Best Asian Actresses
by hunimi | created - 20 Oct 2012 | updated - 16 Oct 2022 | PublicNot necessarily in order.
1. Aya Ueto
Actress | Azumi
Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1985, Aya Ueto received her first break in August 1997 when, at the age of 11, she won the Special Jury Prize at the 7th All-Japan Bishoujo Contest. After this initial success, she tried her hand at both acting and singing, appearing in various minor TV drama roles, as well ...
2. JeeJa Yanin
Actress | Chocolate
Yanin "Jeeja" pronounced "ChiCha" Vismitananda was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Her mother is Prasita Vismitananda and her father, Pawadol Borirak, was a businessman who died when his daughter was 17, she has an older brother, Nantapong "Jeed" Vismitananda. She is mainly of Thai descent with some ...
3. Jamie Chung
Actress | Big Hero 6
Jamie Chung was born and raised in California, the daughter of Korean parents. She studied Economics at the University of California, Riverside. Chung's break came in 2004, when she was working in a sports bar. MTV held auditions for The Real World (1992) there, she tried out, and was successful, ...
4. Ziyi Zhang
Actress | Yi dai zong shi
Ziyi Zhang is a Chinese actress and model. She is best known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Rush Hour 2 (2001), Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).
She made her feature film debut in The Road Home (1999).
For her work in Memoirs of a Geisha she was...
5. Aya Okamoto
Actress | Tôkyô goddofâzâzu
Aya Okamoto was born on December 9, 1982 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Tokyo Godfathers (2003), Azumi (2003) and Sky High (2002).
6. Fann Wong
Actress | Shanghai Knights
Fann Wong is a Singapore-born actress-singer-model of Chinese origin. Born on 27 January 1971, she derived her artiste name, Fann Wong, from a combination of her father's surname (Fann) and her mother's surname (Wong). With GCE 'A' Levels and a diploma in fashion merchandising from the La Salle ...
7. Gillian Chung
Actress | Wu Ze Tian mi shi
Gillian Chung Yun Tung is a Hong Kong pop singer and actress. She resides in the affluent Midlevels district in Hong Kong with her younger sister. Standing at just over five feet tall, Chung is a graduate of the Kowloon True Light Middle School and attended RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. ...
8. Grace Park
Actress | Battlestar Galactica
Grace Park (born March 14, 1974) is an American-Canadian actress. She gained recognition as Lt. Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii and Lt. Sharon 'Athena' Agathon on Battlestar Galactica (2004), as well as Shannon Ng in the Canadian television series teen soap Edgemont (2000). From 2010 to 2017, Park starred ...
9. Françoise Yip
Actress | AVPR: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem
At an early age Francoise passed on an opportunity to study in music and chose to persue a degree in Political Science. It was during those years, Francoise started with modeling. That career didn't last long, but she did get the opportunity to star with Jackie Chan in Rumble in the Bronx. For her ...
10. Lucy Liu
Actress | Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Born to immigrants in New York City, Lucy Liu has always tried to balance an interest in her cultural heritage with a desire to move beyond a strictly Asian-American experience. Her mother, Cecilia, a biochemist, is from Beijing & her father, Tom Liu, a civil engineer, is from Shanghai. Once ...
11. Kelly Hu
Actress | The Scorpion King
On February 13th, 1968, a girl of Chinese, English, and Hawaiian ancestry was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her father, Herbert, was a salesman and her mother, Juanita, worked many odd jobs to help support the family. She has one older brother, Glenn. She is a former Miss Teen USA, and modeled in Japan...
12. Tae-Mi
Actress | Hilleo
Tae-Mi was born on April 23, 1990 in Namyangju, Korea. She is an actress, known for Healer (2014), The Kick (2011) and Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo (2017).
13. Yôko Shimada
Actress | Shogun
Kumamoto City-born Shimada Yoko is best known in the west as Mariko from the 1980 mini-series Shogun. The lady-in-waiting role created an interest in Japan and its culture overseas and introduced Japanese history to foreign audiences. She won the Golden Globe For Best Performance by an Actress in a...
14. Melise
Actress | The Shannara Chronicles
Malese Jow, originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, has developed into an actress, songstress, and entertainer.
Malese began her acting career in 1999 with McDonald's commercials when the head of advertising heard her sing and booked her in several spots and jingles. Then in 2002, at the ripe age of 11, ...
15. Ammara Siripong
Actress | Chocolate
Ammara Siripong is known for Chocolate (2008), Kill 'em All (2012) and Bangkok Rush (2016).
16. Charlene Choi
Actress | Chin gei bin
Charlene Choi (born 22 November 1982) is a Hong Kong-Canadian actress and singer. She is a member of Cantopop group Twins, along with Gillian Chung. Choi was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She moved with her family to Hong Kong a few years later. She was educated at a number of ...
17. Bingbing Li
Actress | Transformers: Age of Extinction
Li Bingbing (born 27 February 1973) is a Chinese actress and singer. She rose to fame with her role in Seventeen Years (1999) and since then received critical acclaim for her roles in A World Without Thieves (2004), Waiting Alone (2005), The Knot (2006), The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), The Message (...
18. Meisa Kuroki
Actress | Space Battleship Yamato
The Japanese actress, model and singer Kuroki Meisa was born in Okinawa, Japan, which is the southernmost Japanese prefecture, on May28, 1988. She was scouted when she was in junior high school and began her career as a model for the traditional women's magazine, JJ Magazine. Like Shimabukuro ...
19. Moon Lee
Actress | Tian shi xing dong
Moon Lee was born on February 14, 1965 in Hong Kong. She is an actress, known for Fighting Madam (1987), Fatal Termination (1990) and Mission of Justice (1992).
20. Kô Shibasaki
Actress | Batoru rowaiaru
Ko Shibasaki was born on August 5, 1981 in Tokyo. Her real name is Yukie Yamamura (Ko Shibasaki is a main character of her favorite manga). She started her career at 14 when her talent was discovered by a star agent. She has worked in many TV shows and commercials, starting to become more famous ...
21. Yumiko Shaku
Actress | Gojira X Mekagojira
Shaku Yumiko was born in Tokyo. She was chosen Miss Campus for a Japanese magazine while still in college. She began her career as a fashion and gravure model and became known in cinema through her role in Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. She had won a Aya Brea Look-Alike contest in 2000. Aya Brea ...
22. Mika Hijii
Actress | Ninja
Mika Hijii was born on October 13, 1983 in Iizuka, Fukuoka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ninja (2009), Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013) and Alien vs. Ninja (2010).
23. Celina Jade
Actress | The Man with the Iron Fists
Celina Horan, professionally known as Celina Jade, is a Chinese American actress, model, singer/songwriter and martial artist most known for her work as "Shado" in the CW series Arrow. Jade's acting career started in Hong Kong in 2007. She was cast as the leading lady in her first film, Legendary ...
24. Veronica Ngo
Actress | The Creator
Veronica Ngo was born on February 26, 1979 in Tra Vinh, Vietnam. She is an actress and producer, known for The Creator (2023), The Old Guard (2020) and Da 5 Bloods (2020).
25. Lee Sung Hi
Actress | The Girl Next Door
Sung Hi Lee was born on April 1, 1970 in Eunpyong-Gu (Gija-Chon), a borough of Seoul, South Korea. She moved to the United States in 1978 and spent a large part of her childhood moving around from city to city. Sung Lee was a studious child and teenager spending more time at the library than at ...
26. Anna Akana
Actress | Jupiter's Legacy
Anna Akana was born on August 18, 1989 in Monterey, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Jupiter's Legacy (2021), Let It Snow (2019) and Ant-Man (2015).
27. Shu Qi
Actress | The Transporter
Born in Taiwan, Qi Shu has won the prestigious Golden Horse Award in Taiwan (regarded as the East Asian Oscar) for Best Supporting Actress in 1998. She has also received a Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actress in 2005. She appeared with Jackie Chan in the romantic comedy Gorgeous (1999) ("...
28. Yôko Maki
Actress | Soshite chichi ni naru
At her young age, Yoko Maki is already a well-rounded actress. 2001 proved to be a busy year for the young actress, beginning with her film debut at the age of 19, in the film Drug, directed by Hiroshi Sugawara. This was quickly followed by Pelican Road. More attention was then garnered with her ...
29. Tang Wei
Actress | Se, jie
Tang Wei was born on October 7, 1979 in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China. She is an actress, known for Lust, Caution (2007), Decision to Leave (2022) and Blackhat (2015). She has been married to Kim Tae-yong since July 12, 2014. They have one child.
30. Bae Doona
Actress | Cloud Atlas
Doona Bae was born in Seoul, South Korea. Her mother, Hwa-Young Kim, is a stage actress. Bae started out as a model. She soon moved to T.V. and movies, and it proved the right move. Her first movie was The Ring Virus (1999). Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) (aka "Barking Dogs Never Bite") and Take ...
31. Aoi Miyazaki
Actress | Ôkami kodomo no Ame to Yuki
Aoi Miyazaki's a former child actor whose professional career started at 4 in ads, commercials & as an extra. She was born in Tokyo in 1985. Her TV show & film debut came in 1999. She starred in the film debut Ano Natsu No Hi & the show Genroku Ryoran. She began winning prizes 2 years later w/ a ...
32. Katie Cockrell
Actress | Star Trek Into Darkness
Katie Cockrell is an American actress, dancer, and performer. She grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and started dancing at the age of 5. She's of mixed ethnic background, her mother is Chinese and her father is English and Irish. Katie has an identical twin sister, Kellie, who is also an actress. ...
33. Kellie Cockrell
Actress | Jack and Jill
Kellie Cockrell was born on June 26, 1988 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. She is an actress, known for Jack and Jill (2011), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and The Hungover Games (2014).
34. Faye Kingslee
Actress | In Time
Faye Kingslee, a force of nature hailing from the exotic landscapes of Borneo, seamlessly intertwines the richness of her multicultural experiences into the tapestry of her life. Fluent in three languages, she has left her indelible mark across borders, embodying a global spirit that transcends ...
35. Pisay Pao
Actress | Velvet Buzzsaw
Pisay Pao is a Cambodian American actress best known for playing Cassandra on the Syfy series "Z Nation." She was born in Thailand after her parents escaped Cambodia at the end of their country's civil war. Pisay's family were eventually sponsored to the US and settled in Seattle, Washington. Here,...
36. Lexa Doig
Actress | Andromeda
Toronto native Alexandra Doig was born on June 8th, to Filipina mother Gloria and Irish-Scottish father David. Her parents held season tickets to their local theater, and Lexa was inspired to begin acting after seeing a production of "Porgy and Bess" at the age of nine. She dropped out of high ...
37. Kelly Lin
Actress | Shu shan zheng zhuan
Kelly Lin was born on October 29, 1975 in Taiwan. She is an actress and director, known for Zu Warriors (2001), The Devil Inside Me (2011) and After This Our Exile (2006).
38. Nao Nagasawa
Actress | Kamen raidâ × Kamen raidâ Wizâdo & Fôze: Movie taisen arutimeitamu
Nao Nagasawa was born on January 5, 1984 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and producer, known for Kamen Rider Movie War Ultimatum: Kamen Rider vs. Kamen Rider Wizard & Fourze (2012), GoGo Sentai Boukenger vs. Super Sentai (2007) and Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger: 10 Years After (2013). She has ...
39. Jessica Lu
Actress | Awkward.
Jessica Lu was born and raised in a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, to artistic parents who grew up in more practical times. Her parents are from South Korea, with her father being Chinese and Japanese, and her mother being Chinese. They speak English, Mandarin and Korean at home. Despite ...
40. Arden Cho
Actress | Teen Wolf
Arden Cho was born on August 16, 1985 in Amarillo, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Teen Wolf (2011), Chicago Med (2015) and The Honor List (2018).
41. Sonoya Mizuno
Actress | Ex Machina
Sonoya Mizuno's a Japanese-born English actress, model & ballet dancer. She was born on July 1, 1986 in Tokyo, Japan. She graduated from the Royal Ballet School.
She has starred in Ex Machina (2014), Annihilation (2018) & Devs (2020). She had minor roles in La La Land (2016), Beauty and the Beast (...
42. Joanna Sotomura
Actress | Sunny
Joanna Sotomura was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. She is known for Sunny (2024), Barry (2018) and The Good Place (2016).
43. Shin Ye-eun
Actress | 3inching Boksu
With a beautiful face and bright aura, there's no doubt that Shin Ye Eun is the brightest star in the room anywhere she goes! Shin Ye Eun started her career appearing as the cover model for Korea's college magazine College Tomorrow No. 840 in 2018. JYP noticed her as she was instantly signed as a ...
44. Jin Se-yeon
Actress | Dakteo Yibangin
Jin Se-yeon was born on February 15, 1993 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for Doctor Stranger (2014), Inspiring Generation (2014) and The Flower in Prison (2016).
45. Kim Yoo-ri
Actress | Joogoonui Taeyang
Kim Yoo-ri was born on August 29, 1984 in Busan, South Korea. She is an actress, known for The Master's Sun (2013), Cheongdam-dong Alice (2012) and 18 Again (2020).
46. Han Yeri
Actress | Minari
Han Yeri is known for Minari (2020), Worst Woman (2016) and Sea Fog (2014).
47. Go Yoon-Jung
Actress | Heon-teu
Go Yoon-Jung was born on April 22, 1996 in Seoul, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Hunt (2022), Alchemy of Souls (2022) and Moving (2023).
48. Im Jin-Ah
Actress | Gut waipeu: The Good Wife
Hailed as the 'God-Tier Visual of the Second Generation of K-pop", Im Jin-ah, professionally recognized as Nana, is a South Korean Actress active in singing, acting, and modeling. She has been recognized as perhaps one of the most beautiful women in the world and has been listed by TC Chandler for ...
49. Han Hyo-joo
Actress | Dong Yi
Han Hyo-Joo (born February 22, 1987 Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province) is a South Korean film and television actress. She is best known for her leading roles in television drama series: Spring Waltz (2006) (2006); Shining Inheritance (2009) (2009); Dong Yi (2010)(2010) and W (2016) (2016) as ...
50. Ha Yoon-kyung
Actress | Seulgiroun Euisasaenghal
Ha Yoon-kyung was born on October 20, 1992. She is an actress, known for Hospital Playlist (2020), She Would Never Know (2021) and Socialphobia (2014).
51. Park Eun-bin
Actress | Yeonmo
Park Eun-bin is a South Korean actress. She debuted as a child actress before receiving her first leading role with a time-traveling romance drama Operation Proposal in 2012. She has starred in television series Hello, My Twenties! (2016, 2017), Hot Stove League (2019-2020), Do You Like Brahms? (...
52. Park Shin-Hye
Actress | 7-beon-bang-ui seon-mul
Park Shin-hye was born in Gwangju, but raised in Paju, South Korea. Shin Hye Studied music, theater and singing in Chung-Ang University, Korea. Shin-hye made her acting debut in a Korean drama series, Stairway to heaven. She later on gained her popularity through another Korean series, You're ...
53. Elodie Yung
Actress | Gods of Egypt
Elodie Yung was born in Paris, France, of Cambodian and French descent. She grew up in Seine-saint-Denis, in Le Bourget, where she practiced karate and obtained her black belt. She graduated from University of La Sorbonne in Paris and has a law degree. She then decided to study acting at London ...
54. Woo Hee-Jin
Actress | Hilleo
Woo Hee-Jin was born on May 24, 1975 in Seoul, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Healer (2014), Doom at Your Service (2021) and Dali and the Cocky Prince (2021).
55. Do Ji-Won
Actress | Hilleo
Do Ji-Won was born on February 14, 1968 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for Healer (2014), Unkind Ladies (2015) and Three Brothers (2009).
56. Kim Ri-na
Actress | Hilleo
Kim Ri-na is known for Healer (2014), Hong Gil Dong, the Hero (2008) and Four Horror Tales: Roommates (2006).
57. Rina Takeda
Actress | Iya monogatari: Oku no hito
Takeda Rina was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. She claims she decided to become an actress at age six. She has an older and younger brother. The younger brother is actor Takeda kazuma who has found roles in Rina's movies. She became interested in karate through her father Takeda Takeshi. ...
58. Lalisa Manoban
Actress | Lisa: Lalisa
Lalisa Manobal (birth name: Pranpriya Manobal, born March 27, 1997 in Buriram Province, Thailand) better known by her stage name, Lisa, is a Thai rapper, singer and dancer, based in South Korea. She is a member of Blackpink.
Her birth name is Pranpriya Manobal, she later legally changed her first ...
59. Jun So-min
Actress | Orora Gongjoo
Jun So-min was born on April 7, 1986 in Goyang, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Princess Aurora (2013), Syowindo: Yeowangui Jib (2021) and The Name (2020).
60. Hong Soo-hyun
Actress | Gongjooeui namja
Hong Soo-hyun was born on February 15, 1981 in Hongcheon, Korea. She is an actress, known for The Princess' Man (2011), Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love (2013) and History of the Salaryman (2012).
61. Im Yoon-ah
Actress | Gongjo
One of the household names in the Asia-Pacific region, Im Yoon-ah, known in the media as Yoona, is a South Korean a South Korean idol singer, actress, dancer, model, spokesmodel, and member of the South Korean girl group girl group Girls' Generation.
After training for five years, the group debuted ...
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