Ming-Na Wen | |||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Wen in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1963-11-20)November 20, 1963 (age 62) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Ming-Na | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Citizenship | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University (BFA) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Years active | 1985–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 溫明娜 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 温明娜 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Ming-Na Wen (Chinese:溫明娜; born November 20, 1963)[1] is an American[2] actress and model. She has won multiple awards throughout her career, including anAnnie Award and aSaturn Award, in addition to a nomination for aScreen Actors Guild Award. She was honored as aDisney Legend in 2019 and a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.
After gaining attention playingLien Hughes on the daytime soapAs The World Turns (1988-1991), Wen’s breakthrough role was as June Woo inThe Joy Luck Club (1993). Other early successes include the role ofDr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen in the medical drama seriesER (1995–2004) and her voice role asFa Mulan in theWalt Disney Animated ClassicMulan, as well as its sequelMulan II, several video games and guest appearances in TV shows such asSofia the First. Additionally, Wen made a cameo appearance in the live-action remake ofMulan (2020).
Wen is well-known for playing agentMelinda May in theMarvel seriesAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2020) and has also appeared in theStar Wars franchise as the bounty hunterFennec Shand, appearing inThe Mandalorian (2019–2020),Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021, 2024), andThe Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022). Other notable roles include that ofChun-Li inStreet Fighter (1994),Detective Ellen Yin inThe Batman (2004–2005),Judge Linda Harris inTwo and a Half Men (2007, 2010) andCamile Wray inStargate Universe (2009–2011).
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Wen was born on November 20, 1963, onColoane, one of the two main islands ofMacau.[1] Her mother Lin Chan Wen moved to Macau in the 1950s fromSuzhou,China, to escape communism.[3] Her father is ofMalaysian Chinese descent.[4] She has an older brother Jonathan[5] and a younger brother Leong.
Wen's parents divorced when she was an infant, and she moved with her brother and mother toHong Kong, where she attended a Catholic school. Her mother worked three jobs to provide for the family. Her mother remarried toChinese American Soo Lim Yee, and when Wen was four years old, the family moved toNew York City.[6] Her younger brother Leong was born there.
After five years, Wen's mother and stepfather relocated their family to thePittsburgh,Pennsylvania area, where they bought and operated the Chinatown Inn restaurant (established in 1943), which is still in business.[1] They resided in the suburb ofMt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and Wen attendedMount Lebanon High School.[7] She majored in theatre atCarnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, graduating in 1986.[3]
Wen's first television role was as a royal trumpeter in the children's television seriesMister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1985.[8] From 1988 to 1991, she played Lien Hughes, the daughter of Tom Hughes, on the soap operaAs the World Turns, becoming the first ever Asian to be on a contract role in a daytime soap.[9]
After starring in the filmThe Joy Luck Club (1993),[10] Wen landed the role ofDr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen on theNBC drama seriesER.[1] It was a recurring role during the 1994–1995 season, and she returned in 1999 as a series regular, remaining on the show until midway through Season 11 in 2004. Wen playedChun-Li inStreet Fighter (1994)[10] and co-starred on the sitcomThe Single Guy from 1995 to 1997.[1]
Wen provided the voice for thetitle character in the 1998 animated filmMulan, its direct-to-video sequel,Mulan II, and the video gameKingdom Hearts II, subsequently winning anAnnie Award. She voicedAki Ross in the animated filmFinal Fantasy: The Spirits Within and DetectiveEllen Yin in the animated seriesThe Batman. She voiced a minor character Jade in theHBO animated seriesSpawn.[10]
In 2004, Wen won a Hollywood Home Game on theWorld Poker Tour.[11] In the fall of 2005, she starred on the NBC drama seriesInconceivable as the lead character Rachel Lu. The series was cancelled after two episodes. Her next TV role was anFBI agent in theFox kidnapping drama seriesVanished, which premiered in the fall of 2006, but it too was cancelled. She played a college professor in the comedy seriesGeorge Lopez.
From October 8 through October 29, 2007, Wen (billed as Ming Wen) appeared in a four-episode arc ofCBS'sTwo and a Half Men playingCharlie Sheen's love interest, a judge closer to his own age.[12] In November 2008, she guest-starred on twoABC series:Private Practice andBoston Legal. From December 5 to 6, 2008, Wen starred in a benefit production of the musicalGrease with"Stuttering John" Melendez at the Class Act Theatre.[13]
Wen was cast as a regular in theStargate Universe television series from October 2009 to May 2011 as political attaché Camile Wray.[1] Wen appears inDisney Through the Decades, adocumentary short about the history ofThe Walt Disney Company, hosting the 1990s section.
Wen appeared on theSyfy seriesEureka as the inquisitive U.S. Senator Michaela Wen,[14] beginning in season four in 2011 and then serving as a major villain in the fifth and final season in 2012.[15]
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Wen starred as AgentMelinda May in the ABC superhero drama seriesAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which premiered on September 24, 2013.[16]
In August 2014, Wen reprised her role as Mulan for the first time sinceKingdom Hearts II in theDisney Channel seriesSofia the First. Wen's daughter has a recurring role on the show as Princess Jun.[17]
On December 7, 2017,Marvel Entertainment launched a new animation film franchise,Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors. Wen voicedHala the Accuser, the main antagonist of the film, working withAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. co-starChloe Bennet.[18] That same year, she once again provided the voice of Mulan inRalph Breaks the Internet.[19]
In 2019, it was announced that Wen would be a cast member of theStar Wars TV seriesThe Mandalorian playingFennec Shand.[20] She reprised the role vocally inStar Wars: The Bad Batch[21] and the live-action seriesThe Book of Boba Fett.[20]
In 2022, Wen made an appearance onYoung Sheldon as Dr. Lee, an experimental physicist responsible for mitigating conflict within a team of scientists.[22] She is set to recur on the second season ofHBO Max'sHacks.[23]
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Wen's roles asMelinda May andFennec Shand inAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. andThe Book of Boba Fett, respectively, have received critical acclaim.[24] In December 2021, she was included in the list ofBBC's100 Women of 2021.[25] Wen received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.[26][27][28]
She is also well known for her work withDisney.[29]WDW Magazine writer Aaron Widmar called Wen an "incredibly talented Chinese actress, who has had a remarkable career that seems to only gain steam as it progresses—a rarity in Hollywood".[29] He went on to say that she has "broken through barriers for Asian performers".[29] In a 2014 article by a Chinese evening magazine based inKunming, China, theSpring City Evening News wrote that "among the second-generation Chinese children who immigrated to the United States with their parents, Wen adhered to the excellent Chinese culture and etiquette."[30] She was named aDisney Legend at the 2019D23 Expo for her outstanding contributions to the Disney company.[31][32]
In 1990, Wen married Americanfilm writer Kirk Aanes. They divorced three years later. On June 16, 1995, Wen married Eric Michael Zee[1] and together they have a daughter and a son.[33] Wen's first pregnancy was written into theER script, with her character placing the child for adoption. Wen's daughter followed her mother's footsteps invoice acting. She voices Princess Jun in theDisney Channel-animated seriesSofia the First, credited as Michaela Zee.[17]
Wen istrilingual, fluent in English,Cantonese, andMandarin.[6] She is aBuddhist.[34]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Blind Spot | Mitsuko | Television film |
| Rain Without Thunder | "Uudie" Prisoner | ||
| The Joy Luck Club | Jian-Mei "June" Woo | ||
| 1994 | Vanishing Son II | Mai | Television film |
| Vanishing Son IV | Mai | Television film | |
| Hong Kong 97 | Katie Chun | ||
| Terminal Voyage | Han | ||
| Street Fighter | Chun-Li Zang | ||
| 1997 | One Night Stand | Mimi Carlyle | |
| 1998 | Tempting Fate | Ellen Moretti | Television film |
| Mulan | Mulan (voice) | [35] | |
| 12 Bucks | Gorgeous | ||
| 2000 | Not Black or White | Herself | Short |
| 2001 | Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within | Aki Ross (voice) | [35] |
| Aki's Dream | Aki Ross (voice) | Short | |
| 2002 | A Ribbon of Dreams | Mei-Ling (voice) | |
| Teddy Bears' Picnic | Katy Woo | ||
| 2004 | Mulan II | Mulan (voice) | Video[35] |
| Perfection | Woman | Short | |
| 2008 | Prom Night | Dr. Elisha Crowe | |
| 2009 | Push | Emily Wu | |
| 2010 | BoyBand | Judy Roberts | |
| 2012 | Super Cyclone | Dr. Jenna Sparks | Video |
| 2014 | April Rain | Hillary | |
| Parallel Man: Infinite Pursuit | Agent Mackenzie Cartwright (voice) | Short[36][37] | |
| 2016 | The Darkness | Wendy Richards | |
| 2018 | Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors | Hala the Accuser (voice) | Television film[35] |
| Ralph Breaks the Internet | Mulan (voice) | [35] | |
| 2019 | Swimming | Lilian | Short |
| 2020 | Mulan | Esteemed Guest | [38] |
| Pearl | Headmistress | ||
| 2021 | DC Showcase: The Losers | Fan Long (voice) | Short film; direct-to-video[35] |
| 2023 | Glitter & Doom | Ivy | [39] |
| 2025 | Karate Kid: Legends | Dr. Fong | [40] |
| TBA | Persephone | [41] | |
| TBA | Better Life | Post-production[42][43] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Mister Rogers' Neighborhood | Royal Trumpeter #3 | Episode: "1549 & 1550: Music" |
| 1987 | Another World | Abby | Episode: "Episode #1.5950" |
| 1988–1991 | As the World Turns | Lien Hughes | Regular cast |
| 1994 | All-American Girl | Amy | Episode: "Redesigning Women" |
| 1995–1997 | The Single Guy | Trudy Sloan | Main cast |
| 1995–2004 | ER | Dr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen | Recurring cast (season 1); main cast (seasons 6–11) |
| 1997 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Lani (voice) | Episode: "Puss in Boots" |
| 1998–1999 | Todd McFarlane's Spawn | Lisa Wu/Jade (voice) | Recurring cast[35] |
| 1999 | Oh Yeah! Cartoons | Ming Lan (voice) | Episode: "ChalkZone: Chalk Rain"[35] |
| 2002 | Hollywood Squares | Herself/Panelist | Episode: "April 29, 2002" |
| 2003 | The Bronx Bunny Show | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.1" |
| House of Mouse | Mulan (voice) | Episode: "Salute to Sports" | |
| 2004 | World Poker Tour | Herself | Episode: "Hollywood Home Game III" |
| The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | Peggy Tsu (voice) | Episode: "The Great Egg Heist"[35] | |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Li Mei | Episode: "Debt" | |
| 2004–2005 | The Batman | Ellen Yin (voice) | Recurring cast (seasons 1–2)[35] |
| 2005 | Inconceivable | Rachel Lu | Main cast |
| 2005, 2015 | Robot Chicken | Mary-Kate Olsen/Tina Nguyen/Ming-Ming Duckling (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | George Lopez | Professor Tracy Lim | Recurring cast (season 5) |
| Vanished | Agent Lin Mei | Main cast | |
| 2007 | American Masters | Narrator (voice) | Episode: "Novel Reflections: The American Dream" |
| 2007–2010 | Two and a Half Men | Judge Linda Harris | Recurring cast (season 5); guest (season 7) |
| 2008 | Private Practice | Kara Wei | Episode: "Let It Go" |
| Boston Legal | Ming Wang Shu | Episode: "Roe" | |
| 2008–2014; 2025–present | Phineas and Ferb | Dr. Hirano (voice) | Recurring cast (seasons 1 & 4); guest (season 2)[35] |
| 2009 | Ni Hao, Kai-Lan | Gui Nai Nai (voice) | Episode: "Kai-Lan's Trip to China" |
| 2009–2011 | Stargate Universe | Camile Wray | Main cast |
| 2011–2012 | Eureka | U.S. Senator Michaela Wen | Recurring cast (seasons 4–5) |
| 2011 | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Herself | Episode: "Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ming-Na, Chi McBride, Mia Tyler" |
| 2012 | Adventure Time | Finn's Mom (voice) | Guest (season 4); recurring cast (season 5)[35] |
| 2013 | Nashville | Calista Reeves | Episode: "You Win Again" |
| 2013–2020 | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | AgentMelinda May | Main cast |
| 2014–2018 | Sofia the First | Mulan/Vega (voice) | Guest (season 2); recurring cast: (season 4) |
| 2015 | Hollywood Game Night | Herself/Celebrity Player | Episode: "Cedric Gives Niecy a Hand" |
| 2017 | We Bare Bears | Ranger Zhao (voice) | Episode: "Ranger Games" |
| 2017–2018 | Milo Murphy's Law | Savannah (voice) | Recurring cast (season 1); guest (season 2)[35] |
| 2017–2019 | Fresh Off the Boat | Stephanie/Elaine | Guest (season 3); recurring cast (season 5) |
| 2018 | Iron Chef America | Herself/ICA Judge | Episode: "Guarnaschelli vs. Williams" |
| Celebrity Family Feud | Herself | Episode: "Jeff Dunham vs Ming-Na Wen andTaye Diggs vsCaroline Rhea" | |
| Guardians of the Galaxy | Phyla-Vell (voice) | Recurring cast (season 3)[35] | |
| America 2.0 | Helen Chan | Recurring cast | |
| 2018–2019 | Hot Streets | Soo Park (voice) | Recurring cast (seasons 1–2)[35] |
| 2019 | Marvel Rising | Hala the Accuser (voice) | Episode: "Heart of Iron" |
| Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart | Tanya Keys (voice) | Episode: "Meet Tanya Keys" | |
| 2019–2020 | The Mandalorian | Fennec Shand | Guest (season 1); recurring cast (season 2) |
| 2020 | Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens | Aunt Sandra | Episode: "Vagarina" |
| 50 States of Fright | Susan | Episode: "America's Largest Ball of Twine (Kansas) – Part 1-3" | |
| 2021 | Yasuke | Natsumaru (voice) | Main cast[44][35] |
| Pretty Smart | Jayden's Mom | Episode: "OMG! Jayden's mom is back!" | |
| 2021–2022 | The Book of Boba Fett | Fennec Shand | Main cast[45] |
| 2021, 2024 | Star Wars: The Bad Batch | Fennec Shand (voice) | 3 episodes[46][35] |
| 2022 | Young Sheldon | Dr. Carol Lee | Episode: "A Free Scratcher and Feminine Wiles"[47] |
| Hacks | Janet Stone | 2 episodes | |
| 2023–2024 | Velma | Carroll (voice) | Recurring cast |
| 2023 | Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai | Fong Wing (voice) | Main cast[48][35] |
| Mech Cadets | Dolly Yu (voice) | Main cast[49][35] | |
| Blue Eye Samurai | Madame Kaji (voice) | Recurring cast[50] | |
| 2024 | Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft | Eva Tong (voice) | Episode: "Living Midnight"[35] |
| 2025 | The Mighty Nein | Dairon (voice) | [51] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Parallel Man: Infinite Pursuit | Major Mackenzie Cartwright | Voice, short film |
| Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Double Agent | Herself | "Infiltrating the Set" | |
| 2016 | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Academy | Herself | Episodes: "Skydive Challenge", "Commencement" |
| Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot | Agent Melinda May | 2 episodes | |
| 2020 | 50 States of Fright | Susan | Episode: "Ball of Twine" |
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Street Fighter: The Movie | Chun-Li | |
| 1999 | Disney's Story Studio: Mulan | Mulan | |
| 2006 | Kingdom Hearts II | [35] | |
| 2015 | Disney Infinity 3.0 | ||
| 2016 | Lego Marvel's Avengers | Agent Melinda May | |
| Disney Magic Kingdoms | Mulan | ||
| 2023 | Disney Speedstorm | ||
| 2024 | Disney Dreamlight Valley |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Annie Award | Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Female | Mulan | Won |
| 1999 | Online Film & Television Association Award | Best Family Actress | Won | |
| Best Voice-Over Performer | Nominated | |||
| 2001 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | ER | Nominated |
| 2014 | People's Choice Award | Favorite Actress in a New TV Series | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Nominated |
| 2015 | TVLine's Performer of the Week | Performance in "Melinda" | Won | |
| 2016 | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite TV Actress – Family Show[52] | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Disney Legend | Film, Television, & Animation — Voice | Herself | Honoree |
| 2021 | 1st Hollywood Critics Association TV Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama[53] | The Mandalorian | Nominated |
| BBC's100 Women | Entertainment & Sport[25] | Herself | Honoree | |
| 2022 | 2nd Hollywood Critics Association TV Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama[54] | The Book of Boba Fett | Nominated |
| Saturn Awards | Best Actress in a Streaming Presentation[55][56] | Won | ||
| Hollywood Walk of Fame | Television[57] | Herself | Honoree | |
| 2023 | Carnegie Mellon University Alumni Award | Alumni Achievement Awards[58] | Honoree | |
| Gold House | Gold Generation Award[59] | The Joy Luck Club | Won[a] |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
