John Cho | |
|---|---|
 Cho in 2024 | |
| Born | Cho Yo-Han (1972-06-16)June 16, 1972 (age 53) Seoul, South Korea |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 조요한 |
| Hanja | 趙要漢 |
| RR | Jo Yohan |
| MR | Cho Yohan |
John Yo-Han Cho (Korean:조요한; born June 16, 1972) is an American actor. As a performer, he is noted for his subtle and understated style of acting.[1] He is known for his roles as John/MILF guy #2 in theAmerican Pie film series (1999–2012), Harold Lee in theHarold & Kumar film series (2004–2011), andHikaru Sulu in theStar Trek reboot film series (2009–2016).
Cho became the first Asian American actor cast as a romantic lead in a romantic comedy series when he played Henry Higgs in the sitcomSelfie (2014)[2] and the first to headline a mainstream Hollywood thriller film when he starred inSearching (2018), for which he was nominated for anIndependent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.
Cho has had lead roles in television series such asFlashForward,Off Centre, andThe Afterparty, and recurring roles inSleepy Hollow andDifficult People. In his early career, Cho attained recognition for guest-starring in thefantasy television seriesCharmed.
Cho was born asCho Yo-Han (Korean:조요한) on June 16, 1972[3] inSeoul, South Korea. He moved to the United States with his family when he was 6 years old in 1978.[4][5] He was raised inLos Angeles, where his family settled after living inHouston, Texas;Seattle, Washington;Daly City, California; andMonterey Park, California.[6][7] His father was a minister in theChurch of Christ and was originally from North Korea.[6][7][8] He grew up with one younger brother.[9][10] At the time, his father believed in order to survive and assimilate in the U.S., Cho and his brother would need to stop speaking Korean and speak English instead. They would also watch American television as much as they could to absorb the new culture.[11]
Cho graduated fromHerbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California, in 1990.[7][12]
Cho attended theUniversity of California, Berkeley. In 1994, he toured nationally for a stage production ofMaxine Hong Kingston'sThe Woman Warrior by theBerkeley Repertory Theatre. He graduated in 1996 with aBachelor of Arts in English literature.[13][7][14]
After graduation, Cho taught English literature[15][9] atPacific Hills School in West Hollywood, California, while acting atEast West Players in downtownLos Angeles.[6][7][16] There, he appeared in Edward Sakamoto'sThe Taste of Kona Coffee in 1996 and in Euijoon Kim's filmMy Tired Broke Ass Pontificating Slapstick Funk in 2000.[17]
Cho gained attention with a small role as "MILF guy #2" in the 1999 comedyAmerican Pie, in which he popularized the slang termMILF.[7] Cho reprised the role in three sequels:American Pie 2,American Wedding, and the latest installmentAmerican Reunion in which he has a much larger role. His character initially had no name, but he was given the name "John" in the third film, named after Cho himself.
Cho guest-starred onCharmed as the ghost of Mark Chao, one of leading character Piper Halliwell's most prominent love interests, in the episode "Dead Man Dating" in 1998; he indicated in 2024 that it was a role that he "gets asked about... all the time".[18][19] He was one of the stars of the short-lived situation comedyOff Centre from 2001 to 2002; his character, Chau Presley, became the series' breakout character.
He was a costar on theFox sitcomKitchen Confidential, based onAnthony Bourdain'sbest-selling book. He had supporting roles in thescience fiction comedyEvolution, directed byIvan Reitman;Down to Earth; andBowfinger.
In 2002, Cho had a starring role in the ensemble cast ofJustin Lin'sBetter Luck Tomorrow, a drama focusing on the travails of a group ofAsian Americans living in Southern California who are academically successful but socially discontented, and as a result engage in wantonly violent, criminal behavior. It was well received by critics, with Elvis Mitchell ofThe New York Times describing Cho's character's "lazy magnetism of which he is charmingly aware".[20] Later that year, the movieBig Fat Liar was released, in which Cho played a Hong Kong-based film director. He refused to do the accent scripted for his character. The director worked with him to re-develop the role.[21]
Cho had a successful starring role as Harold Lee in 2004'sHarold & Kumar Go to White Castle and reprised the role in 2008'sHarold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay which earned $38 million at the box office,[22] and again in 2011'sA Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas which made $35 million.[23] Cho's role in the popular franchise was written specifically for him byHayden Schlossberg, and Cho has recounted that when Schlossberg first approached him with the role, he was initially suspicious.[6]
Cho appeared in the July 2004 issue ofKoreAm Journal and, in September 2006, was cast in NBC's new comedyThe Singles Table, but the series never aired due to changes in scheduling and production. In 2006[24] and again in 2009,[25] Cho was selected as one of the sexiest men alive inPeople magazine.
In 2007, Cho was added to the cast ofUgly Betty as a recurring character. Cho plays Kenny, a best friend of accountantHenry Grubstick. Cho played helmsmanHikaru Sulu inJ. J. Abrams's feature filmStar Trek.[26][27] Manohla Dargis ofThe New York Times praised him for making his role "ultimately and rather wonderfully [his] own".[28]
Cho appeared inNas' "Be a Nigger Too" music video along with various celebrities and had a guest appearance on the sitcomHow I Met Your Mother, in the episode "I'm Not That Guy" where he played a partner in an evil law firm. Of the latter, Staci Krause ofIGN, wrote that Cho was "the scene stealer in this episode" and that she would "definitely like to see more of him" in the series.[29]
From 2009 to 2010, Cho starred in the television seriesFlashForward as FBI Special AgentDemetri Noh.[30] His character was originally slated to be killed off during what turned out to be the show's only season, but after his turn as Sulu inStar Trek boosted his popularity, the producers revised the show's storyline so that he survived, in an attempt to boost declining ratings.[31]
In 2012, he was part of the cast ensemble ofGo On as Steven.[32]
Cho starred as Henry Higgs in the short-lived sitcomSelfie, a retooling of the playPygmalion byGeorge Bernard Shaw,[33][34] becoming the first Asian American man to play a romantic lead on a U.S. romantic comedy television series in 2014.[2] At the time, Keli Lee was the executive vice president of Talent and Casting at ABC who selected Cho as a candidate[35][36] and also previously cast Cho inFlashforward.[37]Julie Anne Robinson, one of the directors and executive producers ofSelfie, revealed in 2021 interviews that she strongly supported casting Cho and had to persuade "top to bottom of everybody in that chain" that he was the perfect choice for the role, which took considerable time. Robinson fought for Cho and won, saying, "That's what I'm most proud of about that whole pilot."[38][39][40] The show continued to have adedicated fan following after its broadcast,especially in China. The slow burn romance was similar to a Korean drama, which appealed to fans.[41][42][43] In July 2022, when Cho was asked about his thoughts on the show's cancellation, he answered, "I'm still stunned to see how many people still love that series. And yeah, I was bummed when it got canceled. I just thought that was a good show."[44] In January 2023, Cho mentioned he had not received many offers for romantic comedy roles sinceSelfie.[45] There were talks of aSelfie movie revival with Stars Collective, but plans have been stalled due to the Warner Brothers not selling the film rights.[46]
In 2016, he was a series regular for the television show as Andy Kim in the second season ofThe Exorcist television series.[47] In 2017, he starred in the filmColumbus, which received critical acclaim.[48] In 2018, Cho starred in the filmSearching, playing a man combing social media for clues to his daughter's disappearance. He was the first Asian American actor to headline a mainstream thriller in Hollywood.[49][50] Also in 2018, he was presented with theSpotlight Award at theSan Diego International Film Festival.[51]
In April 2019,Variety reported that Cho had been cast asSpike Spiegel in a live-action version of theCowboy Bebop series.[52] However, production shut down when Cho suffered a knee injury in October and remained shut down until late September 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[53]Cowboy Bebop premiered on Netflix on November 19, 2021.
Cho wrote amiddle school novel for younger readers calledTroublemaker, which was released on March 22, 2022.[54] Also in 2022, Cho was cast in the second season of Apple TV+'s comedy seriesThe Afterparty as "Funcle" Ulysses Zhu.[55][56] The new season premiered in July 2023.
In May 2024, he had a cameo in the television adaptation ofThe Sympathizer.[57] In early August 2024, Cho voiced in the audiobook version of the romantic comedy book,Drop Dead, written by Lily Chu.[58] Cho starred in a sci-fi horror film,Afraid, released on August 30, 2024.[59]
In February 2025, Cho was cast in the second season ofPoker Face.[60] He also had cameos in severalMurderbot episodes, which premiered on May 16, 2025.[61] Cho made hisKorean drama debut inTempest, which was released on Disney+ and Hulu on September 10, 2025.[62][63]
In early 2026, Cho was cast in the Apple TV series,The Off Weeks.[64]
Cho is the lead singer for Viva La Union (formerly known as Left of Zed),[65] a Los Angelesgarage rock band composed of formerBerkeley andUSC students. They have one album, self-titled, while their song "Chinese Baby" is on theHarold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay soundtrack.
Cho married actress Kerri Higuchi in 2006.[66] They met at UC Berkeley and later dated when they moved to Los Angeles.[67] They have a son, born in 2008,[68] and a daughter, born in 2013.[69] As of 2015, he and his family live in Los Angeles, California.[70] He is close to his father, a former preacher; he has said he would like to play a role in the story of his father's generation, growing up in North Korea through theKorean War.[71]
Cho has said he found freedom in portraying Harold in theHarold and Kumar films because the stoner character goes against the grain of Asian Americans on screen.[71] He has said he has experienced racism during his career in Hollywood and that he tries to take roles that do not perpetuate Asian stereotypes.[72] Cho said he refused a request to do an Asian accent forBig Fat Liar, writing, "I don't want to do this role in a kid's comedy, with an accent, because I don't want young people laughing at an accent inadvertently".[73] In a 2015 tweet, he said, "Stop turning Asian roles white. It's bullshit and we all know it."[74] He described his casting inSelfie, which made him the first Asian to play a romantic lead on a U.S. romantic comedy television series, as being "revolutionary" and a "personal revolution". He said, "Asians narratively in shows are insignificant. They're the cop, or waitress, or whatever it is. You see them in the background. So to be in this position...is bit of a landmark".[75][76]
In 2016, Cho was the face of the "#StarringJohnCho" social movement and hashtag campaign, a bid to call attention to the lack of opportunities for Asian American actors in Hollywood. Created by William Yu, itPhotoshopped Cho's face onto existing movie posters as the male lead.[4][77] This created adomino effect: it inspired directorJon M. Chu to create the film adaptation ofCrazy Rich Asians[78] and that film's success inspiredKe Huy Quan to return to acting inEverything Everywhere All at Once.[79]
Cho supported the 2012 re-election campaign of Democratic U.S. PresidentBarack Obama.[80] He supported the Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.[81] Cho also supported the 2024 election campaign of Democratic presidential candidateKamala Harris.[82][83]
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Jeff Foxworthy Show | Pizza delivery man | Episode: "Twister of Fate" |
| 1998 | Felicity | Larry | Episode: "The Last Stand" |
| Charmed | Mark Chao | Episode: "Dead Man Dating" | |
| 2001 | Static Shock | Thomas Kim / Tantrum, Navigator (voices) | 2 episodes[86] |
| 2001–2002 | Off Centre | Chau Presley | Main role |
| 2002 | The Jamie Kennedy Experiment | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2005 | The Men's Room | Bob | 4 episodes |
| House M.D. | Harvey Park | Episode: "Love Hurts" | |
| 2005–2006 | Kitchen Confidential | Teddy Wong | Recurring role |
| 2006 | Grey's Anatomy | Marshall Stone | Episode: "Damage Case" |
| 2006–2023 | American Dad! | Vince Chung (voice) | 6 episodes |
| 2007 | How I Met Your Mother | Jefferson Coatsworth | Episode: "I'm Not That Guy" |
| Ugly Betty | Kenny | 3 episodes | |
| 'Til Death | Lucas Bender | Episode: "Come Out and Play" | |
| 2008 | Hollywood Residential | Himself | Episode: "It Happens" |
| 2009–2010 | FlashForward | Demetri Noh | Main role |
| 2010 | Childrens Hospital | Park | Episode: "Frankfurters. Allman Brothers. Death. Frankfurters" |
| 2011 | 30 Rock | Lorne | Episode: "Double-Edged Sword" |
| NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Chip | Episode: "The Birthday Part That Was Neither" | |
| 2012–2013 | Go On | Steven | Main role |
| 2013–2014 | Sleepy Hollow | Andy Brooks | 7 episodes |
| 2014 | Selfie | Henry Higgs | Main role |
| 2015 | BoJack Horseman | Lead improv-er (voice) | 2 episodes |
| The Mindy Project | Big Murder | Episode: "Lahiri Family Values" | |
| 2016 | New Girl | Daniel | Episode: "Jury Duty" |
| House of Lies | Sean Chew | Episode: "Holacracy" | |
| Drunk History | William Shakespeare | Episode: "Landmarks" | |
| Lip Sync Battle | Himself | Episode: "Ben Kingsley vs. John Cho" | |
| The Hindenburg Explodes! | Reggie | Pilot | |
| 2017 | Difficult People | Todd Ross | 4 episodes |
| The Exorcist | Andrew Kim | Main role (season 2) | |
| Do You Want to See a Dead Body? | Himself | Episode: "A Body and Some Quicksand" | |
| 2019 | The Twilight Zone | Raff Hanks | Episode: "The Wunderkind"[90] |
| 2020 | Home Movie: The Princess Bride | Inigo Montoya | Episode: "Chapter Nine: Have Fun Storming The Castle!" |
| 2021 | Cowboy Bebop | Spike Spiegel | Main role |
| 2023 | The Afterparty | "Funcle" Ulysses Zhu | Main role (season 2)[55][56] |
| Praise Petey | Bandit (voice) | ||
| Artbound | Himself | Season 14, episode 6: "East West Players: A Home on Stage";[91] documentary | |
| 2024 | The Sympathizer | James Yoon | Miniseries[92] |
| 2025 | Poker Face | Guy | Season 2, episode 8: "The Sleazy Georgian"[60] |
| Murderbot | Eknie Jef Chem (playing Captain Hossein) | Cameo[61] | |
| Long Story Short | TAMIT Boss (voice) | Episode: "There's A Mattress In There" | |
| Tempest | Anderson Miller | Korean drama[93] | |
| TBA | The Off Weeks | ||
| TBA | Rhona Who Lives by the River† | D'John |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1994 | The Woman Warrior[7] |
| 1995 | Ikebana |
| 1996 | The Taste of Kono Coffee |
| 1997 | F.O.B. |
| 2000 | My Broke Ass Pontificating Slapstick Funk |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Parallel Man: Infinite Pursuit | Agent Nick Morgan |
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | D.A. Pursuit of Justice | Lu Sun | [94] |
| 2003 | Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu | Additional characters | |
| 2013 | Star Trek | Hikaru Sulu | [86] |
Band: Left of Zed
Band: Viva La Union
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
