Rosalind Chao

Rosalind Chao (born September 23, 1957)Template:Efn is an American actress. She appeared as Soon-Lee Klinger in the mid-1980s CBS show AfterMASH, Rose Hsu Jordan in the 1993 movie The Joy Luck Club, the recurring character Keiko O'Brien on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the 1990s, and Dr. Kim on The O.C. in 2003. She also played Hua Li, Mulan's mother, in the live-action 2020 remake of Mulan. In 2024 she starred as Ye Wenjie in the Netflix production of 3 Body Problem. She played the role of Pei Pei in the 2003 film Freaky Friday and its 2025 sequel Freakier Friday.

Early life and education

Rosalind Chao was born in Los Angeles, California,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and raised in Anaheim. Her parents were performers with the Peking opera<ref name="Riley">Template:Cite web</ref> before they relocated to Anaheim, where they ran a successful pancake restaurant, Chao's Chinese and American Restaurant, across the street from Disneyland. Chao worked there from an early age.<ref name="YTnanking">Template:Cite videoTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

She attended Pomona College in Claremont, California,<ref name="Pomona award">Template:Cite web</ref> and then the University of Southern California, where she earned a degree in broadcast journalism in 1978.<ref name="Pomona award" /> She worked at Disneyland as an international tour guide,<ref name="disneybio">Template:Cite web</ref> and contemplated pursuing journalism as a career.<ref name="Riley"/>

Career

Chao's parents were instrumental in her decision to pursue acting.<ref name="fandangobio">Template:Cite web</ref> She began acting at the age of five, in the California-based Peking opera traveling company with which her parents were involved. During the summer, they sent her to Taiwan for further acting study and experience.<ref name="20080201OCR">Template:Cite news</ref>

As a child, she played the daughter of a laundry owner (played by James Hong) on a 1970 episode of Here's Lucy, "Lucy the Laundress".<ref name="tvguide.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

Deciding not to pursue acting, Chao enrolled in the communications department at the University of Southern California where she earned her degree in journalism. However, after a year as a radio newswriting intern at the CBS-owned Hollywood radio station KNX,<ref name="20080201OCR"/> she returned to acting.<ref name="y!bio">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="fandangobio"/>

Chao's breakthrough role was that of Soon-Lee, a South Korean refugee, in the final episodes of the TV series M*A*S*H.<ref name="y!bio"/> Soon-Lee married longtime starring character Maxwell Klinger (Jamie Farr) in the series finale "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen",<ref name="gf&amen">Template:Cite episode</ref> which aired on February 28, 1983, and was the most-watched U.S. sitcom television episode of all time as of 2021. Chao repeated the role in the M*A*S*H sequel, 1983's AfterMASH, her first role billed at co-star status.<ref name="AfterMASH">Template:Cite web</ref>

Chao played Japanese exo-botanist Keiko O'Brien on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. In 2010, a preliminary casting memo for The Next Generation from 1987 was published, revealing that Chao was originally considered for the part of Enterprise security chief Tasha Yar.<ref name="trektoday20100826">Template:Cite web</ref>

In August 2018, Chao was cast as Mulan's mother in the 2020 live-action retelling of Mulan.<ref name="FilmingUnderway">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2019, she was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, citing her contributions to the critically acclaimed films The Joy Luck Club and I Am Sam.<ref name="GoldDerby">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Deadline">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Variety">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Chao met her husband Simon Templeman while they were working in theatre at the Mark Taper Forum.<ref name=Geek>Template:Cite web</ref> They have a son and a daughter.<ref name=Geek/><ref>Template:Cite instagram</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1980	The Big Brawl	Mae
1981	Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge	Emily Chan
1981	An Eye for an Eye	Linda Chen
1983	The Terry Fox Story	Rika Noda	Theatres in Canada and Britain
	Going Berserk	Kung Fu Girl
1987	Slam Dance	Mrs. Bell
	The Tribulations of a Chinese Gentleman	Lianhua
1988	White Ghost	Thi Hau
1990	Denial	Terry
	Thousand Pieces of Gold	Lalu Nathoy/Polly Bemis
1992	Memoirs of an Invisible Man	Cathy DiTolla
1993	The Joy Luck Club	Rose
1994	North	Chinese Mom
	Love Affair	Lee
1997	The End of Violence	Claire
1998	What Dreams May Come	Leona
2000	Enemies of Laughter	Carla
2001	The Man from Elysian Fields	Female Customer
	Impostor	Newscaster	Uncredited
	I Am Sam	Lily
2003	Freaky Friday	Pei-Pei
2005	Life of the Party	Mei Lin
	Just like Heaven	Fran
2007	Nanking	Chang Yu Zheng
2009	The Rising Tide	Narrator
2012	Knife Fight	Kate - Focus Group Moderator
2015	Stockholm, Pennsylvania	Dr. Andrews
2017	Tragedy Girls	Mayor Campbell
2019	Plus One	Angela
	The Laundromat	Gu Kailai
2020	Mulan	Hua Li
	Magic Camp	Lorraine	Uncredited
2021	Together Together	Dr. Andrews
	The Starling	Fawn
2024	Sacramento	Dr. Lisa Murray
2025	Freakier Friday	Pei-Pei

Television

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1970	Here's Lucy	Linda Wong	1 episode<ref name="tvguide.com"/>
1972	Anna and the King	Princess Serana	1 episode
1973	Kung Fu	Dancer	Season 1, Episode 5, "The Tide;" uncredited
1976	ABC Afterschool Specials	The Kurmese Ambassador's Daughter	1 episode
1977	The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries	Lily	Episode: "The Secret of the Jade Kwan Yin"
	Kojak	Grace Chen	Episode: "The Summer of '69: Part 1"
1978	The Incredible Hulk	Receptionist	Episode: "Married"
1979	How the West Was Won	Li Sin	Episode: "China Girl"
	The Ultimate Imposter	Lai-Ping	Television film
	Emergency! The Convention	Kathy	Television film
	The Amazing Spider-Man	Emily Chan	Episode: "The Chinese Web" (Part 1 & 2)
	A Man Called Sloane	Soom Nuk	Episode: "Tuned for Destruction"
	Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women	Flower	Television film
1981	The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo	Leslie Chiu	Episode: "The Roller Disco Karate Kaper"
	The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island	Hotel Clerk	Television film
	Twirl	Kim King	Television film
	One Day at a Time	Gloria	Episode: "Julie Shows Up: Part 2"
1981–83	Diff'rent Strokes	Ming Li / Miss Chung	Recurring role (8 episodes)<ref name="y!bio"/>
1982	Moonlight	Daphne Wu	Television film
	Bring 'Em Back Alive		Episode: "The Reel World of Frank Buck"
1983	The Terry Fox Story	Rika	Television film
	M*A*S*H	Soon-Lee	Recurring role (2 episodes)
1983–85	AfterMASH	Soon-Lee Klinger	Main cast (30 episodes)
1986	Riptide	Lucy	Episode – "Smiles We Left Behind"
	Falcon Crest	Li Ying	Recurring role (4 episodes)
	Jack and Mike	Holly Sykes	Episode: "Pilot"
	St. Elsewhere	Mary Wilson	Episode: "Not My Type"
	The A-Team	Alice Heath	Episode: "Point of No Return"
	American Playhouse	Ku Ling	Episode: "Paper Angels"<ref name="y!bio"/>
1987	Spies		Episode: "From China with Love"
	Stingray	Colette Tran	Episode: "Anytime, Anywhere"
	Max Headroom	Angie Barry	2 episodes
	Private Eye	Kai-Lee	Episode: "Nobody Dies in Chinatown"
1988	Beauty and the Beast	Lin Wong	Episode: "China Moon"
	Tour of Duty	Li Kiem	Episode: "Gray-Brown Odyssey"
	Shooter	Lan	Television film
	Miami Vice	Mai Ying	Episode: "Heart of Night"<ref name=":0">"Rosalind Chao – Overview – MSN Movies". MSN Movies. MSN. Retrieved February 15, 2010.</ref>
1989	Jake and the Fatman	Elaine Nakasone	Episode: "The Way You Look Tonight"
1990	Drug Wars: The Camarena Story	Thanh Steinmetz	3 episodes
	Against the Law	Toy Feng	Episode: "Pilot"
1991	Thirtysomething	Willa Camden	Episode: "California"
1991–92	Star Trek: The Next Generation	Keiko O'Brien	Recurring role (8 episodes)<ref name="fandangobio" />
1992	Intruders	Dr. Jenny Sakai	2 episodes
1993–99	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine	Keiko O'Brien	Recurring role (19 episodes)
1994	Web of Deception	Dr. Sheila Prosser	Television film
1995	Murder, She Wrote	Phoebe Campbell	Episode: "Nailed"
	Chicago Hope	Allison Granger	Episode: "Rise from the Dead"
1995–96	The Magic School Bus	Mrs. Li (voice)	2 episodes
1996	To Love, Honor and Deceive	Sydney's Unnamed Friend	Television film
1998	Brimstone	Nina Chou	Episode: "Poem"
1999	Get Real	Anne Collins	Episode: "Passages"
	ER	Dr. Chao	Episode: "Humpty Dumpty"<ref name=":0" />
2000	Family Law	Dr. Seabourne	Episode: "Going Home"
2001	Gideon's Crossing	Claire Hines	Episode: "Filaments and Ligatures"
	The West Wing	Jane Gentry	Episode: "The Fall's Gonna Kill You"
	Arliss	Karen	Episode: "As Others See Us"
	Three Blind Mice	Li Mei Chen	Television film
	Citizen Baines	Dr. Judith Lin<ref name=":1">"Rosalind Chao Filmography". Fandango.com.Fandango. Retrieved April 9, 2008.</ref>	Recurring role (3 episodes)
	Once and Again	Tami Seitz	Episode: "Pictures"
2002	Dharma & Greg	Patricia	Episode: "Tuesday's Child"
	MDs	Angela Yuan	Episode: "R.I.P."
2003–06	The O.C.	Dr. Kim	Recurring role (6 episodes)<ref name="y!bio"/>
2003	Without a Trace	Helen Collins	Episode: "Hang on to Me"
	Monk	Arleen Cassidy	Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes Back to School"<ref name=":1"/>
	The Parkers	Prof. Thornhill	Episode: "Cheaters Never Prosper"
2003–04	10-8: Officers on Duty	Lt. Maggie Chen	4 episodes
2004	Century City	Doctor	Episode: "The Face Was Familiar"
	Medical Investigation	Dr. Kramer	Episode: "Price of Pleasure"
	Center of the Universe	Dr. Geisler	Episode: "Art's Heart"
2005	Six Feet Under	Cindy	3 episodes
	According to Jim	Sally Wu	Episode: "James & the Annoying Peach"
2006	Ben 10	Councilwoman Liang (voice)	Episode: "Side Effects"
	W.I.T.C.H.	Joan Lin, Mandy (voice)	Episode: "V Is for Victory"
2007	Tell Me You Love Me	Cynthia	Recurring role (3 episodes)<ref name="y!bio"/>
2008	Grey's Anatomy	Kathleen Patterson	Episode: "All By Myself"
2009	Private Practice	Lillie Jordan	Episode: "Slip Slidin' Away"
2010	CSI	Michelle Huntley	Episode: "Long Ball"
	Trauma	Therapist	2 episodes
	The Event	Doctor	2 episodes
2011	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Mrs. Zhuang	Episode: "Cadaver"
2012	Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23	Pastor Jin	Recurring role (4 episodes)
	Bones	Mandy Oh	Episode: "The Suit on the Set"
2014	Intelligence	Sheng-Li wang	Episode: "Pilot"
	Shameless	Doctor	Episode: "Strangers on a Train"
	The Neighbors	Barb Hartley	2 episodes
	Forever	Frenchman	Episode: "The Frustrating Thing About Psychopaths"
2015	Castle	Mimi Tan	Episode: "Hong Kong Hustle"
	Sin City Saints	Mrs. Wu	5 episodes
2016	The Muppets	Woman #1	Episode: "A Tail of Two Piggies"
	Hawaii Five-0	Governor Keiko Mahoe	Episode: "Makaukau 'oe e Pa'ani?"
	The OA	Patricia Knowler	Episode: "Champion"
2017	Black-ish	Dr. Stone	Episode: "Manternity"
	The Catch	Kohana Takashi	Episode: "The Dining Hall"
2018	Code Black	Jae Eun	2 episodes
2019	This Is Us	Anna	Episode: "The Pool: Part Two "
2020	The L Word: Generation Q	Grace Lee	Episode: "Lose It All"
2020–22	Better Things	Caroline	6 episodes
2022	The First Lady	Tina Tchen	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2023–2024	Sweet Tooth	Mrs. Zhang	Guest season 2; Main season 3
2024	3 Body Problem	Ye Wenjie

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008	Some Girl(s)	Lindsay
2018	The Great Wave	Etsuko	National Theatre of Great Britain

Video games

Year	Title	Role
1995	Shanghai: Great Moments	Rosalind Chao / Guide

External links

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