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Rosalind Chao
Born · September 23, 1957 (67 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Anaheim, California, USA
Bio
Rosalind Chao is an American actress of Chinese heritage. Chao's most notable roles are as South Korean refugee Soon-Lee Klinger on CBS' AfterMASH, as Keiko O'Brien on both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Dr. Kim on The O.C., Rose Hsu Jordan in The Joy Luck Club (1993), and Hua Li, Mulan’s mother, in the live-action version of Mulan (2020). Chao is married to voice actor Simon Templeman; they have 2 children. She began acting at the age of five in a California-based Peking opera traveling company at the instigation of her parents who were already heavily involved, and during the summers they sent her to Taiwan to further develop her acting skills. As a child, she played the daughter of a laundry owner (played by James Hong) on the 1970 episode of Here's Lucy entitled "Lucy the Laundress". For some time, Chao worked at Disneyland as an international tour guide. 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 spending a year as a radio newswriting intern at the CBS-owned Hollywood radio station KNX, she soon returned to acting. Her big break was with the role of Soon-Lee, a South Korean refugee, in the final episodes of the TV series M*A*S*H. Soon-Lee married longtime starring character Maxwell Klinger (Jamie Farr) in the series finale "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", the most-watched U.S. sitcom television episode of all time as of 2021. Chao continued playing the character in the M*A*S*H sequel series: AfterMASH (1983), her first role billed at co-starring status. Chao regularly portrayed the Japanese exo-botanist Keiko Ishikawa O'Brien on both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She was also originally considered for the part of Enterprise security chief Tasha Yar. She's had recurring roles as Miss Chung on season 5 of Diff'rent Strokes, Li Ying on season 5 of Falcon Crest, Dr. Judith Lin on Citizen Baines, Dr. Kim on seasons 1 & 3 of The O.C., Pastor Jin on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment B, Mrs. Wu on Sin City Saints, Caroline on Better Things, and Tina Tchen on The First Lady. She's guest starred on numerous shows including This is Us, Code Black, The Catch, black-ish, The OA, Hawaii Five-O, Castle, Forever, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Bones, The Event, CSI, Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy, According to Jim, Six Feet Under, The Parkers, Monk, Without a Trace, Dharma & Greg, Once and Again, The West Wing, Family Law, ER, Brimstone, Chicago Hope, Murder She Wrote, thirty something, Jake & the Fatman, Miami Vice, Beauty and the Beast (1988), The A-Team, St. Elsewhere, Riptide, M*A*S*H,One Day at a Time (1981), Emergency!, The Incredible Hulk (1978), Here's Lucy, and more. She has starred in several movies including The Joy Luck Club, North (1994), What Dreams May Come, Impostor, I Am Sam, Freaky Friday (2003), Just Like Heaven, Mulan (2020) as Mulan’s mother, Together Together, and The Starling. In 2019, Chao was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences citing her contributions to critically acclaimed films The Joy Luck Club and I Am Sam.
Freakier Friday
Pei-Pei
0.0
2025
Sacramento
0.0
2024
3 Body Problem
Ye Wenjie · (8 episodes)
7.5
2024
The First Lady
Tina Tchen · (3 episodes)
6.3
2022
The Starling
Fawn
7.0
2021
Sweet Tooth
Mrs. Helen Zhang · (10 episodes)
7.8
2021
Together Together
Dr. Andrews
6.4
2021
Mulan
Hua Li
6.9
2020
Magic Camp
Lorraine (uncredited)
6.9
2020
The L Word: Generation Q
Grace Lee · (1 episode)
7.7
2019
The Laundromat
Gu Kailai
6.0
2019
Plus One
Angela Mori
6.8
2019
Tragedy Girls
Mayor Campbell
6.0
2017
The OA
Patricia Knoller · (1 episode)
7.5
2016
This Is Us
Anna · (1 episode)
8.2
2016
Better Things
Caroline · (6 episodes)
7.2
2016
The Catch
Kohana Takashi · (1 episode)
6.5
2016
Code Black
Jae Eun · (2 episodes)
7.7
2015
The Muppets
Woman #1 · (1 episode)
6.9
2015
Sin City Saints
Mrs. Wu · (5 episodes)
6.2
2015
Stockholm, Pennsylvania
Dr. Andrews
5.4
2015
black-ish
Dr. Stone · (1 episode)
7.2
2014
Forever
Frenchman · (1 episode)
7.8
2014
Intelligence
Sheng-Li Wang · (1 episode)
6.5
2014
Knife Fight
Kate - Focus Group Moderator
5.2
2013
The Neighbors
Barb Hartley · (2 episodes)
6.4
2012
Ruth & Erica
Helen · (1 episode)
8.0
2012
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
Pastor Jin · (4 episodes)
6.7
2012
Shameless
Doctor · (1 episode)
8.2
2011
Hawaii Five-0
Governor Keiko Mahoe · (1 episode)
7.7
2010
The Event
Doctor · (2 episodes)
6.4
2010
Trauma
Therapist · (2 episodes)
7.3
2009
Castle
Mimi Tan · (1 episode)
8.0
2009
Private Practice
Lillie Jordan · (1 episode)
7.6
2007
Tell Me You Love Me
Cynthia · (3 episodes)
6.7
2007
Nanking
Chang Yu Zheng
7.2
2007
Ben 10
Councilwoman Liang (voice) · (1 episode)
8.2
2005
Just Like Heaven
Fran
7.0
2005
Bones
Mandy Oh · (1 episode)
8.2
2005
Grey's Anatomy
Kathleen Patterson · (1 episode)
8.2
2005
Life of the Party
Mei Lin
6.0
2005
W.I.T.C.H.
Joan Lin / Mandy (voice) · (1 episode)
7.4
2004
Center of the Universe
Dr. Geisler · (1 episode)
7.0
2004
Medical Investigation
Dr. Kramer · (1 episode)
6.6
2004
Century City
Doctor · (1 episode)
7.0
2004
10-8: Officers on Duty
Lt. Maggie Chen · (4 episodes)
9.5
2003
Inhabited
Ms. Montane
6.3
2003
Freaky Friday
Pei-Pei
6.5
2003
The O.C.
Dr. Kim · (6 episodes)
7.8
2003
Without a Trace
Helen Collins · (1 episode)
7.3
2002
MDs
Angela Yuan · (1 episode)
10.0
2002
Monk
Arleen Cassidy · (1 episode)
7.9
2002
I Am Sam
Lily
7.6
2001
Impostor
Newscaster (uncredited)
6.1
2001
According to Jim
Sally Wu · (1 episode)
6.5
2001
Three Blind Mice
Li Mei Chen
4.8
2001
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Mrs. Zhuang · (1 episode)
7.6
2001
Citizen Baines
Dr. Judith Lin · (3 episodes)
0.0
2001
The Man from Elysian Fields
Female Customer
5.9
2001
Six Feet Under
Cindy · (3 episodes)
8.1
2001
Enemies of Laughter
Carla
5.5
2000
Gideon's Crossing
Claire Hines · (1 episode)
6.0
2000
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Michelle Huntley · (1 episode)
7.6
2000
The West Wing
Jane Gentry · (1 episode)
8.3
1999
Once and Again
Tami Seitz · (1 episode)
6.8
1999
Family Law
Dr. Seabourne · (1 episode)
8.2
1999
Get Real
Anne Collins · (1 episode)
7.3
1999
The Parkers
Prof. Thornhill · (1 episode)
8.2
1999
Brimstone
Nina Chou · (1 episode)
7.5
1998
What Dreams May Come
Leona
7.2
1998
Dharma & Greg
Patricia · (1 episode)
6.4
1997
The End of Violence
Claire
5.3
1997
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
Self
0.0
1997
To Love, Honor and Deceive
Sydney's Best Friend
5.6
1996
Arliss
Karen · (1 episode)
6.5
1996
The Daily Show
Self · (1 episode)
6.4
1996
Special Report: Journey to Mars
Dr. Lin Yo Yu
5.0
1996
Love Affair
Lee
5.4
1994
ER
Dr. Theresa Chow · (1 episode)
7.8
1994
Chicago Hope
Allison Granger · (1 episode)
7.2
1994
Under Suspicion
(1 episode)
7.5
1994
The Magic School Bus
Mrs. Li (voice) · (2 episodes)
7.6
1994
North
Chinese Mom
5.0
1994
Web of Deception
Dr. Sheila Prosser
3.0
1994
The Joy Luck Club
Rose Hsu Jordan
7.1
1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Keiko O'Brien · (20 episodes)
7.9
1993
Intruders
Dr. Jenny Sakai · (2 episodes)
6.8
1992
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Cathy DiTolla
5.9
1992
Thousand Pieces of Gold
Lalu / Polly
6.8
1991
Against the Law
Toy Feng · (1 episode)
6.0
1990
Last Flight Out
Tra Duong
0.0
1990
Denial
Terry
4.0
1990
Drug Wars: The Camarena Story
Thanh Steinmetz · (3 episodes)
6.1
1990
White Ghost
Thi Hau
4.4
1988
Shooter
Lan
5.5
1988
Slam Dance
Mrs. Margaret Bell
4.9
1987
thirtysomething
Willa Camden · (1 episode)
6.3
1987
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Keiko Ishikawa · (1 episode)
8.4
1987
Jake and the Fatman
Elaine Nakasone · (1 episode)
5.9
1987
Tour of Duty
Li Kiem · (1 episode)
8.0
1987
Private Eye
Kai-Lee · (1 episode)
4.2
1987
Max Headroom
Angie Barry · (2 episodes)
6.8
1987
Spies
(1 episode)
0.0
1987
Jack and Mike
Holly Sykes · (1 episode)
5.0
1986
Stingray
Colette Tran · (1 episode)
7.3
1985
Murder, She Wrote
Phoebe Campbell · (1 episode)
7.5
1984
Riptide
Lucy · (1 episode)
6.8
1984
The Terry Fox Story
Rika Noda
6.1
1983
The Joy Luck Club 2
Rose Hsu Jordan
0.0
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Keiko O'Brien · (7 episodes)
8.4
1987
Beauty and the Beast
Lin Wong · (1 episode)
7.5
1987
The Tribulations of a Chinese Gentleman
莲花 (Lian Hua)
6.0
1987
Miami Vice
Mai Ying · (1 episode)
7.5
1984
Going Berserk
Kung Fu Girl
5.1
1983
AfterMASH
Soon-Lee Klinger · (31 episodes)
5.1
1983
The A-Team
Alice Heath · (1 episode)
7.5
1983
St. Elsewhere
Mary Wilson · (1 episode)
5.4
1982
Bring 'Em Back Alive
Shala · (1 episode)
5.7
1982
Moonlight
Daphne Wu
6.0
1982
American Playhouse
Ku Ling · (1 episode)
6.0
1982
Falcon Crest
Li-Ying Chi · (4 episodes)
5.6
1981
Twirl
Kim King
6.0
1981
An Eye for an Eye
Linda Chan
5.2
1981
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
Hotel Clerk
5.4
1981
Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge
Emily Chan
5.3
1981
The Big Brawl
Mae
5.9
1980
Bride of the Incredible Hulk
Receptionist
6.8
1980
Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women
Flower
2.9
1979
A Man Called Sloane
Soom Nuk · (1 episode)
5.0
1979
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo
Leslie Chiu · (1 episode)
5.0
1979
The Ultimate Impostor
Lai-Ping
5.0
1979
Diff'rent Strokes
Miss Chung · (7 episodes)
7.0
1978
Diff'rent Strokes
Ming Li · (1 episode)
7.0
1978
The Amazing Spider-Man
Emily Chan · (2 episodes)
5.9
1978
The Incredible Hulk
Receptionist · (1 episode)
7.2
1977
How the West Was Won
Li Sin · (1 episode)
7.0
1977
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
Lily · (1 episode)
7.0
1977
Battle of the Network Stars
(1 episode)
7.2
1976
One Day at a Time
Gloria · (1 episode)
6.7
1975
Kojak
Grace Chen · (1 episode)
6.9
1973
Kung Fu
Dancer (uncredited) · (1 episode)
7.6
1972
ABC Afterschool Special
The Kurmese Ambassador's Daughter · (1 episode)
6.4
1972
M*A*S*H
Soon-Lee · (2 episodes)
7.9
1972
Anna and the King
Princess Serena · (1 episode)
6.5
1972
Emergency!
Kathy · (1 episode)
7.8
1972
Here's Lucy
Linda Chang Wong · (1 episode)
6.9
1968
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
7.4
1962