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IMDbPro

Lucy Liu(I)

  • Actress
  • Director
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000537
Lucy Liu at an event for Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (2002)
In this extended interview, stars Zachary Levi, Lucy Liu, Jack Dylan Grazer, Asher Angel, and director David F. Sandberg get quizzed about their IMDb first credits, Wii injuries, first jobs, and much more.
Play clip8:37
Burning Questions with the Stars of 'Shazam! Fury of The Gods' [Extended Cut]
99+ Videos
99+ Photos
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.
BornDecember 2, 1968
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornDecember 2, 1968
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000537
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
    • 16 wins & 32 nominations total

Asian Icons of Film and Television

Asian Icons of Film and Television

Celebrate some of the most iconic Asian actors in film and television history, from Michelle Yeoh to Donnie Yen, plus many more.
See the gallery
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Photos

Photos834

Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
Lucy Liu, Meagan Good, D.J. Cotrona, and Grace Caroline Currey in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
Lucy Liu in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
Clint Eastwood and Lucy Liu in True Crime (1999)
Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
Lucy Liu in Why Women Kill (2019)
David Ogden Stiers, Lucy Liu, Portia de Rossi, Mark Metcalf, and Wayne Newton in Ally McBeal (1997)
Lucy Liu in Saturday Night Live (1975)
Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu in Charlie's Angels (2000)
Drew Barrymore, Bill Murray, and Lucy Liu in Charlie's Angels (2000)

Known for

Uma Thurman in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
8.2
  • O-Ren Ishii
  • 2003
Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu in Charlie's Angels (2000)
Charlie's Angels
5.6
  • Alex
  • 2000
Richard Gere, Renée Zellweger, and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago (2002)
Chicago
7.2
  • Kitty Baxter
  • 2002
Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
4.9
  • Alex Munday
  • 2003

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress

  • The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend
    • Cheng Shih (voice)
    • In Production
    • 2023
  • Red One
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • A Man in Full
    • Joyce Newman
    • Post-production
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2023
  • Exploding Kittens
    • (voice)
    • In Production
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • Old Guy
    • Anata
    • In Production
  • Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld
    • Pre-production
    • TV Series
  • Helen Mirren, Djimon Hounsou, Lucy Liu, Adam Brody, Meagan Good, Rachel Zegler, Zachary Levi, D.J. Cotrona, Grace Caroline Currey, and Ross Butler in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
    Shazam! Fury of the Gods
    • Kalypso
    • 2023
  • Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Jaboukie Young-White in Strange World (2022)
    Strange World
    • Callisto Mal (voice)
    • 2022
  • Death to 2021 (2021)
    Death to 2021
    • Snook Austin
    • TV Special
    • 2021
  • Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000)
    Curb Your Enthusiasm
    • Lucy Liu
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Matthew Lillard, Grey Griffin, Frank Welker, and Kate Micucci in Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? (2019)
    Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?
    • Lucy Liu (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Star Wars: Visions (2021)
    Star Wars: Visions
    • Bandit Leader (English version, voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Stage Mother (2020)
    Stage Mother
    • Sienna
    • 2020
  • Allison Tolman in Why Women Kill (2019)
    Why Women Kill
    • Simone Grove
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu in Elementary (2012)
    Elementary
    • Joan Watson
    • Dr. Joan Watson
    • TV Series
    • 2012–2019
  • Animals. (2016)
    Animals.
    • Yumi (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • Taye Diggs, Lucy Liu, Glen Powell, and Zoey Deutch in Set It Up (2018)
    Set It Up
    • Kirsten
    • 2018
  • Milla Jovovich, Lucy Liu, and James Franco in Future World (2018)
    Future World
    • Queen
    • 2018
  • Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, and Ryan Dillon in Sesame Street (1969)
    Sesame Street
    • Guest Star
    • TV Series
    • 2017
  • Michael Jackson's Halloween (2017)
    Michael Jackson's Halloween
    • Conformity (voice)
    • TV Movie
    • 2017
  • Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner in Difficult People (2015)
    Difficult People
    • Veronica Ford
    • TV Series
    • 2017

Director

  • American Born Chinese (2023)
    American Born Chinese
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • Ryan Eggold in New Amsterdam (2018)
    New Amsterdam
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • Allison Tolman in Why Women Kill (2019)
    Why Women Kill
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu in Elementary (2012)
    Elementary
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2014–2019
  • Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Mike Colter in Luke Cage (2016)
    Luke Cage
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • Daniel Sunjata and Aaron Tveit in Graceland (2013)
    Graceland
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2015
  • Meena (2012)
    Meena
    • Director
    • 2012

Producer

  • The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend
    • executive producer
    • In Production
    • 2023
  • UNZIPPED: An Autopsy of American Inequality (2021)
    UNZIPPED: An Autopsy of American Inequality
    • executive producer
    • 2021
  • Redlight (2009)
    Redlight
    • producer
    • 2009
  • Nicollette Sheridan, Lucy Liu, and Cedric the Entertainer in Code Name: The Cleaner (2007)
    Code Name: The Cleaner
    • executive producer
    • 2007
  • Freedom's Fury (2006)
    Freedom's Fury
    • executive producer
    • 2006
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos184

The 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Cast Reveal Their True Superhero Identities
Clip 3:22
The 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Cast Reveal Their True Superhero Identities
Burning Questions with the Stars of 'Shazam! Fury of The Gods' [Extended Cut]
Clip 8:37
Burning Questions with the Stars of 'Shazam! Fury of The Gods' [Extended Cut]
How Well Do the ‘Shazam! Fury of The Gods’ Cast Know One Another?
Clip 3:52
How Well Do the ‘Shazam! Fury of The Gods’ Cast Know One Another?
Kung Fu Panda 3
Clip 1:23
Kung Fu Panda 3
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Clip 0:43
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Clip 0:49
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast
Clip 6:06
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast
Mulan II: 2-Movie Collection
Clip 2:02
Mulan II: 2-Movie Collection
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
Clip 1:02
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Clip 0:20
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Clip 0:25
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Clip 0:16
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
  • Alternative names
    • Lucy Alexis Liu
  • Height
    • 5′ 3″ (1.60 m)
  • Born
    • December 2, 1968
    • New York City, New York, USA
  • Children
    • Rockwell Lloyd Liu
  • Parents
      Cecilia Liu
  • Relatives
      Alex Liu(Sibling)
  • Other works
    2000: TV commercial for Revlon.
  • Publicity listings
    • 8 Interviews
    • 7 Articles
    • 22 Pictorials
    • 22 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Speaks Mandarin Chinese and English fluently. She also speaks a bit of Japanese and Italian.
  • Quotes
    I grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens, with no money. I was taught not to take anything for granted. If you are too busy being a diva or a freak, then you are not enjoying it.
  • Salaries
      Elementary
      (2012)
      $130,000 per episode (2013-2014)

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