James Hong

A legendary Chinese American actor with over 600 film and TV credits navigates the challenges of Hollywood's past and present as he fights to redefine representation and honor his legacy in an industry still learning to see him.

Born

February 22, 1929

From

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Height

1.78 m (5'10")

Also:
Producer
Director

175

Credits on file

Decades active

Upcoming

In short · Acting since 1955, 8 decades active, 175 credits.

Known for

Ranked by community engagement + sustained interest across this person's credits in our database.

Biography

James Hong was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. He initially studied civil engineering at the University of Minnesota, but eventually developed an interest in acting. He graduated from the University of Southern California and worked for 1½ years as a road engineer with the County of Los Angeles, using sick leaves and vacation time to pursue film work. He eventually left engineering to focus on acting full time. He is one of the founders of the East-West Players, the oldest Asian American theater in Los Angeles. He served as president and charter member of the Association of Asian Pacific American Artists. Hong is one of the most prolific and well-recognized Asian-American character actors in movies and television. He currently resides in Los Angeles and is planning to produce and direct his own films.