Making a Living, Living a Dream.
Ming-Na is undeniably one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood. Whether it’s her natural beauty, infectious smile, gorgeous hair, or contagious laugh, people everywhere know and love this ageless thespian.
But one doesn’t have to see Ming-Na in order to recognize her. People all around the world, both young and old, easily identify her by her melodious voice alone largely due to her role as Fa Mulan in Disney’s animated adaptation of the beloved Chinese legend. Other famous roles include Jing-Mei “June” Woo in The Joy Luck Club, Dr. Jing-Mei “Deb” Chen in ER, and Agent Melinda May in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Recently, Ming-Na also joined the Star Wars Universe as assassin Fennec Shand in the Disney Plus original The Mandalorian. In addition to numerous acting credits, Ming-Na reached new heights in August of 2019 as she received the distinguished Disney Legend Award for her many contributions to the Walt Disney Company. Ming-Na is a superstar, and for the first time ever we have a Disney princess turned badass agent turned assassin on Tatooine. She is, in fact, our Disney Legend.
Women Warrior
The Cavalry
The Assassin
She began her career in theater while attending Carnegie Mellon University before landing her first TV role in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for two episodes in 1985. After she graduated, her career expanded from theater to television and film with early roles in soap operas including Another World and As the World Turns. With those shows combined, her television appearances spanned 43 episodes between 1987-1991.
Ming-Na’s first movie credit is An American Affair (1989). She went on to work on several films from the critically acclaimed The Joy Luck Club (1993), to action packed Street Fighter (1994), to Disney’s live- action Mulan (2020) and Pearl (2020). Her most famous film role, however, was her portrayal of the legendary warrior Fa Mulan in Disney’s 1998 animated classic. Ming-Na reprised her role as Fa Mulan several times in animated series Disney’s House of Mouse and Sofia the First, as well as Mulan II and the 2018 Disney film Ralph Breaks the Internet. Additional voice role credits include Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001), The Batman (2004-2005), Phineas and Ferb (2008-2014), Robot Chicken (2005-2015), We Bare Bears (2017), Guardians of the Galaxy (2018), Milo Murphy’s Law (2017-2018), Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors (2018), Hot Streets (2018-2019), Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron (2019), and Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (2019). Some of her most famous television roles include Dr. Chen in ER, Trudy in The Single Guy, Judge Linda Harris in Two and a Half Men, Camile Wray in Stargate Universe, Senator Michaela Wen in Eureka, Agent Melinda May on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as a guest appearance on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit as Li Mei.
In addition to her theater, film and television credits, she also reprised her role as Agent Melinda May in Marvel’s Emmy nominated web-series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot (2016) and starred in Quibi’s 50 States of Fright (2020). She has also done voice overs for several video games including Street Fighter, Kingdom Hearts, Lego Marvel’s Avengers, and most recently Disney Magic Kingdoms.
Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen
Ming-Na Wen received her Disney Legend Award on August 23, 2019 - the highest honor Disney bestow to recognize and celebrate individuals for their contribution to Disney's Legacy
Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, Disney's Mulan, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and, announced by then Disney CEO, Bob Iger during her Disney Legend Award Presentation, the Mandalorian are some of Ming-Na's notable work with Disney.
Ming-Na, herself and through the characters she portrayed, has inspired many to follow their heart and dreams, and with determination and hard work, dreams do come through.
Television
Mr. Rogers Neighborhood / Season 15 Ep 14/ 1549: Music / Royal Trumpeter #3
Aired May 16, 1985
Mr. Rogers Neighborhood / Season 15 Ep 15/ 1150: Music / Royal Trumpeter #3
Aired May 17, 1985
Another World /Feb 24, 1988/ Abby
As the World Turns / 1988 - 1991/ 64 Episodes / Lien Hughes
All-American GIrl / 1994 / Redesigning Women 1x5 / Amy
Tokyo Rose: Vitim of Propaganda / 1995 / 7x20
The Single Guy / 43 Episodes 1995 - 1997 / Trudy
Outreach / 1999 / Dr. Sara Kwan
I Got You / 2002 / TV Short / Ming-Na
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit / 2004 / Debt / Li Mei
ER / 1995 (S1) 2000 - 2004 (S6 - S 11) 118 Episodes / Jing-Mei (Deb) Chen
Inconceivable / 2005 / Pilot; To Surrogate, With Love; Sex, Lies and Sonograms) / Rachel Lu
George Lopez / 2006 / George Keeps Truant to Himself; George Enrolls like That / Professor Lim
Vanished / 2006 / 13 episodes / Agent Lin Mei
Private Practice / 2008 / Let it Go / Kara Wei
Boston Legal / 2008 / Roe / Ming Wang Shu
Two and a Half Men / 2007 - 2010 (5 Episodes) / Linda Harris
SGU Stargate Universe Kino / TV Mini Short / 2009 - 2011 / Camile Wray
Stargate Universe / 2009 - 2011 / 31 Episodes / Camile Wray
Eureka / 2011 - 2012 / 7 Episodes / U.S. Senator Michaela Wen
Nashville / You Win Again / 2013 / Calista Reeve
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot / 2016 / Reunion; Progress / Melinda May
Fresh off the Boat / 2017 - 2019 / 3 Episodes / Elaine / Stephanie
The Mandalorian / 2019 - 2020 / 4 Episodes / Fennec Shand
Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens / 2020 / Vagarina / Aunt Sandra
50 States of Fright / TV Short / 2020 / Ball of Twine ( Kansas - Part 1, 2, 3) / Susan
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. / 2013 - 2020 / 136 Episodes / Melinda May
Pretty Smart/ 2021 / 1 Episode / Jasmine Jay J. Meixue Jiang
The Book of Boba Fett / 2021 / 2 Episodes / Fennec Shand
Young Sheldon / 2022/ 1 episode / Dr. Carol Lee
Hacks S2 / 2022 / Currently Filming
Ming-Na sharing on Tokyo Rose
"She's an amazing human being and a die-hard American who was completely destroyed by the propaganda and issues that happened back then. I'm very interested in Asian-American stories, because there's just not enough of them. We're part of America, we're not foreigners.
-Ming-Na Wen, Post-Gazetee, 2000
Film
An American Affair / 1989 /
Rain Without Thunder / 1992 / Uudie Prisoner
Blind Spot / TV Movie / 1993 / Mitsuko
Joy Luck Club / 1993 / June - The Daughter
Vanishing Son 2 / TV Movie/ 1994 / Mai
Vanishing Son 4 / TV Movie / 1994 / Mai
Hong Kong 97 / 1994 / Katie Chun
Street Fighter / 1994 / Chun-Li
One Night Stand / 1997 / Mimi Carlyle
Tempting Fate / TV Movie / 1998 / Ellen Moretti
12 Bucks / 1998 / Gorgeous
Killer App / TV Movie / 1998 / Pam
Teddy Bears' Picnic / 2001 / Katy Woo
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within / 2001 / Doctor Aki Ross
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within: Aki's Dream (Video Short) / 2001 / Doctor Aki Ross
Perfection / Short Film / 2004 / Woman
The World of Mulan / Video Short / 2005 / Fa Mulan/ As Ming-Na
Prom Night / 2008 / Dr. Elisha Crowe
Push / 2009 / Emily Wu
Breakdance Academy / 2010 / Judy Roberts
Super Cyclone / 2012 / Dr. Jenna Sparks
Habit Heroes - Version 2 / 2013 / Director Jin
April Rain / 2014 / Hillary Miller
The Darkness / 2016 / Wendy Richards
Swimming / 2019 / Short Film / Lilian
Mulan / 2020 / Esteemed Guest
Pearl / 2020 / Headmistress
Glitter & Doom / 2022 / Ivy (Currently Filming)
Ming-Na Sharing on Aki Ross
Though animated, Ming-Na sees her character, Aki as being "a very complex woman with so many mysterious qualities about her. She's also really strong." Not to mention the fact that "she wants to save the world, which is a little bit of an A-personality for me"
-Ming-Na Wen, Post-Gazette
Voice Actor
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child / 1997 / Puss in Boots / Lani
Mulan / 1998 / Fa Mulan
Reflections on Ice: Michelle Kwan Skates to the Music Of Mulan / TV Movie/ 1998 / Mulan
Oh Yeah! Cartoons / 1998 / Ming Lan "ChalkZone: Chalk Rain" / Ming Lan
Todd McFarlane's Spawn / TV Series/ 1998 - 1999 / 5 Episodes / Jade - Lisa Wu
House of Mouse / 2002 / Salute to Sports / Fa Mulan
A Ribbon of Dreams / 2002 / Mei - Ling
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius / 2004 / The Great Egg Heist/The Fued / Peggy Tsu
Mulan 2 / 2004 / Fa Mulan
The Batman / 2004 - 2005 / 16 Episodes / Detective Ellen Yin
American Masters / 2007 / Novel Reflections: The American Dream / Narrator
Hi Hao, Kai-Lan / 2007 / Kai-Ian's Trip to China / Gui Nai Nai
Adventure Time / 2012 / 3 Episodes / Finn's Mom
Phineas and Ferb / 2008 - 2014 / 6 Episodes / Dr. Hirano / Teen Ginger Hirano
Parallel Man: Infinite Pursuit / Short Film / 2014/ Agent Mackenzie Cartwright
Robot Chicken / Kiddie Pool (05) / Mary -Kate Olsen /Mother Cake Pillow (15) Ming Ming Duckling/Tina Nguyen / Girl
We Bare Bears / 2017 / Ranger Games / Ranger Zhao
Guardians of the Galaxy / 2018 / 4 Episodes / Phyla-Vell
Sofia The First / 2014 - 2018 / 6 Episodes / Vega / Fa Mulan
Milo Murphy's Law / 2017 - 2018 / 7 Episodes / Savannah / Additional Voices
Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors / 2018 / Hala
Ralph Breaks the Internet / 2018 / Mulan
Hot Streets / 2018 - 2019 / 9 Episodes / Soo Park/ Sherpa / She - Creature / Veck Woman / Lady Brownbone
Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron / 2019 / Hala
Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart / 2019 / Meet Tanya Keys / Tanya Keys
Yasuke / 2021 / 4 Episode / Natsumaru
Star Wars: The Bad Batch / 2021 / 3 Episodes / Fennec Shand
Parallel Man / 2022 / McKenzie Cartwright
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai / 2022 / 10 Episodes / Fong Wing (Coming Soon)
Scoob: Holiday Haunt / 2022 / Coming Soon
Video Games
LeapPad / 1998
Disney's Animated Storybook: Mulan / 1998 / Fa Mulan
Mulan Story Studio / 1998 / Mulan
Kingdom Hearts 2 / 2005 / Mulan
Kingdom Hearts 2: Final Mix plus / 2007 / Fa Mulan / Ping
Defense Grid: The Awakening / 2008 / General Cai
Disney's Infinity 3.0 / 2015 / Fa Mulan
Lego Marvel's Avengers / 2016 / Agent Melinda May
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory / 2020 / Mulan
Elden Ring / 2022 / Trailer - Promotion
Theater
New York:
Tiny Mommy / 1987 /Lam
Flight Attendant / 1990 /
Broken Bones / 1 Act - 1995 / Deb
Iron Tommy / 1993 / Kelly
Redwood Curtain / Geri
Golden Child / 1998 / Broadway / Elizabeth Kwong
Legendary Siren / Iva
Inuit / Bala
Flight Attendant Abel / Carmen
Regional:
One who cared: A homage to Janusz Korczak / 1985 / Kresge Theatre
Speed - The - Plow / 1990 - 91 /Karen
Luck, Pluck, and Virtue / 1996 /Betty
Day of the Picnic / Nani Nan Yum
South Pacific / Liat
Ming-Na Sharing on Theatre
"I started in theater. I’ve always loved acting, ever since I was in third grade. And that never really wavered. I never really had a desire to do anything else. I just always daydreamed about doing Broadway. I think my first love is still theater, in terms of working in front of an audience. And having that reaction and getting those stage fright butterflies right before a performance."
"There’s just something wonderful and magical about being under the gun for two hours and performing at your absolute, most-focused best."
-Ming-Na Wen, gateworld.com