Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu was born on December 2, 1968, in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City, to Chinese immigrant parents from Beijing and Shanghai. She grew up in a modest household where Mandarin was spoken at home, and she learned English as a second language. Liu studied Asian languages and cultures at the University of Michigan, where she also discovered her passion for acting. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, landing small television roles throughout the early 1990s.

Liu’s breakthrough came with her recurring role as the ruthless Ling Woo on the Fox television series “Ally McBeal” (1998-2002), which earned her an Emmy Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. She quickly transitioned to blockbuster films, starring alongside Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore in “Charlie’s Angels” (2000) and its sequel “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” (2003). She also delivered a memorable performance as O-Ren Ishii in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Volume 1” (2003), showcasing her ability to command the screen in action roles.

Liu continued building an impressive career with the leading role of Dr. Joan Watson in the CBS series “Elementary” (2012-2019), a modern retelling of Sherlock Holmes set in New York City. She starred in all seven seasons of the show, earning both critical praise and consistent income. She has also become an accomplished director, helming episodes of “Elementary,” “Luke Cage,” and other television series. Beyond acting, Liu is a respected visual artist whose work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide, working in painting, collage, and mixed media.

With a net worth estimated at $16 million in 2026, Liu has built her wealth through decades of consistent work in film and television, voice acting roles including Viper in the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise, and her directing career. She became a mother in 2015 through gestational surrogacy and is known for maintaining a relatively private personal life. Liu was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019, recognizing her significant contributions to the entertainment industry and her trailblazing role as an Asian American actress in Hollywood.