Lucy Liu
| Lucy Liu | |
|---|---|
 Liu at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con |
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| Born | December 2, 1968 Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, United States |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan, Stuyvesant High School[1] |
| Occupation | Actress, producer, model, narrator, film producer |
| Years active | 1989–present |
Lucy Alexis Liu (born Lucy Liu; December 2, 1968) is an American actress, model, artist, narrator, and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal (1998–2002) for which she was nominated for both a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series. She has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Payback, Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.
In 2012, Liu joined the cast of the TNT original series Southland in the recurring role of Jessica Tang, for which she won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Drama Guest Actress. In 2008, she was the series lead of her own television show, the ABC comedy-drama, Cashmere Mafia, which was short-lived and ended after one abbreviated season. The show is one of only a few American television shows with an Asian American series lead. She is currently one of the two series lead actors of the CBS television crime drama, Elementary, based on the story of Sherlock Holmes, playing the role of Joan Watson.
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Early life [edit]
Lucy Liu was born in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. In high school, she adopted her middle name "Alexis".[2] She is the youngest of three children born to Cecilia, who worked as a biochemist, and Tom Liu, who was trained as a civil engineer but sold digital clock pens.[3][4] Her parents worked many jobs when Lucy and her siblings were growing up.[5] Both of Liu's parents were immigrants of Taiwanese or Chinese descent.[6][7] She has an older brother, John,[8][9][10][11] and an older sister, Jenny.[12]
Liu has stated that she grew up in a "diverse" neighborhood. She learned to speak Mandarin at home and began studying English when she was five years old.[13] Liu attended Joseph Pulitzer Middle School (I.S.145), and graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1986.[1] She enrolled at New York University and transferred to the University of Michigan, where she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority. Liu earned a bachelor's degree in Asian languages and cultures. In Michigan, Liu worked as a waitress.[14]
Career [edit]
1989–1999 [edit]
In 1989, Liu auditioned for the University of Michigan's production of Alice in Wonderland during her senior year of college. Although she had originally tried out for only a supporting part,[15] Liu was cast in the lead role. While queuing up to audition for the musical Miss Saigon in 1990, she told The New York Times, "There aren't many Asian roles, and it's very difficult to get your foot in the door."[16] In May 1992, Liu made her New York stage debut in Fairy Bones, directed by Tina Chen.[17]
Liu had small roles in films and TV, marking her debut. She was cast in both The X-Files in "Hell Money" and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys in "The March to Freedom", before landing a role on Ally McBeal. Liu originally auditioned for the role of 'Nelle Porter' (played by Portia de Rossi), and the character Ling Woo was later created specifically for her. Liu's part on the series was originally temporary, but high audience ratings secured Liu as a permanent cast member. Additionally, she earned an Emmy[18] nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.[15] In Payback (1999), Liu portrayed Pearl, a high-class BDSM prostitute with links to the Chinese mafia.
2000–2006 [edit]
Liu was cast as Alex Munday in the Charlie's Angels films, alongside Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz. The film opened in November 2000 and earned more than $125 million in the United States. Charlie's Angels earned a worldwide total of more than $264 million. The sequel, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, opened in June 2003 and also did well at the box office, earning more than $100 million in the U.S. and a worldwide total of more than $259 million. In contrast, Liu starred with Antonio Banderas in Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, a critical and box office failure.
In 2000, she hosted Saturday Night Live with Jay-Z. Liu starred as lawyer Grace Chin on Ugly Betty in the episodes "Derailed" and "Icing on the Cake". In a 2001 episode of Sex and the City entitled "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda" she guest starred as herself, playing a new client of character Samantha Jones who does public relations. She starred in the Sex and the City–inspired TV show, Cashmere Mafia on ABC. Liu also made a cameo appearance on the animated shows Futurama (as herself and/or robot duplicates thereof in the episodes "I Dated a Robot" and "Love and Rocket") and The Simpsons (on the season 16 episode "Goo Goo Gai Pan").
In 2002, Liu played Rita Foster in Vincenzo Natali's Brainstorm (aka Cypher). Soon thereafter, she appeared as O-Ren Ishii in Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film, Kill Bill. She won an MTV Award for "Best Movie Villain" for the part. Subsequently, Liu appeared on several episodes of Joey with Matt LeBlanc, who played her love interest in the Charlie's Angels films. She also had minor roles as Kitty Baxter in the film Chicago and as a psychologist opposite Keira Knightley in the thriller Domino. In Lucky Number Slevin, she played the leading love interest to Josh Hartnett. 3 Needles was released on December 1, 2006. Liu portrayed Jin Ping, an HIV-positive Chinese woman.[19]
2007–present [edit]
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In 2007, Liu appeared in Code Name: The Cleaner, Rise, a supernatural thriller co-starring Michael Chiklis in which Liu plays an undead reporter[13] (for which she was ranked number 41 on "Top 50 Sexiest Vampires"),[20] and Watching the Detectives, an independent romantic comedy co-starring Cillian Murphy. She made her producer debut and also starred in a remake of Charlie Chan, which had been planned as early as 2000.[15]
In 2007 Empire named Liu number 96 of their "100 Sexiest Movie Stars."[21] The producers of Dirty Sexy Money created a role for Liu as a series regular. Liu played Nola Lyons, a powerful attorney who faced Nick George (Peter Krause).[22] Liu voiced Silvermist in Disney Fairies and Viper in Kung Fu Panda.[15]
In March 2010, Liu made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning play God of Carnage as Annette on the second replacement cast alongside Jeff Daniels, Janet McTeer, and Dylan Baker.[23] In March 2012, she was cast as Joan Watson for Elementary. Elementary is an American Sherlock Holmes adaption, and the role Liu was offered is traditionally played by men.[24] She also has played police officer Jessica Tang on Southland, a television show focusing on the lives of police officers and detectives in Los Angeles as a recurring guest actor during the fourth season.[25][26] She received the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Drama Guest Actress for this role.[27]
In August 2011, Liu became a narrator for the musical group The Bullitts.[28][29] Liu stars as Joan Watson, a version of Dr. John Watson, in the CBS crime drama Elementary, a contemporary update of Sherlock Holmes, in which she stars opposite Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes. Liu's double duty as an NYPD consultant on Elementary and an LAPD officer on Southland won her praise from TV Guide in their "Cheers & Jeers 2012" issue, which cheered her "arresting performances".[30]
Personal life [edit]
Liu, who is an artist in several media, has had three gallery shows showcasing her collage, paintings, and photography.[31] She began doing collage mixed media when she was 16 years old, and became a photographer and painter.[32] In September 2006, Liu held an art show and donated her share of the profits to UNICEF.[32][33] She also had another show in 2008 in Munich. Liu has stated that she donated her share of the profits from the NYC Milk Gallery gallery show to UNICEF.[34] In London, portion of the proceeds from her book Seventy Two went to UNICEF.[35]
In 2001 Liu was the spokesman for the Lee National Denim Day fundraiser, which raises millions of dollars for breast cancer research and education.[36] In 2004 Liu was appointed an ambassador for U.S. Fund for UNICEF.[35] She traveled to Pakistan and Lesotho, among several other countries.[15] She also hosted an MTV documentary, Traffic, for the MTV EXIT campaign in 2007. In 2008, Liu produced and narrated the short film, The Road to Traffik, about the Cambodian heroine Somaly Mam. The film was directed by Kerry Girvin and co-produced by photographer Norman Jean Roy. This led to a partnership with producers on the documentary film REDLIGHT.[37][38] Early in 2006, Liu received an "Asian Excellence Award" for Visibility.[39] Liu is a supporter of marriage equality for gays and lesbians, and she became a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign in 2011.[40] She has teamed up with Heinz to combat the widespread global health threat of iron deficiency anemia and vitamin and mineral malnutrition among infants and children in the developing world.[41]
Filmography [edit]
Film [edit]
Television [edit]
Video games [edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | SSX Tricky | Elise Riggs | Voice |
| 2012 | Sleeping Dogs | Vivienne Lu | Voice |
References [edit]
- ^ a b Ogunnaike, Lola (October 13, 2003). "The Perks and Pitfalls of a Ruthless-Killer Role; Lucy Liu Boosts the Body Count in New Film". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
- ^ InStyle Magazine, May 2012, page 108
- ^ "Lucy Liu Biography (1968–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ "Fragments of Lucy Liu". The Guardian. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
- ^ "BRUSH WITH FAME: LUCY LIU". Retrieved July 23, 2012.
- ^ "Lucy Liu – Biography". Yahoo! Movies.
- ^ "Lucy Liu – Biography". NNDB.
- ^ Rose, Tiffany (June 29, 2003). "Lucy Liu: The Q interview – Features, Films". The Independent (London). Retrieved 2010-07-06.[dead link]
- ^ "The Asian Faces of Hollywood " MTVAsia.com Blog". Blog.mtvasia.com. October 27, 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-06.[dead link]
- ^ "Lucy Liu – an agent of change". The Independent (London). June 27, 2008. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ Talmadge, Eric (July 15, 2008). "Liu says ‘Kung Fu Panda’ is an improv adventure". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2010-07-06.
- ^ "Lucy Liu- Biography". Yahoo! Movies.
- ^ a b Radish, Christina (December 6, 2006). "Lucy Liu and Shawn Ashmore Talk about "3 Needles"". MediaBlvd Magazine. Retrieved 2006-12-21.
- ^ "ABOUT U-M". University of Michigan.
- ^ a b c d e Roberts, Sheila (December 21, 2006). "Lucy Liu Interview, CodeName The Cleaner". Movies Online. Archived from the original on January 6, 2007. Retrieved 2006-12-21.
- ^ "Scores of Actors Flock to Tryouts For Ethnic Roles in 'Miss Saigon'". Retrieved July 22, 2012.
- ^ "Outwitting a Variety of Demons". Retrieved July 22, 2012.
- ^ "Lucy Liu Emmy Award Winner". Emmys.com. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- ^ "Liu Shocked by Ridiculous Chinese AIDS 'Cures'". Contact Music. November 29, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-29.
- ^ "Latest Men's Lifestyle Stories". UGO.com. Retrieved 2010-05-21.
- ^ "EimpireOnline.com EmpireOnline.com, 100 Sexiest Movie Stars". Empire. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ "Lucy Liu Talks Dirty". AsianWeek. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ "Lucy Liu set for Broadway's 'God of Carnage'". USA Today. January 27, 2010.
- ^ Gonzalez, Sandra (February 27, 2012). "Lucy Liu cast as Watson in Sherlock Holmes–based pilot". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
- ^ "LAPD Angel: Lucy Liu sheds her glamour girl image for the gritty police series Southland". Daily Mail. January 2012.
- ^ "'Southland' Star Lucy Liu Talks Upcoming Partner Tensions, Whether She'll Return Next Season And More". Huffington Post. February 27, 2012.
- ^ "Lucy wins "Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series"". The Hollywood reporter. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ^ "About The Bullitts".
- ^ "Actress Lucy Liu performs (well, narrates) with UK group The Bullitts: Watch here". Music Mix. August 4, 2011.
- ^ Fretts, Bruce; Holbrook, Damian; Roush, Matt. "Cheers & Jeers 2012" TV Guide. December 24, 2012. p 16.
- ^ Tucker, Reed (May 1, 2006). "Painting By Numbers With Lucy Liu". Esquire. Retrieved 2006-12-06.
- ^ a b Live with Regis and Kelly. First aired on January 21, 2008.
- ^ "Auction of Lucy Liu’s Artwork Raises More Than $330,000, October 17, 2006.". Mcmurry.com. Retrieved 2010-03-08.[dead link]
- ^ "Custom Content Council".
- ^ a b "UNICEF".
- ^ Frontline Newsletter. Fall 2001. "Actress Lucy Liu (Ling Woo—TV’s Ally McBeal), served as spokesman for the 2001 Lee National Denim Day®, the world’s largest single-day fundraiser for breast cancer. The one-day event was not just about raising funds, though—it was also about raising awareness."
- ^ ""REDLIGHT The Movie Website". Redlightthemovie.com. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- ^ Lucy Liu (November 26, 2007). Traffic: An MTV EXIT Special presented by Lucy Liu—Part 1. Hulu. Event occurs at 1:11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_7uuFasVcc. Retrieved 2012-07-18. "MTV EXIT Documentary presented by Lucy Liu to raise awareness of human trafficking. Log on to www.mtvexit.org for more information. This program is produced rights-free and can be used by any broadcaster, website, organisation, or individual."
- ^ "Lucy Liu Charity Work, Events and Causes". looktothestars.org.
- ^ [1] Lucy Liu at HRC.com
- ^ "Heinz Micronutrient Campaign". Heinz Company. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
- ^ Kill Bill V2 at IMdb
- ^ "Official website of MEENA". Meenathemovie.com. 2011-12-08. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- ^ MEENA, a film by Lucy Liu. Jay lifton Retrieved on 2012-06-05.
- ^ Lucy Liu understands an actor’s psychology: Tannishtha. Times of India. Retrieved on 2012-08-30.
- ^ CBS Website. CBS
- ^ "Southland scores Lucy Liu for Season 4". Blog.zap2it.com. 2011-08-01. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- ^ [2]. Hollywood Reporter
- ^ NAACP Website. CBS
- ^ Jonny Lee Miller & Lucy Liu Explain Their Elementary Take On Sherlock Holmes! News. Yahoo. 2012-05-16. Retrieved on 2012-06-19.
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lucy Liu |
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- 1968 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses
- Actresses from New York City
- American actresses of Chinese descent
- American female singers
- American film actresses
- American film producers
- American people of Chinese descent
- American people of Taiwanese descent
- American television actresses
- American voice actresses
- New York University alumni
- People from Jackson Heights, Queens
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
- Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners
- Stuyvesant High School alumni
- University of Michigan alumni
