20 Most Famous Asian Actresses In Hollywood: From Simone Ashley To Stephanie Hsu

We are looking at the 20 most popular Asian actresses who have gained fame in Hollywood with their strong performances in films.

Published on Feb 07, 2024  |  12:24 AM IST |  256.7K
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Michelle Yeoh via Getty Images

Hollywood has been an open space for people worldwide, and yet it's only a few that can climb the ladder of success. When it comes to women, they time and again have to prove themselves worthy of where they belong. Presenting a list of 20 Asian actresses who have given some phenomenal acts that are very evident to tell the audience that they are here to rule, and for a long, long time. 

20 Most Famous Asian Actresses In Hollywood

1. Simone Ashley

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Simone Ashwini Pillai, aka Simone Ashley, is an Asian actress born to Indian parents. Ashley, born in March 1995, is popularly known for her roles in Bridgerton and Sex Education. The actress started her acting career in 2016, when she appeared in two episodes of Wolfblood. Ever since, there has been no stopping for this young Asian actress. Simone Ashley is featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 list of European entertainment. 

2. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

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Maitreyi, popularly known for her character Devi in the Netflix series Never Have I Ever, is one of the most loved Asian youth stars of today’s time. She was born in Sri Lanka to Tamil Hindu parents but had to relocate to Canada due to some unavoidable circumstances. She was born on December 28, 2001, and attended college in Los Angeles. Maitreyi was well received by her audience from the moment she made her debut. 

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3. Gemma Chan

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Gemma Chan, a popular Asian actress, is well-liked by her fans. The actress was born on November 29, 1982, in London, after her parents shifted from Hong Kong to England. Chan is well known for her role in Crazy Rich Asians. She went on to act in some memorable movies, like Eternals and Captain Marvel. The actress is dating actor Dominic Cooper. The two got together in 2018.

4. Lana Condor

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Lana Condor has gained fame as one of the most popular Asian actresses. Lana was born in Vietnam on May 6th, 1997. The actress moved to America with her adopted parents in the same year. Lana started off her acting career with X-Men: Apocalypse but gained worldwide popularity with her character Lara Jean Covey in To All The Boys movie series. Lana has also received an award from Hollywood Critics Association for the year 2020.

5. Leah Lewis

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Leah Lewis is one of the young Asian actresses to gain fame at an early age. Lewis debuted in 2012 with the Nickelodeon film Fred 3: Camp Fred. Ever since, she has been acting in commercials and movies. The role that got her fame was that of Georgia, which she played in the series adaptation of Nancy Drew. Leah was born in Vietnam on December 9th, 1996. 

6.Stephanie Hsu

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Stephanie Hsu, born on November 25, 1990, started acting at a very young age. After finishing her academics, Hsu moved to Broadway with her role as Christine Canigula in Be More Chill. The actress often appeared in MTV's Girl Code. Hsu got her big role in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, for which she was nominated for best actress in supporting role at the Oscars. 

7. Michelle Yeoh 

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Michelle Yeoh is a Malaysian actress, born on August 6, 1962. Yeoh went on to win the Miss Malaysia World contest and land her first acting job alongside Jackie Chan. While this caught the attention of multiple production houses, The Hong Kong production company offered her a role. Working in the film industry for years gave her fame and recognition. Her best work yet is known to be in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, for which she became the first Asian actress to win an Academy Award. 

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8. Constance Wu

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Constance Wu was born in Virginia to her parents, who immigrated from Taiwan. The actress, with her Asian roots, stepped into Hollywood in 2006. She is popularly known for her roles in Crazy Rich Asians, The Hustlers, and Fresh Off The Boat. Wu has been listed on Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. She got this recognition in 2017.

9. Awkwafina

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The Asian-American actress Awkwafina was born on June 2, 1988, in New York. Along with acting, Awkwafina is a well-known rapper and has started her career in the same field. In 2014, the actress released her first solo hip-hop album, Yellow Ranger, which made her popular amongst the youth. While in acting, the role in Ocean’s 8 was well applauded. Apart from that, she has appeared in Crazy Rich Asians, The Girl Code, and The Farewell. She has begged quite a few awards too for her incredible work in the industry.

10. Claudia Kim

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Claudia Kim, also known as Soo Hyun, was born on January 25, 1985, in South Korea. While she wished to become an Asian news anchor, destiny had other plans for her. Kim stepped into Hollywood in 2006 with her role in the TV series Queen of the Game. Kim is married to Matthew Shampine, a Korean-American businessman. The actress has bagged multiple entertainment awards over the years.

11. Arden Cho

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Arden Cho, popularly known for playing Kira Yukimura in drama series Teen Wolf, was born on August 16, 1985. Struggling in her initial days, Cho landed her first acting role in 2008, where she portrayed the role of Hyori in My First Crush. The actress was last seen in Partner Track as the lead. Apart from acting, Cho is Black Belt in Taekwondo, taking training sessions with her father.

12. Freida Pinto

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Freida Pinto is listed among the top Asian actresses. Born in India, Freida was highly fond of acting from her college days. Pinto got her big break in Slumdog Millionaire, for which she received great nominations. The actress, however, has rarely worked in India but is still known to break a lot of stereotypes about the industry. Along with her acting career, Pinto also balances multiple charity projects. 

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13. Priyanka Chopra

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Priyanka Chopra, born on July 18, 1982, hails from India. Chopra has worked in the Indian film industry for years before moving to Hollywood. She won the Miss World pageant in 2000 and is honoured with Padma Shri by the Government of India. Priyanka debuted in Hollywood in 2017 with Baywatch, alongside Dwayne Johnson. The actress married Nick Jonas in 2018. She is also considered one of the most famous Asian American celebrities. 

14. Brenda Song

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Brenda Song is an Asian-American actress born in California, with roots in Thailand. Song began her career in Hollywood with modelling. The actress’s early roles include her collaboration with a Disney movie, The Ultimate Christmas Present. The portrayal made her quite popular and got her two awards. After signing a number of movies with Disney, Song turned to mainstream cinema in 2010. The roles she played over the years gained her fame.

15. Mindy Kaling

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Mindy Kaling was born in the U.S. with her parents hailing from India. Mindy is a well-known actor-producer in Hollywood. Kaling was born on June 24, 1979. She gained popularity through the role of Kelly Kapoor in 2005 sitcom The Office. Kaling has produced numerous projects, which include The Mindy Project, Never Have I Ever, and the miniseries Four Weddings and a Funeral. The actress was recently awarded the National Medal of the Arts from President Joe Biden for her work in the industry.

16. Vanessa Hudgens

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Vanessa Hudgens is an Asian-American actress born on December 14, 1988. Hudgens is well known for her role in the High School Musical. The film series caught the attention of production houses, leading the actress into more mainstream roles. Hudgens went on to sign a contract with Hollywood, after which she released two studio albums, V and Identified. The actress made her Broadway debut in 2015, and in 2022 she got an opportunity to co-host the Met Gala.

17. Jamie Chung

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The Korean-American actress Jamie Chung was born on April 10, 1983. Chung kicked off her career in 2004 as a member of MTV reality show. The actress gained fame by playing smaller roles in TV and movies. She received her first lead role in the film Eden. Over the years, Chung has received a lot of critical appreciation, awards and recognition.

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18. Hoyeon Jung

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Hoyeon Jung is a South Korean-American actress who started her career with modelling. She was born on June 23, 1994. Jung participated in various pageants, but her step into Hollywood was recognised when she walked in the New York Fashion Week. The actress was also named the global ambassador for Louis Vuitton in 2016. Jung started her career in acting in 2021 with the Netflix series Squid Games. 

19. Sydney Park

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Sydney Park is an Asian-American actress who is well known for her roles as Cyndie in The Walking Dead and Gabby Phillips in Instant Mom. Park was born on October 31st, 1997. The actress started off as a child artist who performed on the stage of America’s Got Talent in 2006. From there, she debuted on TV with a part in the sitcom That’s So Raven. Park was recognised as the youngest comedian to ever perform at the Hollywood Improv in 2003. 

20. Shay Mitchell

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Born on April 10, 1987, the Asian-American actress Shay Mitchell has her roots in the Philippines. Mitchell gained popularity for her role in the series You and Dollface. The actress made her debut in 2009 with the drama series Rookie Blue. In 2016, the You actress debuted in her first feature film, Dreamland. It was critically acclaimed at the film festivals and was marked as a breakthrough for Shay. 

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What do people ask about Mindy Kaling?

Was Mindy Kaling in The Office?
Yes. Mindy Kaling played Kelly Kapoor in The Office.

Is Mindy Kaling Indian?
Mindy Kaling was born in the U.S, but her parents are from India.

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