Lucy Liu
Birthday:
Birthplace:
New York City, NY
Best known to television audiences as Ling Woo, the raging force of political incorrectness on Ally McBeal, Lucy Alexis Liu has managed to cross over to the big screen in such features as Payback and Play It to the Bone. Born to Chinese parents in Jackson Heights, NY, on December 2, 1968, Liu grew up speaking both English and Mandarin. After graduating from Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School, she earned a degree in Asian languages and cultures from the University of Michigan, where she also studied acting, dance, and voice. Liu's first professional job was playing a waitress on Beverly Hills 90210, something that led to more substantial work on various TV shows, including a regular part on the TV series Pearl. Liu's biggest breakthrough came in 1998, when she was cast as Ling Woo on Ally McBeal. She had originally auditioned for the role of Nelle Porter, which ultimately went to Australian actress Portia DeRossi. David E. Kelley, the show's producer, was so impressed with Liu's audition, however, that he created the role of Ling Woo specifically for her. The character was initially supposed to be included on only a few episodes but proved so popular with the show's audience that Liu was made into a regular cast member.Unsurprisingly, the actress' increased exposure led to greater opportunities on the screen and after playing supporting roles in such films as Payback and Molly (both 1999), she moved on to more substantial work in Play It to the Bone and the Jackie Chan martial-arts period comedy Shanghai Noon, which cast her as a princess who has been kidnapped from her emperor father. In 2000, she also was cast in perhaps her most high-profile role to date, when she was chosen alongside Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz as one of the titular crime fighters in Charlie's Angels: The Movie.With the exception of a small role as an inmate in the Oscar-winning film Chicago, 2002 brought little recognition for Liu -- Cypher, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, and Party Monster with former Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin went virtually unseen by the general public. 2003's Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle placed Liu firmly back inside the spotlight, though she was somewhat overshadowed by the toothy blonde glint that is Cameron Diaz. Luckily for Liu, she was given the chance to shine quite independently when Quentin Tarantino cast her as the deadly O-Ren Ishii, AKA Cottonmouth, in Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003). Unfortunately roles in subsequent action films like Domino and Lucky Number Slevin failed to capitolize on that momentary career momentum, though a voice role as Viper in Kung Fu Panda (as well as the sequel and subsequent television series) found her continuing to kick butt in virtual form. Meanwhile, on the small screen, Liu donned a badge for a recurring role on the TNT cop series Southland.
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
MOVIES
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | BOX OFFICE | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|---|
61% | Stage Mother |
|
— | 2020 |
No Score Yet | Mère extravagante |
|
— | 2020 |
92% | Set It Up |
|
— | 2018 |
0% | Future World |
|
— | 2018 |
87% | Kung Fu Panda 3 |
|
$128.4M | 2016 |
100% | The Tale of the Princess Kaguya |
|
$0.5M | 2014 |
81% | The Pirate Fairy |
|
$5.6M | 2014 |
75% | TinkerBell and the Legend of the NeverBeast |
|
$1.3M | 2014 |
No Score Yet | Nómadas |
|
— | 2014 |
51% | The Man With the Iron Fists |
|
$15.7M | 2012 |
9% | Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You |
|
— | 2012 |
62% | Secret of the Wings |
|
$1.9M | 2012 |
33% | The Trouble with Bliss |
|
$11.4k | 2012 |
57% | Detachment |
|
$49.4k | 2012 |
81% | Kung Fu Panda 2 |
|
$165.3M | 2011 |
No Score Yet | Redlight |
|
— | 2011 |
78% | Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue |
|
$0.3M | 2010 |
No Score Yet | Marry Me |
|
— | 2010 |
100% | Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure |
|
— | 2009 |
No Score Yet | Afro Samurai: Resurrection |
|
— | 2009 |
No Score Yet | Kung Fu Panda: Secrets Of The Scroll |
|
— | 2008 |
90% | Tinker Bell |
|
— | 2008 |
87% | Kung Fu Panda |
|
$215.4M | 2008 |
No Score Yet | Fúria pela Liberdade |
|
— | 2008 |
No Score Yet | The Year of Getting to Know Us |
|
— | 2008 |
33% | Rise: Blood Hunter |
|
$59.9k | 2007 |
No Score Yet | Watching the Detectives |
|
— | 2007 |
4% | Code Name: The Cleaner |
|
$8.2M | 2007 |
36% | 3 Needles |
|
— | 2006 |
No Score Yet | Payback: Straight Up |
|
— | 2006 |
51% | Lucky Number Slevin |
|
$22.5M | 2006 |
No Score Yet | Maya & Miguel - Cinco de Maya |
|
— | 2006 |
18% | Domino |
|
$10.2M | 2005 |
No Score Yet | Maya & Miguel - Funny Fix-Ups |
|
— | 2005 |
No Score Yet | Maya & Miguel - Twice the Fun |
|
— | 2005 |
84% | Kill Bill: Volume 2 |
|
— | 2004 |
85% | Kill Bill: Volume 1 |
|
— | 2003 |
29% | Party Monster |
|
$0.3M | 2003 |
41% | Hotel |
|
— | 2003 |
42% | Charlie's Angels - Full Throttle |
|
$100.7M | 2003 |
No Score Yet | Hotel |
|
— | 2003 |
0% | Mulan II |
|
— | 2003 |
86% | Chicago |
|
— | 2002 |
58% | Cypher |
|
— | 2002 |
0% | Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever |
|
$14.3M | 2002 |
68% | Charlie's Angels |
|
$124.5M | 2000 |
79% | Shanghai Noon |
|
— | 2000 |
No Score Yet | Love Kills |
|
— | 1999 |
11% | Play It to the Bone |
|
— | 1999 |
14% | Molly |
|
— | 1999 |
33% | The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human |
|
— | 1999 |
54% | True Crime |
|
— | 1999 |
55% | Payback |
|
— | 1999 |
No Score Yet | Guy |
|
— | 1997 |
No Score Yet | Riot |
|
— | 1997 |
43% | City of Industry |
|
— | 1997 |
88% | Gridlock'd |
|
— | 1997 |
No Score Yet | Flypaper |
|
— | 1997 |
83% | Jerry Maguire |
|
— | 1996 |
No Score Yet | Bang |
|
— | 1995 |
TV
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet |
A World of Calm
2020
|
|
|
78% |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
|
|
|
67% |
Why Women Kill
2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Late Late Show With James Corden
2015
|
|
|
95% |
Elementary
2012-2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Talk
2010
|
|
|
96% |
Difficult People
2015-2017
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Sesame Street
1969-2020
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Sunday Morning
2011-2018
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness
2011-2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Billy on the Street
2011-2017
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Late Night With Seth Meyers
2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Late Show With David Letterman
1993-2015
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Wendy Williams Show
2008-2020
|
|
|
90% |
Southland
2009-2013
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The View
1997
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
2009-2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Chelsea Lately
2007-2014
|
|
|
86% |
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan
2008-2011
|
|
|
68% |
Dirty Sexy Money
2007-2009
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Cashmere Mafia
2008
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
|
|
|
97% |
Ugly Betty
2006-2010
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Maya & Miguel
2004-2007
|
|
|
85% |
The Simpsons
1989
|
|
|
50% |
Joey
2004-2006
|
|
|
36% |
Game Over
2004
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
King of the Hill
1997-2010
|
|
|
93% |
Futurama
1999-2013
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
1992-2014
|
|
|
61% |
Ally McBeal
1997-2002
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Saturday Night Live
1975
|
|
|
83% |
NYPD Blue
1993-2005
|
|
|
74% |
The X-Files
1993-2018
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
ER
1994-2009
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
1995-1999
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Coach
1989-1997
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Beverly Hills, 90210
1990-2000
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Elementary
|
|
|
63% |
Pearl
1997
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
2015
|
|
|
Quotes from Lucy Liu's Characters
Rita Foster: | I don't like rings. |
O-Ren Ishii: | As your leader, I encourage you from time to time, and always in a respectful manner, to question my logic. If you're unconvinced that a particular plan of action I've decided is the wisest, tell me so, but allow me to convince you and I promise you right here and now, no subject will ever be taboo. Except, of course, the subject that was just under discussion. The price you pay for bringing up either my Chinese or American heritage as a negative is... I collect your fucking head. Just like this fucker here. Now, if any of you sons of bitches got anything else to say, now's the fucking time! |
Madame Blossom: | Power belongs to no one. |
O-Ren Ishii: | Silly rabbit... |
The Bride: | Tricks are for... |
O-Ren Ishii: | Kids. |
O-Ren Ishii: | That really was a Hattori Hanzo sword. |
The Bride: | Is that what I think it is? |
O-Ren Ishii: | You didn't think it was gonna be that easy, did you? |
The Bride: | You know, for a second there, Yeah! I kinda did. |
Lindsey: | What happened to your nose? |
Slevin: | I was using it to break some guy's fist. |
O-Ren Ishii: | The price you pay for bringing up either my Chinese or my American heritage as a negative is, I collect your f**king head. Just like this f**ker here. Now if any of you sons of b**ches got anything else to say, NOW'S THE F**KING TIME! ...I didn't think so. |
Po: | I have to get to him. |
Tigress: | Then tell me why! |
Po: | He was there, okay?! The peacock was there the last time I saw my parents. He knows what happened...where I came from...who I am. (Tigress feeling depressed) Look, I'm going. I have to know. The hard core can't understand. |
Po: | He was there, okay?! The peacock was there the last time I saw my parents. He knows what happened...where I came from...who I am. [Tigress feeling depressed] Look, I'm going. I have to know. The hard core can't understand. |
Viper: | Tigress, no! (Thought Tigress was going to attack him, but actually hugged him; Crane's jaw drops) |
Viper: | Tigress, no! [Thought Tigress was going to attack him, but actually hugged him; Crane's jaw drops] |
Tigress: | The hard core do understand. But I can't watch my friend be killed. (To the furious five) We're going. |
Tigress: | The hard core do understand. But I can't watch my friend be killed. [to the furious five] We're going. |
Viper: | Tigress, no! |
O-Ren Ishii: | Silly Caucasian girl likes to play with samurai swords. You may not be able to fight like a samurai, but you can at least die like a samurai. |
O-Ren Ishii: | Silly Caucasian girl likes to play with Samurai swords. You may not be able to fight like a Samurai, but you can at least die like a Samurai. |
Po: | They must nearby. I can feel the kung fu chill riding up my spine. |
Po: | They must be close. I can feel a kung fu chill riding up my spine. |
Viper: | Sorry Po, it's just me. |
Tigress: | If he's smart he won't come back up those stairs. |
Monkey: | But he will. |
Viper: | He's not going to quit, is he? |
Mantis: | I'll tell you what, he's not gonna quit bouncing. |
Lindsey: | Why do they call him the Rabbi? |
Slevin: | Because he's a Rabbi... |
Lindsey: | I was just thinking that if you're still alive when I get back from work tonight... maybe, I don't know, we could go out to dinner or something? |