Biography
Who is Hong Chau?
Early life and education
Hong Chau was born in a refugee camp in Thailand in 1979 after her family fled Vietnam. Her parents and two brothers were part of the Vietnamese boat people group. During their escape, her father was shot and injured. They eventually resettled in the United States after a Vietnamese Catholic church in New Orleans, Louisiana, arranged for a local family to sponsor them.
She grew up in New Orleans East. She attended Eleanor McMain Secondary School and Benjamin Franklin High School before graduating from the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Her parents worked as dishwashers and ran a convenience store to prioritize their children's education. Hong spoke Vietnamese as her first language and learned English in school.
Career beginnings and breakthrough
She began her acting career in 2006. In the early 2010s, she appeared in guest roles on television series such as NCIS and How I Met Your Mother. A significant early role for her was in the New Orleans-based series Treme, which aired from 2010 to 2013. Her feature film debut occurred in 2014 with Inherent Vice, though she struggled to find subsequent film auditions for two years afterward.
Her career gained momentum with a supporting role in the 2017 film Downsizing. Critics praised her performance, and she received several nominations for best supporting actress awards. Following this, she appeared in the first season of the Amazon Prime Video series Homecoming. She also secured roles in critically acclaimed projects, including the 2019 HBO limited series Watchmen, where she portrayed Lady Trieu.
Recent projects and recognition
In 2019, Hong starred in the films Driveways and American Woman. She later moved from a supporting role in the first season of Homecoming to a lead role in the second season in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, she gave birth to a daughter in November 2020.
She acted in four films throughout 2021, including The Whale, Showing Up, The Menu, and Asteroid City. Her performance in The Whale earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also took a main role in the 2023 television series The Night Agent. Also, she appeared in the 2023 series Poker Face and the 2024 film Kinds of Kindness.
Birthday and age
Hong Chau was born on June 25, 1979, which makes Hong 47 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Hong shares the date with 25 other famous people.
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