She also transitioned into feature films with such projects as Sorority Row (2009), Sucker Punch (2011) and The Hangover Part II (2011).Sucker Punch
Dragonball: Evolution
Samurai Girl- Actress
- Stunts
- Soundtrack
Shihomi Etsuko was born in the western city of Okayama in Japan. Her father worked at Japan's Mint responsible for manufacturing money. She has a younger brother. She is athletic since childhood and at junior high school was part of the track and field club. She was second in her prefecture in the Hurdle. Growing up she enjoyed the TV serial Kii Hantâ (featuring Chiba Shin'ichi) and aspired to similar feats. She would appear in several action and fantasy movies as a participant in Chiba Shinichi's Japan Action Enterprise agency alongside said actor. She had joined the club in 1972. She debuted in 1973. Her first main role came in the serial Onna Hissatsu Ken ('Sister Street Fighter') in 1974, which made her popular in her home country. She was also a singer in the seventies and eighties and the subject of several books and multiple magazine articles. She became an agent in 1985 by establishing a company called Hundred. She met Japanese singer-songwriter, and human rights' activist, Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi on the set of the comedy Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy (1986). He married her a year later. This lead her to retire so she can take care of the house and her family. Their daughter is actress Nagabuchi Ayane who was born in 1988. She has a son who is a rapper and another son who is a racing driver. Her husband was arrested for drug possession in 1995. Beginning 2001 she began participating in marathons and began writing about it a year later. She is often credited as being the first Japanese actress who performed dangerous stunts and actions in a movie.Sister Street Fighter films
Dragon Princess- Actress
Kara Hui Ying-Hung was born in Shandong, China; her family moved to Hong Kong in 1966 and at 14 she quit school and started working at nightclubs. Penniless after her family lost their savings from her father's business acquaintances, Hui and her mother and siblings resided in the poor shanty town of Rennie's Mill and were forced to peddle goods on the streets of Hong Kong. Hui was discovered by film director Chia-Liang Liu and cast in Challenge of the Masters (1976) in 1976. Soon after, she started in many films directed by Liu Chia-Liang. She signed with Shaw Brothers Studios in February of 1975 and made over 40 action movies. She won the very first Best Actress Award for her critically-acclaimed role as Jing Dai-Nan in the 1981 classic My Young Auntie (1981) at the first Hong Kong Film Awards in 1982. After Shaw Studios closed down in 1985, Kara's career transition was very smooth and she has since portrayed more serious roles with very great success, winning the Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards, Changchun Film Festival, Pacific Meridian, Asian Film Awards, and Golden Horse Awards for her portrayal of a mother in the 2009 film At the End of Daybreak and winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as Yeung Feng in Rigor Mortis in 2014 at the 33rd Hong Kong Film Awards. Kara Hui is a legend. She has acted in over 138 films and is still active in the Hong Kong film industry today.My Young Auntie
Legendary Assassin
Madam City Hunter
Zen of Sword
Angel Terminators
Inspector Wears Skirts
Martial Club- Actress
- Soundtrack
On February 13th, 1968, a girl of Chinese, English, and Hawaiian ancestry was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her father, Herbert, was a salesman and her mother, Juanita, worked many odd jobs to help support the family. She has one older brother, Glenn. She is a former Miss Teen USA, and modeled in Japan and Italy for several months before deciding to relocate to L.A. and try her hand at show business. She received her break on TV's Growing Pains (1985) in 1987 and never looked back.Arrow (TV)
Nash Bridges (TV)
In Plain Sight (TV)
The Tournament
Stiletto
Afro Samurai (Anime)
Shanghai Kiss
X2
The Scorpion King
The Vampire Diaries (TV)
NCIS (TV)
NCIS: Los Angeles (TV)
Terminator Salvation
Martial Law (TV)
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (TV 1996)- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Daughter of a Chinese woman, who spent her childhood in Nishi Ku (Fukuoka City). When she was in elementary school, her parents divorced and she went to live with her mother, who ran a little restaurant. Being a child she practiced karate in junior high school, represented Kyushu in several competitions and finally won the woman national karate championship. During her attendance in the Nippon College of Health and Physical Education for women, where she studied physical education, she saw the film "Young Master" (1980), directed and starring Sing Lung, and decided enrolling JAC (Japan Action Club) to become a stuntwoman. She finally changed her name to "Oshima" and debuted in the TV series "Super Electron Bio-Man" in 1984. At that time one part of JAC, "Asia Action", became independent and based in Hong Kong and Yukari decided to leave Japan. Chinese director Hung Kam-Bo gave her a bit part in the martial arts film "Shanghai Express" in 1986 and thus she began a career in Hong Kong until 1994, when after more than 20 Chinese films and a divorce from star Cheng Ho-Nam she established herself in the Philippines and changed her name for the second time to "Cynthia Luster" (Sincere Raster). Here she would participate in more than 20 films.Godfather's daughters
Midnite Angels
Cinema of Vengeance
Angel of Vengeance
Beauty Investigator
Kickboxer's Tears
The Avenging Quartet
Lethal Panther 1 & 2
Dreaming the Reality- Actress
- Stunts
Yanin "Jeeja" pronounced "ChiCha" Vismitananda was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Her mother is Prasita Vismitananda and her father, Pawadol Borirak, was a businessman who died when his daughter was 17, she has an older brother, Nantapong "Jeed" Vismitananda. She is mainly of Thai descent with some English and Burmese ancestry. Vismitananda now holds a 3rd Dan black belt in Taekwondo which she is practicing since she was 11 years old. In her role in the movie Chocolate (2008) she had to incorporate some additional Martial Art moves she recently studies such as Muay Thai and Thai Boxing, she likes watching Martial Arts Action Films and is a fan of Jackie Chan, Tony Jaa, Jet Li and Bruce Lee. Her latest action film is Chocolate 2 in 3D and also she co-stars with Tony Jaa in his Action Film The Protector 2, going back to her private life on the 29th of August 2012, Yanin revealed that she was five months pregnant and was engaged to Adrian Robert Bowden a co-director in one of her films and is the younger brother of the Thai singer Pamela Bowden. Yanin also stated that she plans to suspend herself from work for the next two years, her son, Jayden Bowden Vismitananda was born January 22nd 2013.Raging Phoenix
Chocolate (2008)- Angela Mao was born as Mao Ching Ying in 1950 as the third of eight children to a family of entertainers for the Peking Opera House. She had a successful career as a Chinesa Opera actress, where her flexibility and martial arts first developed. She was discovered by film producer Raymond Chow who made her a star. Then, she trained in hapkido, and felt attracted to the new kung fu style, on demand by Hong Kong producers. Her career, if not long, was impressive, as she was one of the first women to make that sort of break-through in the film industry, until then reserving the fights and acrobatics to men. She played Bruce Lee's sister in Enter the Dragon (1973), and she also worked with Jackie Chan several times when he was a newcomer. In 1974, she fell in love and married Kelly Lai Chen. Their daughter Hsi Pui Sze was born in 1976. However, the couple divorced. She retired from films in 1983 and moved to America with her second husband when her son George King was born. She moved to Queens, New York in 1993 and eventually opened several Chinese restaurants that she runs with her son and daughter-in-law: Mama King, Nan Bei Ho, New Mei Hua, Guo Ba Inc. She usually declines interviews, because she wanted to lower her profile for the sake of her marriage. In 2008, she visited China to attend the wedding of her daughter, who had been raised by her first husband. In 2016, she gave a reluctant interview to the "New York Times" while feeding her baby granddaughter in one of her restaurants, with her son and daughter-in-law acting as her translators. She said that she still has fans who show up to her restaurants just to see her, but that fame was never as important as taking care of her family.Dance of Death
Hapkido
The Invincible Kung Fu Trio
Lady Constables
Invincible Eight - Michiko Nishiwaki is a multi-talented lady. An actress, martial artist, stunt woman, fight choreographer, and Japan's first Woman's Bodybuilding and Power lifting Champion. She held these titles for 1980, 1981 and 1982. While still keeping her femininity and not bulking up with the aid of anabolic steroids or other drugs, Michiko created a bodybuilding boom all over Japan and was in constant demand for personal and television appearances, and executive personal training. All this while operating two successful gyms. Michiko forever changed the stereotype of the submissive and docile Japanese woman by being a strong role model. She now lives in the U.S. with her Husband and Son.Kill Bill (stunts)
Afro Samurai: Destiny
Angel Terminators
Avenging Quartet - After studying Chinese and jazz dance from elementary school, at 17 years old, she won a national contest to find new talents, organized by Taiwanese TV, and shortly after she made several appearances on TV, and also got cast in a bit part in the Taiwanese film "Taipei Story" (1985), directed by Edward Yang. In 1987 she signed a contract with Hong Kong film studio D & B to replace Malaysian action star Michelle Yeoh and from then she starred in more than 20 martial arts films. From 1994 she combined her appearances in movies with TV series, making more than ten TV productions in only 5 years.In the Line of Duty 3 aka Huang jia shi jie zhi III: Ci xiong da dao
In the Line of Duty 4
In the Line of Duty 5
In the Line of Duty 6
Angel on Fire
Zen of Sword
Madam City Hunter - Actress
- Additional Crew
Moon Lee was born on 14 February 1965 in Hong Kong. She is an actress, known for Fighting Madam (1987), Fatal Termination (1990) and Mission of Justice (1992).Kickboxer's Tears
The Avenging Quartet
Beauty Investigator
Dreaming the Reality
Iron Angels- Actress
- Soundtrack
Takeda Rina was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. She claims she decided to become an actress at age six. She has an older and younger brother. The younger brother is actor Takeda kazuma who has found roles in Rina's movies. She became interested in karate through her father Takeda Takeshi. She was ten when she saw her father lose a karate match and resolved to make up for it. She began practicing karate. Takeda obtained the opportunity to showcase her skills at her dojo for producer Fuyuhiko Nishi in June 2008. The producer was looking for talent. He invited her to audition for the movie High Kick Girl, which became her first movie role. Her father and brother were in the film. She also sang in the film and the song was released as a single called High Kick Girl. The film was a hit, spun various follow-ups and cemented her as an action star. Director Iguchi Noboru and Takeda were at the USA premier of horror movie Dead Sushi at the 2012 Austin Fantastic Fest. Takeda won the Best Actress award. She was in the Indonesian movie Bushido Spirit in 2014. This was her first work outside Japan. She was in a Thai production called Devil Lover in 2015 and a South Korean production next. She gave a martial arts demonstration and threw the first pitch at the Chiba Lotte Marines and Seibu Lions baseball game in 2014. Actress Fueki Yuko and Rina Takeda visited the Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar on the 24th of November 2014. They were slated to appear in a Burmese-Japanese production. She was in a French documentary called Dragon Girls in 2017. The Burmese production Yangon Runway was finally slated for release in 2018. She has a black belt in karate. She does commercial work and advertising for the likes of Credit Saison. Her performance in that specific commercial made her famous. She cites an admiration for actors Tetsuya Takeda and Jackie Chan.High Kick Girl!
Future Fighters
Karate Girl
The Kunoichi: Ninja Girl- Polly Ling-Feng Shang-Kuan was born on 10 October 1949 in Pin-Tong, Taiwan. She is an actress, known for Ma lu xiao ying xiong (1973), Bons baisers de Hong-Kong (1975) and Wu lin long hu dou (1970).Dragon Inn
Bruce, Kung Fu Girls
Lady Whirlwind Against the Rangers
A Girl Called Tigress
A Girl Fighter - Actress
- Producer
- Director
Born in Hong Kong of Shanghai and Sechuan parents. Started martial arts and Chinese opera training when she was 4 year-old, and later at the Fan Kok Fa opera academy. Learned different styles from top masters, including Lee Kwan Hung, of Choy Lay Fatt kung fu; Dan Inosanto of jeet kune do; western boxing from John Ladawski; karate from Bruce Leung. She was called "Lady Jackie Chan" in the early 1980s. Worked for Goldig Films, Shaw Brothers, and is well known from appearances in the early 1980s TV series, "Stunt Women", "Legend of Condor Heroes" and "Yang Women Warriors".Angel on Fire
Wong ga fei fung
Xian fa zhi ren (1990)
Duel of the Seven Tigers- Actress
- Stunts
Ka'imi Kuoha is known for Veronica Mars (2004), Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988) and Seers of the Ninth Island (2014).Black Belt Angels- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
With a career that began in her early childhood, Anita Mui is the queen of Hong Kong's pop-music industry. After she won a singing contest in 1982, her life in the limelight began. In the early stages of her career her image was a little bit tomboy-ish and sexy (which was the reason she was called the "Madonna of Hong Kong"), and some of her songs were considered too risqué, with one of them, "Bad Girl", actually being banned from airplay due to its suggestive content. She started her acting career at about the same time, often starring with Anthony Chan, including Huai nu hai (1986) and One Husband Too Many (1988). Other acting partners included Jackie Chan and Leslie Cheung. Both her singing and acting careers were a success. She won an enormous number of "Best Female Singer" and "Most Popular Female Singer" awards in the 1980s, and her acting career's climax was winning "Best Actress" awards (Golden Horse Award and the inaugural Golden Dragon Awards in Taiwan, Hong Kong Film Award, and the Pan-Asia Pacific Film Festival) in 1987 for Stanley Kwan's "Rouge" Rouge (1987). In the early 1990s she announced her "half" retirement from the singing industry. However, by popular demand, she continued to record albums and to act in movies, and by 1994, she engineered a full comeback to great critical and popular acclaim.
She passed away from cervical cancer on December 30th, 2003. Many of her friends were with her in her last hours.Rumble in the Bronx (1995)
The Enforcer
The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)- Fennie Yuen was born on 15 September 1969 in Hong Kong. She is an actress, known for Tai Chi Master (1993), Royal Tramp (1992) and The Swordsman (1990).Twin Warriors (1993) and more
- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Rinko was born Kikuchi Yuriko in Hadano just south of Tokyo. The town is known mainly for its green tea and public baths. She is the youngest of three siblings. After being scouted on the street, she began modeling in her hometown and subsequently began acting under her birth name before switching to Rinko. She appeared in the cult film The Taste Of Tea, but came to mainstream audiences' attention for her role in Babel, for which she had learned sign language. She played a deaf-mute. She was the first Japanese actress to be nominated for the Oscars in 50 years, since Miyoshi Umeki. Other than that she had appeared in commercials, including ads for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as Japanese soap operas. As a result, her popularity rose outside her native country. She moved to New York City and lived for a time with director Spike Jonze, whom she had met in Tokyo at a film festival in 2009. That's when she began taking English lessons. While she had appeared in the acclaimed film version of Norwegian Wood, her later American were mostly popcorn flicks like 47 Ronin and Pacific Rim. Her success and foray into American entertainment continued with her castings in Kumiko, and Westworld. Rinko married Japanese actor Sometani Shota in 2014 and gave birth to a son in October 2016. She is a capable rider of horses and motorcycles and grew up watching samurai films.Pacific Rim- Nan Yu was born on 5 September 1978 in Dalian, Liaoning, China. She is an actress, known for The Expendables 2 (2012), Tuya's Marriage (2006) and Speed Racer (2008).Expendables 2
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Cecilia Cheung (Cecilia Cheung Pak-Chi) was born in Hong Kong to a Cantonese father and a half Cantonese-half British mother. Her parents divorced when she was little after which she was sent to Australia for studies. She graduated from RMIT Holmes College.
Her career began in 1998, when she was offered to appear in a TV commercial advertising lemon tea. She caught the attention of Stephen Chow after shooting the ad. Later, Cheung made her film debut as a young nightclub hostess in Stephen Chow's King of Comedy (1999), followed soon after by Fly Me to Polaris (1999). The latter role earned her the award for Best Newcomer at the Hong Kong Film Awards. In the same year, Cheung launched her singing career with her first Cantopop album Any Weather (1999).
For Derek Yee's romantic drama Lost in Time (2003), Cheung won the award for Best Actress at the 2004 Hong Kong Film Awards. She played a young woman who lost her fiancé to a traffic accident which left her as a grieving single mother struggling to make ends meet.Shaolin Soccer
Legendary Amazons- Julia Nagano is known for Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger (2021), Ninja vs Shark (2023) and Salvage Mice (2011).Salvage Mice
- Mitsuki Tanimura has been an actress since 2005, but has mostly made it easy for herself playing secondary or bit roles, maintaining short hair and mixing voice and screen roles as they come, the former particularly in anime. She was born in 1990 in Osaka Prefecture and is arguably best known for her debut feature Canary and more recently the SPEC TV movies. She is signed to Horipro, a large Japanese talent agency. She cites dancing as one of her favorite activities.Salvage Mice
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Veronica Ngo was born on 26 February 1979 in Tra Vinh, Vietnam. She is an actress and producer, known for The Creator (2023), The Old Guard (2020) and Da 5 Bloods (2020).Bay Rong (2009) aka Clash- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Ko Shibasaki was born on August 5, 1981 in Tokyo. Her real name is Yukie Yamamura (Ko Shibasaki is a main character of her favorite manga). She started her career at 14 when her talent was discovered by a star agent. She has worked in many TV shows and commercials, starting to become more famous thanks to her excellent performance in the movie Battle Royale (2000) as Mitsuko Soma. She has reached a star status not only in Japan, but all over East Asia. She has also been singing since 2002, releasing her first single, "Trust My Feelings". However, her singing skills were only recognized with her second single, "Tsuki no Shizuku", a song used for the movie Yomigaeri (2002) that was one of the best J-Pop hits of 2003. She is considered one of the glamorous queen of drama, earning millions of yens and going out with bad boys.Shaolin Girl- Tsuyu Shimizu was born in Tokyo, Japan. She is known for Taxi 2 (2000), Közel a szerelemhez (1999) and The Apartment (1996). She is married to Tim Bridwell.Taxi 2
- Do Ji-Won was born on 14 February 1968 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for Healer (2014), Unkind Ladies (2015) and Three Brothers (2009).Punch Lady 2007
- Reiko Takashima was born on 25 July 1964 in Yokohama, Japan. She is an actress, known for Space Battleship Yamato (2010), Shomuni (1998) and It Is a Long Walk (2000). She was previously married to Noboru Takachi.Kuro no tenshi Vol. 1
- Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Pei-Pei Cheng was born on 4 December 1946 in Shanghai, China. She is an actress and producer, known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Lilting (2014) and Mulan (2020). She was previously married to Wen-Tung Yuan.Brothers Five
Lady Hermit
Come Drink With Me
Golden Swallow
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Miriam Chin-Wah Yeung was born on 3 February 1974 in Hong Kong. She is an actress, known for Love in a Puff (2010), Hooked on You (2007) and Perfect Wedding (2010). She has been married to Real Ting since 11 August 2009. They have one child.An Na yu wu lin- Actress
- Writer
- Music Department
Born in Taiwan, Qi Shu has won the prestigious Golden Horse Award in Taiwan (regarded as the East Asian Oscar) for Best Supporting Actress in 1998. She has also received a Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actress in 2005. She appeared with Jackie Chan in the romantic comedy Gorgeous (1999) ("Gorgeous"). Her name is spelled in a variety of ways, including Hsu Qi, Hsu Chi, Qi Shu, and Shu Kei, and there are quite a few other variations on her name on foreign V.C.D.s, D.V.D.s, and internet sites.So Close- Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul was born on 30 September 1992 in Thailand. She is an actress, known for A Little Thing Called Love (2010), Back to the 90s (2015) and Friend Zone (2019).Bangkok Knockout
- Supakson Chaimongkol was born on 2 December 1982 in Bangkok, Thailand. She is an actress, known for Dong phayaa fai (2002), Kun pan (2002) and Brave (2007).Bangkok Knockout
- Yi-Fang Chin is known for The Challenge of the Lady Ninja (1983) and Can ku da fen shi (1978).Never Kiss a Ninja
- Kessarin Ektawatkul is known for Born to Fight (2004), Pirate of the Lost Sea (2008) and Game Rak Game Payabaht (2021).Born to Fight 2004
Dangerous Flowers aka Chai Lai Angels 2006
Muay Thai Giant 2008
Final Target 2009 - Actress
- Special Effects
- Soundtrack
Sugiura Asami was only nineteen when she starred in Kiss Me Or Kill Me: Todokanakutemo Aaishiteru. It is safe to say that the former occurred given how she went on to star in various exploitation, adult, gravure and action features. She had opted against attending university after receiving permission from her parents and worked as a waitress, in telemarketing and at a pachinko parlour before being introduced to the movie industry by a friend. It was a role involving taking one's clothes off and she grabbed the opportunity. She was offered a modelling job at an adult magazine and for a studio in 2005. She changed agents twice in 2006. She opted to be simply known as Asami before using her full name in 2008. That did not last. She reverted back to 'Asami' only in 2009. The Machine Girl films brought attention to her at a different level and were publicity successes. Was it her intense gaze, her mini-skirted legs, liberated wiles or the weapon infused arms? She met director Iguchi Noboru in 2007 and would go on to appear in several of his films. She starred in several pink and pornographic films before announcing her departure from the scene for a transition into mainstream films in 2008. She did not shy away from provocative roles however. Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival of Japan gave her a special performance award in 2014. Asami likes reptiles, watching films and karaoke. Asami plays the piano and the saxophone. She has several photo books to her name.Lady Ninja: Reflections of Darkness
Mutant Girls Squad
Yakuza-Busting Girls: Final Death-Ride Battle
Yakuza-Busting Girls: Duel in Hell
RoboGeisha
The Machine Girl- Actress
- Producer
Bernice Liu was born on 6 January 1979 in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada. She is an actress and producer, known for The Legend Is Born: Ip Man (2010), The King of Fighters (2009) and Perfect Wedding (2010).The King of Fighters
King of Triads- Lady Constables
Kung Fu Queen
Shaolin Invincibles
Lady Karate - Brigitte Lin is a Taiwanese actress. She is regarded as an icon of Chinese language cinema for her extensive and varied roles in both Taiwanese and Hong Kong films. Lin was born in Chiayi, Taiwan. She was scouted in 1972 on the streets of Taipei by a film producer after she finished women's high school and was preparing for university.Dragon Chronicles: The Maidens
Fantasy Mission Force aka Dragon Attack - Chun-Erh Lung was born in 1957. She is an actress, known for Long Hu Pao (1972), The Shaolin Brothers (1977) and Chuan ji Fang Shi Yu (1976).Shaolin Invincibles
- Chrissie Chau was born on 22 May 1985 in Chaozhou, Guangdong, China. She is an actress, known for 29 + 1 (2017), City Under Siege (2010) and Death Notice: A Serial Killer Leaving Notes (2023).Kick Ass Girls 2013
- Hidy Yu is known for Vampire Warriors (2010), Special Female Force (2016) and The Fatal Raid (2019).Kick Ass Girls 2013
- Cali Danger is known for Inara, the Jungle Girl (2012) and Athena: The Goddess of War (2015).Inara, the Jungle Girl
- Actress
Won-hie Kim was born on 9 June 1972 in Seoul, Korea. She is an actress, known for Extras (1998), Marrying the Mafia 2: Enemy-in-Law (2005) and Sarangbang seonsoowa eomeoni (2007).Marrying the Mafia II and III (2005-2006)- Eri Otoguro was born on 12 October 1982 in Bangkok, Thailand. She is an actress, known for Shutter (2008), Kamen Rider W (2009) and Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate (2010).Oneechanbara: The Movie aka Chanbara Beauty: The Movie
- Actress
- Stunts
Mia Van De Water is known for Hansel & Gretel (2006), Mission Park (2010) and High Heel Samurai (2007).Shinobi Girl- Actress
- Director
- Cinematographer
Sam Aotaki was born on 30 January 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress and director, known for XOXO (2016), The Young Kieslowski (2014) and Asian School Girls (2014).Asian School Girls- Actress
- Producer
Catherine Hyein Kim is known for Double Line (2014), Asian School Girls (2014) and Suite for Two Band Geeks (2015).Asian School Girls- Mayuko Iwasa was born on 24 February 1987 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for 009-1: The End of the Beginning (2013), Detective Conan: Shinichi Kudo's Written Challenge (2006) and Space Police (2004).009-1
- Pei-Pei Shu was born on 28 January 1947 in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. She is an actress, known for Ai qing da pai mai (1971), The Imperial Swordsman (1972) and Ru xia (1967).Cub Tiger from Kwang Tung aka Guang Dong xiao lao hu (1973)
- Actress
Lily Li was born on 14 June 1950 in Hong Kong. She is an actress, known for Crazy Sex (1976), Shatter (1974) and The Young Master (1980).Six Assassins (1971)
Executioners from Shaolin (1977)
Daggers 8 aka Kong shou ru bai ren- Cecilia Wong was born on 14 April 1956 in Guangdong, China. She is an actress, known for The Blood of Heroes (1989), Way of the Black Dragon (1978) and Chor Lauheung (1979).The Four Invincibles (1978)
- Actress
- Stunts
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
The Lady Assassin aka Qing gong qi shi lu 1983
The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)- Chiang-Yu Chang is known for The Lady Assassin (1983), The Sword Stained with Royal Blood (1981) and Feng shen jie (1983).The Lady Assassin aka Qing gong qi shi lu (1983)
- Wei-Wei Huang is known for Magic Crystal (1986), Bloody Parrot (1981) and Rendezvous with Death (1980).Ambitious Kung Fu Girl
The Lady Assassin aka Qing gong qi shi lu (1983) - Leanne Lau was born on 12 November 1959 in Beijing, China. She is an actress, known for Ji du xi yang hong (1986), Ting yuan shen shen (1987) and Xue Ke (1990). She was previously married to Yu-Kun Teng.Qing gong qi shi lu (1983)
Bastard Swordsman
Holy Flame of the Martial World - Actress
- Music Department
- Writer
One of the best-loved and respected members of the Hong Kong film community, for her long acting career, her stable family life and her devotion to charities, Siao successfully managed successive transitions from child star (she made her film debut at age 7) to leading lady, and then to distinguished character actress. In 1968 she took time out from acting to begin study at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, graduating with an honors degree in Communications in 1973. After returning to Hong Kong, she was involved in TV production work and once more took on film acting roles, although complications from her hearing disability limited the number of movies she was able to make. In the early 1980s, Siao married a Hong Kong media executive, with whom she has two daughters. In addition to raising a family and her film work, Siao also earned a Master's degree in Child Psychology in 1998 from Regis University in Denver, and in 1999 fulfilled her long-time dream of founding the End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation, an organization she now heads.Fists of Fury 1 and 2
Jet Li's Legend 1 and 2- Actress
- Music Department
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Connie Chan was born on 10 December 1947 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, Republic of China. She is an actress and assistant director, known for The Golden Cup, the Wandering Dragon and the Decree to Kill (1966), Kun Lun san sha shou (1967) and Yu nu jian (1969). She was previously married to Jimmy Yeung.Not really sure. She's supposedly done a lot of action movies.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Qiu Yuen apprenticed Chinese martial arts and Beijing-opera skills with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung as well as Kam-Bo under the same master, Yu Jim-yuen, whilst at the Beijing Opera School (part of the Chinese Drama Academy).
Early in her career, Cheung Cheun Nam (aka Qiu Yuen) worked briefly as a female stunt artist and as a night club performer during the late 60s 'til the early 70s.
Feeling the future for female stunt artists was not promising, she took a hiatus from her career, and got married.
In 1974 at the age of 24 Qiu Yuen had a small role in her (at the time) one and only international production, in the James Bond film, "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974). She portrayed a student who rescues Roger Moore
Having been away from Hong Kong's film business for more than 28 years, she again starred in the international smash hit, Kung Fu Hustle (2004), just by chance. Qiu Yuen was only accompanying a junior woman fellow (of China Drama Academy) to the audition, but Stephen Chow, the director and star, soon noticed Yuen Qiu. Reports note Stephen Chow got her to agree to appear after much persuasion.
Her first grandchild was born in 2004.Kung Fu Hustle- Actress
- Soundtrack
Maggie Cheung was born on September 20, 1964, in Hong Kong, and moved at the age of eight with her family to England. After finishing secondary school, she returned to Hong Kong, where she began modeling and appearing in commercials. In 1983 she participated in the Ms. Hong Kong pageant, winning first runner-up, which proved not to be a detriment since she went on to become a star of both Hong Kong television and film.Hero (2002)
Police Story films
Project A 2
Twin Dragons
The Heroic Trio aka Tôhô sankyô: wandâ gâruzu (1993) and 2
Moon Warriors- Doona Bae was born in Seoul, South Korea. Her mother, Hwa-Young Kim, is a stage actress. Bae started out as a model. She soon moved to T.V. and movies, and it proved the right move. Her first movie was The Ring Virus (1999). Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) (aka "Barking Dogs Never Bite") and Take Care of My Cat (2001) (A.K.A. "Take Care of My Cat") not only made Doona a household name in Korea but also won her critical acclaim as a serious young actress. Doona Bae is now busy making movies and T.V. shows.Sense8
- Aka Lin Ruixi was badass in 2014's Impetuous Love in Action
- Kaede Aono was born on 21 November 1992 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. She is an actress, known for Kei×Yaku: Dangerous Partners (2022), Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger (2019) and Asura Girl: A Blood-C Tale (2017).High Kick Angels
- Mayu Kawamoto was born on 10 March 1994 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Gâruzu in toraburu: Supêsu Sukuwaddo Episôdo Zero (2017), Uchuu Keiji Shaider Next Generation (2014) and High Kick Angels (2014).High Kick Angels
- Kanon Miyahara was born on 8 April 1996 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Kamen Rider Amazons (2016), Tag (2015) and Assassination Classroom (2015).High Kick Angels
- Actress
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Sibelle Hu was born on May 4, 1958 in Taiwan. She graduated from the Faculty of History of the University of Taiwan in 1981. When she was still in school, she made her film debut in Your Smiling Face (1979), which was a big hit in Hong Kong, and then went on to appear in a host of drama/romantic films from Taiwan.
Hu later furthered her film career in Hong Kong, starring in mostly action films, at times taking on tough, no-nonsense police detective roles. However, she also starred in several action-comedies as well, most notably playing "Madam Wu" in three of the six "My Lucky Stars" films. Her role would be spun-off and take center stage in a different movie series called "The Inspector Wears Skirts," where she trains a group of female police squad members at the Hong Kong Police Academy.
Hu was seriously injured in a fire incident from a botched stunt scene while filming Devil Hunters (1989). Fortunately, she received good treatment and recovered well enough to continue with her film career, appearing in movies well into the 1990s.
Hu's film career phased out after she married Patrick Ho Chi-Ping, Hong Kong's former Secretary for Home Affairs. They have one daughter together.Lie mo qun ying
Top Squad- Minami is an actress, martial artist, stunt woman, and dancer, playing both heroines and villains in films and television. Minami is best known in Japan for her role as Yoko Minato/Kamen Rider Marika in the television series, Kamen Rider Gaim. She is affiliated with Japan Action Enterprise. In 2018, Minami is "Minami-Metal," touring with the Japanese Kawaii Metal band, Babymetal. Minami is a dancer/actress performing in most of the songs on their world tour.
- Nao Nagasawa was born on 5 January 1984 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and producer, known for Kamen Rider Movie War Ultimatum: Kamen Rider vs. Kamen Rider Wizard & Fourze (2012), GoGo Sentai Boukenger vs. Super Sentai (2007) and Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger: 10 Years After (2013). She has been married to Koji Nakata since 22 February 2014. They have three children.
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
- Actress
Kaori Sakai is known for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015), Geisha Assassin (2008) and I Am a Hero (2015).- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1985, Aya Ueto received her first break in August 1997 when, at the age of 11, she won the Special Jury Prize at the 7th All-Japan Bishoujo Contest. After this initial success, she tried her hand at both acting and singing, appearing in various minor TV drama roles, as well as a low budget action movie, and formed a short-lived pop quartet, "Z-1", with other winners of the Bishoujo Contest. After her passionate portrayal of a high school student with Gender Identity Disorder in the 6th series of the long-running classroom drama Kinpachi sensei, Mr. Kinpachi in Class 3B (1979), endeared her to the Japanese nation, she was able to pursue a solo music career with her first single, "Pureness", released in August 2002. It was this performance that also convinced cult movie director Ryûhei Kitamura to cast her in the title role of Azumi (2003). With the film's release date coinciding with the sale of her debut album "AYAUETO" in the spring of 2003, Aya was set for super-stardom. Her famous smile has since earned her increasing numbers of commercial contracts and magazine covers - all important exposure for any idol - combined with starring roles in a number of popular television dramas have meant she is rarely out of the limelight and has cemented her position as one of Japan's top entertainers.- Actress
- Producer
- Visual Effects
Li Bingbing (born 27 February 1973) is a Chinese actress and singer. She rose to fame with her role in Seventeen Years (1999) and since then received critical acclaim for her roles in A World Without Thieves (2004), Waiting Alone (2005), The Knot (2006), The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), The Message (2009), Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010), and Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal (2015). Li has also starred in Hollywood blockbusters Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) and Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014).
Li was born in Wuchang, Heilongjiang. She had no intention of becoming an actress initially and she enrolled specifically in a high school for prospective school teachers. However, upon graduation, she discovered her interest in acting and was eventually persuaded by a friend to join the Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1993.
Li rose to fame after starring in Zhang Yuan's Seventeen Years (1999), which won her the Best Actress Award in the 1999 Singapore Film Festival. In 2001, Li starred in the television series Young Justice Bao, which propelled her to become one of the most famous actresses in China.
Li was subsequently labelled as an "action actress" as she starred in a number of wuxia television series, such as Taiji Prodigy and Eight Heroes.
Li achieved breakthrough with her performance in Feng Xiaogang's A World Without Thieves. She then starred in Dayyan Eng's romantic comedy film Waiting Alone, for which she received her first Best Actress nomination at the Golden Rooster Awards.
In 2006, Li starred in romance film The Knot, directed by Yin Li. The film was China's entry for the Best Foreign Film award at the 2008 Academy Awards. Li won Best Actress awards at the 2007 Huabiao Awards and at the 2008 Hundred Flowers Awards. In 2008, she co-starred with Jet Li and Jackie Chan in the 2008 blockbuster The Forbidden Kingdom as the White-Haired Witch. The film was her first appearance in an international film, and gave her a solid international following.
In 2009, Li won Best Actress at the 46th Golden Horse Film Awards for her performance in The Message, about Japanese invaders in China who try to ferret out a spy among their Chinese collaborators.
Li then starred in Tsui Hark's 2010 action-mystery film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. She played Shangguan Jing'er, a fictional character based off Shangguan Wan'er, a prestigious politician during the Tang Dynasty. She established her studio in the same year, co-starring and co-producing the film 1911 with Jackie Chan, which was released in September 2011 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution.
Li's first-time in an English-language film is Wayne Wang's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, adapted from Lisa See's 2005 novel of the same title. The film premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Li started to gain recognition in Hollywood after starring in Resident Evil: Retribution, playing Ada Wong. The same year, she was cast in action fantasy film 400 Boys, directed by British director Alastair Paton.
In 2013, Li attended the 4th Annual US-China Film Summit and received the East-West Talent Award. Hollywood magazine Variety also named her Asian Star of the Year. The following year, Li featured in Transformers: Age of Extinction, the fourth installment of the film franchise. This helped solidify her success overseas.
In 2015, she was cast in 3D science fiction thriller Nest (also known as Guardians of the Tomb), a Chinese-Australian co-production that was finally released in January 2018. The same year, it was announced that Li would play China's first female superhero in upcoming film Realm, written by Stan Lee.
In 2016, Li joined the cast of Meg, an American shark film based on Steve Alten's 1997 novel.
She is also one of the members of China Zhi Gong Party.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Crystal Liu, better known by her stage name Liu Yifei, was born in Wuhan, on August 25, 1987. She began modeling at 8. She was trained in singing, dancing & the piano. She moved to the U.S. at 10 w/ her mom, where she lived for 4 years. She returned to China in June 2002 to pursue a modeling & acting career.
In September 2002, she was accepted into the Performance Institute of Beijing Film Academy at 15. Her first TV role was in The Story of a Noble Family. Shortly after, she was chosen to portray the role of Wang Yuyan in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, a drama based on the same-titled novel by the acclaimed martial arts writer, Jinyong.
In October 2003, she made her 1st appearance on the big screen w/ May Day, the well-known Taiwanese rock band, in the movie Love of May. Her fame & popularity went up even further due to her role in the 2004 drama series adaptation of the video game, The Legend of Sword and Fairy. Upon her graduation from the Beijing Film Academy in July 2006, she starred in another TV production based on another book by Jinyong, The Return of the Condor Heroes. This was very well received in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan & Japan.
She made her first foray into a music career in August 2005, when she secured a recording contract w/ Sony Music Entertainment Japan. After taking up singing & dance lessons for a year, her album Liu Yifei was released in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong & Southeast Asia in August 2006, featuring a diverse music repertoire that included rap &soft rock. That same year, she also released a Japanese album. The single, The Gate of Late Night, was chosen to be the theme for an animation series by Tokyo TV.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Reiko was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois with her younger brother and single mother. Her mother worked as a counselor in a methadone clinic and later ran a rehabilitation corrections facility. As a teen, she moved to Seattle, WA where she briefly attended the University of Washington. She then moved to NYC and soon began acting in new and developing plays in off-broadway and regional theaters. Among the playwrights were John Patrick Shanley, Anna Deavere Smith, Eric Bogosian, Lyle Kessler. She's also worked with Obie and Tony winning theater directors such as Marshall Mason, Jo Bonney, Robert O'Hara as well as many other respected theater makers. Her breakthrough came with the role of Michelle Dessler on the critically acclaimed series, 24. She's also had ongoing roles on Lost, Damages, Hawaii 5-0 and has worked on many other television shows, films and plays. More recently, she's expanded her career to include VoiceOver work, including Lady Bullseye in the Marvel animated show, Hit Monkey. She's also directed and produced 2 award winning short films. Her husband, Rob Clare is a well-respected Shakespeare teacher and director. They are an adoptive family with a child who was born in 2014.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Bai Ling is recognized for unbridled freedom and creativity, Bai Ling has become undoubtedly one of the world's most diverse and captivating actresses! Born in the city of Cheng Du in southern China, Bai Ling began her career at age of 14. She enlisted In the Chinese People's Liberation Army, where she spent three years in a performance troupe entertaining soldiers stationed in Tibet. She first gained the attention of audiences and critics alike when she won the coveted lead role opposite Richard Gere in Jon Avnet's Red Corner (1997). She received numerous accolades including the prestigious Breakthrough Performance Award from the National Board of Review. She also garnered the Discovery Star awarded by the Hollywood Women's Press Club for their Golden Apple Awards. While developing her remarkable facility with the English language, she has worked with such prestigious filmmakers as Oliver Stone in Nixon (1995), George Lucas in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005), Barry Sonnenfeld in Wild Wild West (1999), Spike Lee in She Hate Me (2004), Andy Tennant in Anna and the King (1999), Ang Lee in The Wedding Banquet (1993), Alex Proyas in The Crow (1994) and Luc Besson' in )Taxi 3 (2003)_, in which she spoke French. She also starred in Terrence Malick's Broadway production of "Sansho the Bailiff". She dazzled audiences with her portrayal of the sexy, mysterious Achara in the hit TV series Lost (2004), and intrigued viewers with her seductive yet exhilarating role in HBO's Entourage (2004).
Bai Ling was awarded the Asian Oscar for her brilliant performance in her first Hong Kong film Three... Extremes (2004). It also earned her an additional three major awards in the Far East. She received the Spirit Diversity Award by The Hollywood Motion Picture Association. Her film Southland Tales (2006), directed by Richard Kelly was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
Bai starred in and executive-produced Shanghai Baby (2007). She has worked with Taylor Hackford in Love Ranch (2010), co-starring with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci, and had a leading role in the Jason Statham action comedy Crank: High Voltage (2009) with costar with Jason Statham.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Wei Zhao was born in Wuhu, Anhui province. She is the second child of her family. Because she is the only girl, Zhao's father named her Wei, literally "Rose". Her father was a senior engineer, her mother was a music teacher.
After filming A Soul Haunted By Painting (1994) as a figurant, Wei Zhao was inspired by Li Gong's performance and deter-minded to be an actor. In 1994, as the first year student, Zhao moved to Shanghai and entered the Star Academy, held by Chinese master Jin Xie. The same year, Zhao filmed the Behind the Wall of Shame (1995), directed by Xie. After filming several television series and advertisements, including as a leading role in Sisters in Beijing (1995), she gain a little fame in the north China. In the entrance examination, Wei Zhao obtained the highest score when she was matriculated into the acting institute of the Beijing Film Academy in 1996. When Qiong Yao casting actors in 1997, she watched Zhao's television show and impressed by her.
During 1998-1999, two seasons of My Fair Princess, adapted from Qiong Yao's novel, obtained explosive success and broke the record until today. Zhao won Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress for playing Xiao Yan Zi (Little Swallow), which considered the most phenomenon TV character of the decade. Then zhao's several series were very popular in east and southeast Asia, such as Romance in the Rain (2001), another Qiong Yao production. Zhao also became the box-office daring in mainland China and Hong Kong, for The Duel (2000), Shaolin Soccer (2001), Chinese Odyssey 2002 (2002), So Close (2002).
A picture, shoot in New York, totally destoryed Zhao's hopefully career. In Dec. 3, 2001, a mainland China website upload a photo, Zhao wears a dress looks like Japanese military flag, which labeled Heatherette NYC designed by Richie Rich, published on Fashion Magazine sep issue. Most of Chinese shocked and thought their "China sweetie" betrayed the nation. After several times apology on TV Live, radio, newspaper and Internet, public have forgive her eventually. For box office failure of Green Tea (2003), My Dream Girl (2003), Goddess of Mercy (2003), several china newspapers named her as box-office poison.
In 2005, for critical acclaimed A Time to Love, Zhao won three Best Actress awards, including Shanghai Film Festival Golden Goblet Award. Drama series Moment in Peking (2005) was the most viewers tv show of the year, the highest rating episode nearly 13%. Then The Postmodern Life of My Aunt (2006), The Longest Night in Shanghai (2007) obtained positive reviews.
In 2006, Zhao back to Beijing Film Academy, study directing, and got master's degree (MFA).
Since 2008, the sustained success of movies, including Red Cliff I & II (2008-2009), Painted Skin (2008), 14 Blades (2010), Painted Skin: The Resurruction (2012), Love (2012), Hollywood Adventure (2015), Lost in Hong Kong (2015), marked Zhao as A-list box-office star in China. Alougth Mulan (2009) got mixed reviews in China, critics praised Zhao, she won Hundred Flowers Award, Changchun Film Festival Golden Deer Award and Shanghai Film Critics Award for Best Actress.
Wei Zhao's directorial debut So Young (2013) got favorable reviews, listed in many critics Top Ten of the Year, and box-office broke 110 million dollars in mainland China. Zhao won Golden Rooster Award for Best Directorial Debut, as the youngest winner of Hundred Flowers Award for Best Director, and Hong Kong Film Award for Best Chinese Language Film from Two Coasts.
For Peter Chan's Dearest (2014), Zhao, highly praised by critics and audience, was regarded as best performance of the Year. She won numerous awards and nominations, including Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress.
Vicki Zhao is the english name of Wei Zhao's music career. From 1999 to 2001, her 4 albums sold more than 3,700,000 records in Asia. During 2004-2008, Zhao's last four studio albums received welcomed reviews. And she won dozens of music awards.
Besides her career, Wei Zhao always engage in charity. Since 2004, Zhao held a scholarship in her hometown for local students. Since 2014, she held V-Love Foudation for Leukemia in Childhood.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Sandra Kwan Yue Ng is widely considered as the most bankable actress in Hong Kong. With over a hundred films to her credit, including several collaborations with the "King of Hong Kong Comedy" Stephen Chow, Ng is crowned "Queen of Comedy" by many.
Ng entered show business in the 1980s, the golden period of Hong Kong's film industry. Her funny, quirky and irreverent persona quickly landed her countless comedic roles in films like All's Well End Well (1992), which also starred Stephen Chow and Maggie Cheung. Ng made herself a household name through hugely successful comedy franchises such as The Inspector Wears Skirt series and broke open raunchy comedy to women. Two recent comedies she starred in, Monster Hunt (2015) and Jian Bing Man (2015), garnered a box office total of RMB 3.5 billion, cementing Ng's status as the highest grossing Hong Kong actress to date.
Ng nabbed her first Best Actress win in the Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance as a lesbian triad leader, Sister 13, in Portland Street Blues (1998). Ng came to be known as a serious actress and went on to take on ever more challenging roles, including that of an underdog prostitute in Golden Chicken (2002), which won her Best Actress in the Golden Horse Awards. Her performance as a bisexual woman trying to reunite with her ex-lover in All About Love (2010) won her Best Actress in the Asian Film Festival of Rome. Her 2010 tear-jerking family drama Echoes of the Rainbow won the Crystal Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival and earned Ng another Best Actress nomination in the Hong Kong Film Awards. In 2014, she was awarded the Star Asia Award in the New York Asia Film Festival.
The recent years see Ng's career expanding into producing and directing. This began with her producing credit Golden Chickensss (2014), which reaped over HK$40 million in Hong Kong, and was the year's highest grossing Chinese language movie in Hong Kong. Goldbuster (2017) is witness to Ng's latest breakthrough as her directorial debut and proves her as an artist of many hats.- Cecilia Yeung is known for Yellowthread Street (1990).
- Yôko Mitsuya was born on 8 November 1984 in Saitama, Japan. She is an actress, known for Kamen Rider Decade (2009), Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004) and Cell Phone Investigator 7 (2008).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Yui Asaka was born on 4 December 1969 in Miyazaki, Japan. She is an actress, known for Tales of the Bizarre (1990), Yawara! (1989) and Sukeban deka: Kazama sanshimai no gyakushû (1988). She has been married to Takahiro Nishikawa since July 2002.- Anita Yuen was born on 4 September 1971 in Hong Kong, British Crown Colony. She is an actress, known for C'est la vie, mon chéri (1993), He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994) and Protégé (2007). She has been married to Julian Cheung since 8 February 2001. They have one child.
- Carol 'Do Do' Cheng was born on 9 September 1957 in Hong Kong. She is an actress, known for Her Fatal Ways (1990), Armour of God 2: Operation Condor (1991) and The Last Affair (1983).
- Actress
- Music Department
Eriko Satô was born on 19 December 1981 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Funuke: Show Some Love, You Losers! (2007), Cutie Honey (2004) and Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan (2006).- Mer-Mer Chen started her martial arts training in 1984 and began teaching in 1990. Mer-Mer has specialized in martial arts and weapons for more than 10 years and is an expert with the staff, the broadsword, the straight sword, the spear, the chain whip and the three-sectioned-staff. She started training with the famous Wushu teacher Eric Chen, and later trained with the famous Keith Cooke Hirabayashi.
She was also a member of the Los Angeles Wu Shu Team and at UCLA she led the Wushu/Kung Fu club and earned her Bachelor's degree. She graduated in 2003 from the Anderson School at UCLA's Management Development Entreprenuers Program. - Actress
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Born into a family of doctors and educated in China at the Shanghai Film Academy and the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages, Joan Chen was discovered by veteran Chinese director Jin Xie while observing a filming with a school group. Her performance in Xiao hua (1979) (A.K.A. "The Little Flower") won China's Best Actress award, and resulted in the Chinese press dubbing her "The Elizabeth Taylor of China" for having achieved top stardom while still in her teen years. She came to the U.S. to attend college in 1981, first at the State University of New York at New Paltz, later at California State University at Northridge. She a succession of small parts in movies and T.V., with her first break coming in 1986 when, in true Hollywood legend, producer Dino De Laurentiis noticed her in the parking lot of Lorimar Studios and cast her in Tai-Pan (1986). The film bombed, but it led to her being cast as the ill-fated Empress in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor (1987), which won critical acclaim. This, and her role as enigmatic mill owner Josie Packard in the cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990), are her best-known roles in Europe and North America. However, Hollywood's practice of type-casting East Asians has led to a dearth of major roles for Chen since then, and in recent roles, she has often been cast as a villainess.
After taking a few years off to start a family, Joan returned to the screen in important supporting roles playing women in early middle age, such as the mother of a principle adult character. As a result, her career is flourishing again on both sides of the Pacific. Her two directing efforts were well-received critically, and in a 2008 interview she revealed she planned to direct again but was putting that off until her daughters were grown, since directing took her away from them too much, whereas acting could be done on a part-time basis.- Actress
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The daughter of a premier makeup artist and the sister of a United States District Attorney, Michele Lee was born Michele Lee Dusick on June 24, 1942 in Los Angeles, California. Her childhood was consumed by the Hollywood entertainment industry. Lee was outgoing and had taken every chance to do plays in front of her family and friends. In junior high school, she continued acting in school plays. When she was in the 10th grade at Los Angeles' Alexander Hamilton High School, she tried out for the band and was the lead singer for that. Prior to her graduation from Hamilton, she landed her first role in the Broadway revue, "Vintage '60" and her career was launched. A small role in "Bravo Giovanni" and the lead role as Rosemary in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" followed. Her musical talent was brought to the attention of Columbia Records (now Sony) and she signed to the label in a hurry.
Shortly after she appeared in Broadway shows and became a singer, she began making a number of guest appearances on television doing dancing, singing and performing comedy routines on most live-action segments, most notably The Danny Kaye Show (1963). She was only 22 and her career was off to a firing start. She continued making guest appearances on a number of television specials and live-action series. However, the silver screen took precedence as she made her movie debut with the film How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967), followed by The Comic (1969), co-starring Dick Van Dyke. A year that, after her first child was born and soon after, she was back at work, starring as Secretary Carole Bennett on The Love Bug (1969), that it was the best movie of 1970 and it made it to the top of the box office all across the country.
While her laughter was brought unto the world and after giving birth to David Farentino, several months later her father passed away of a severe heart attack in 1970 at age 54. Michele was devastated by the loss of her father but she quickly directed herself to head back to work. She accepted a role on Broadway in "Seesaw", where her work gave her a 1974 Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. However, tragedy haunted Michele when she was unable to spring back for a long time after her mother died in 1974. Near the end of 1979, after being on vacation with her husband and only child, she accepted the leading role of the feisty-yet-friendly neighbor Karen Fairgate MacKenzie in the prime-time soap opera Knots Landing (1979), which spun-off the immensely popular serial Dallas (1978) on CBS. For 14 of those years, Michele was the big asset of the series and by the very first year that it debuted, it had low ratings and producers, at times, wanted to send "Dallas" stars to the cul-de-sac, including that of Larry Hagman, who met Lee after the pilot episode.
By the Fall of 1980, Lee and the producers of "Knots Landing" always wanted to do something better in order to boost up the ratings and in September of that same year, after refusing to accept "no" for an answer, former dancer and movie starlet Donna Mills came to the series by playing Lee's manipulative, nasty and least popular sister-in-law Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner, and the series became #1 for the next 13 seasons, among other 1980s soaps that stood the test of time. By 1982, she was nominated for one Emmy Award, but had won the Soap Opera Digest Award, three times. The triumph of the series was splendid but in real-life, her marriage to James Farentino was a burden and the couple was divorced in 1983. In 1989, while going on strong with her role on "Knots Landing", she also became the series' director, starting to direct several episodes of the series and just before Donna Mills left, making Lee the big star of the series.
By the 14th and the final season, most of her co-stars of "Knots Landing" were asked to be absent (except co-star Joan Van Ark, who left in 1992) a number of times on the series, but for Lee, she had declined to be absent and wanted to show up without pay. In 1993, "Knots Landing" was cancelled when her second family came to a close and due to high salary amongst her co-stars. When the series was dropped away from its schedule on CBS, she was open to new opportunities. She began to produce and develop her own television movies through her own production company. She has had an incredible career that spans almost 40 years in television, film and on stage and in 1999, she earned her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is located not far from the site of her very first audition for "Vintage '60".
In 1995, after learning a great deal from her idol Dottie West, she appeared in the CBS-TV movie Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story (1995), playing the character of the same name doing all the singing and knowing what it was like to be Dottie West. Before she came back to do a reunion movie called Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac (1997), she played a retarded woman named Dina Blake on Lifetime's Color Me Perfect (1996) and was the first lady to star, write and produce a movie for Cable Television and, like The Love Bug, it was the best movie on Cable Television in 1996. In 2000, she starred opposite Valerie Harper in the Broadway play "Tale of the Allergist's Wife" in New York and almost four years later after a 35-year-absence, she returned to the big screen to play Ben Stiller's mother in Along Came Polly (2004).- Born in Hong Kong, Lee moved to Canada with her parents at a young age. After completing her education at a Canadian university, she decided to return to Hong Kong and compete in the city's "Miss Hong Kong" beauty pagent. Her acting career was given a head start after receiving second runner-up in the competition and she was subsequently offered many tv and movie roles.
- Jewel Lee was born in 1974 in Guilin, Guangxi, China. She is an actress, known for Naked Weapon (2002), Lethal Angels (2006) and X-Cop Girls (2000).
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Nora Miao was born on 8 February 1952 in Hong Kong, China. She is an actress and production manager, known for The Way of the Dragon (1972), The Big Boss (1971) and Fist of Fury (1972).- Actress
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A Hong Kong Oscar winner and daughter of martial arts legend 'Pei-pei Cheng', Eugenia Yuan started out her career not as an actress, but as a champion rhythmic gymnast for the U.S. Olympic Team. Eventually, career switching from an athlete to on-screen ingénue, Eugenia made her screen debut co-starring with her mother in the martial arts picture _Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger (2002). She caught the eye of movie executives on both sides of world who offered to groom to take inherit her mother's kung fu crown. Eugenia opted instead to co-star in the dark, low-budget feature Charlotte Sometimes which garnered an honor at the Independent Spirit Awards and was publicly championed by national film critic Roger Ebert and featured in his own film festival. Eugenia returned to Hong Kong to star in the feature collection of three dramatic shorts by heavy weight local directors entitled Three... Extremes where she nabbed the Hong Kong Film Award as "Best Newcomer" (Hong Kong's equivalent of the Academy Awards). Soon after, Hollywood director Doug Liman hand-picked her for the title role of the cult hit mockumentary Mail Order Wife (2004)), which brought her to national attention when she was named as a "Rising Star/Screen Acting Discovery" by the Hamptons International Film Festival where the film premiered. She was later nominated for Hong Kong's prestigious Golden Horse Award for her starring role in The Eye 2 (2004) and made memorable turns in John Dahl's The Great Raid (2005) and, most recently, the Oscar-winning Memoirs of a Geisha. Eugenia continues to shuttle back and forth between Los Angeles, New York, and Hong Kong to take Studio, Chinese-language and American independent roles alike including the 2007 Gotham Awards winning film Choking Man. She also co-stars with Hong Kong icon 'Tony Leung Ka Fai' in the Hong Kong thriller _Zhan. gu (2007). Most recently Eugenia has starred in the Martin Scorsese feature at the Toronto Film Festival, Revenge of the Green Dragons and is wrapping Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2.- Actress
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Zhou Xun is an internationally acclaimed Chinese actress and singer.
She caught international attention through her roles in Lou Ye's Suzhou River in 2000 and Dai Sijie's film adaption of the book of same name Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress in 2002. In 2003, she starred in the television remake of Jinyong's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes as "Huang Rong" with actor Li Yapeng. Zhou then successfully entered the Hong Kong film market in Peter Chan's Perhaps Love in 2005. This role gained her the Best Actress award in the Hong Kong Film Awards. Aside from acting, she has also released solo albums in 2003 titled "Summer" and in 2005 "Come Across", and sang for "Baober In Love," "Xin Bian Guo Le Xi San Meng You Xian Jing," and "Perhaps Love" motion picture soundtracks.- Actress
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Grace holds two Certificates of Distinction in Speech and Drama from Trinity College London in the UK. Nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy, she plays Lauren in John Madden's film "Miss Sloane" with Jessica Chastain. Her directorial debut, A False Sense of Security, won Special Jury Mention at AFFD in Dallas, Texas. She splits her time between North America and the UK, where she studied naturopathic medicine.