After appearing in Mission Impossible III, Balls of Fury and Live Free or Die Hard, you might have to add Maggie Q to the list of well known names soon. The IMDB also says she might be appearing in the Wolverine movie.
Ben Kingsley is the only other one that comes to mind, though I don’t think his mixed ancestry is common knowledge.
To answer the OP, I think it is mostly cultural factors. I’ve noticed that there is a lot more emphasis on education among my Asian friends, particularly first or second gen. Both of the schools I have attended recently have a very high percentage of Asians and the pre-med, biology, chemistry, etc classes have a much greater percentage of Asians than mythology, premodern history, etc.
Yes, Ziyi Zhang was the first one I thought of (drool). I’m not sure about your spelling though.
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned Bai Ling. Of course, the next word to come to mind is “nipple”…
Michelel Yeoh. Lucy Liu, who is American. Bai Ling. Zyang Ziyi. Sandra Oh, a Canadian.
There might be such a limited number in part because placed like Japan and China have lucrative, vibrant film industries of their own and will pay top dollar for Asian talent.
No, Watt’s Australian.
Ada and Arlene Tai, probably best known for the movie “Big Fish”
Stephanie Jacobsen (Kendra Shaw from BSG Razor)
Lee Yeong-ae, the lead in “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.”
Please. She is not famous at all outside of Korea, and maybe some circles of Asian film buffs. (Although she should be. She’s a great actress, and a beautiful one.)
I really don’t understand why this thread has become a “Name the obscure Asian actress” contest. I could name ten off the top of my head that most of the posters here will never have heard of. The point of the OP is that the average American (or Westerner, if you prefer) who is not a movie buff or cinema major will not be able to name more than five famous Asian actresses, if that .
Without reading beyond the OP:
Lea Salonga (my first response)
Linda Park (Hoshi on ST Enterprise)
Tamlyn Tomita (Daniel-san’s love interest in Karate Kid II)
Tia Carrere (Wayne’s World)
Yeah, Lucy Lui was first to come to mind because she has a new TV show which I watched recently. The second name to come to mind was Beulah Quo because I had run across her name recently while reading some other bios on IMDB.
Bricker, did you seriously come up with the name “Tamlyn Tomita” right off the top of your head? Or did you think, “what about that girl in Karate Kid Part II” and then look it up?
HazelNutCoffee has got it right. My point in this thread is that there don’t seem to be any Asian actresses who are household names besides Lucy Liu (who I don’t think is that pretty or that good of an actor, but that’s another matte.) And when it comes to men, I doubt anyone could name a single Asian leading man besides Jackie Chan, Jet Li and a bunch of other typecast karate characters.
She didn’t pop into my head immediately, but I’m sorry I forgot the mention the phenomenal Tang Wei, who was so fearless in Lust, Caution.
And speaking of Lust, Caution, and Asian men…Tony Leung, who was also in Hero, as well as In The Mood For Love with Maggie Cheung.
Also…
Chow Yun Fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Leslie Cheung (RIP. He was the guy in The Bride With White Hair)
But yeah, men are even harder than women.
I’m really surprised no one mentioned Yunjin Kim, “Sun” from Lost and also appearing on the Maxim 100 Hottest Women.
She was who came to mind first for me.
Could it be the fact that many Asian women (and men) have such (for lack of a better word) “thick” accents when they speak English that the average American movie-goer is not going to put the effort into listening closely?
Now, not all do, especially the ones born here of Asian descent, but many do. Just a guess, not my own personal opinion.
Two, could it be that there are just not as many roles written for Asian women in mainstream American films? We gladly pay to see Julia Robert and Hugh Grant in romantic comedies but would we pay to see (obscure Asian actress) and Hugh?
Sir Rhosis
Ah, Bai Ling.The linked site does hilarious fashion reviews, and they’ve got a special place in their fashion hell for Bai Ling. And judging from the pictures of her many scanty outfits, they are completely right.
I thought all of those outfits were really sexy. Are the guys who write those reviews gay or something? Or are they women? They looked good to me, anyway. What’s wrong with wearing something a little out-there and showing off a nice body besides?
They’re women, and of the opinion, which I share, that I really don’t need to see your Fallopian tubes all the time.