Born in Macau, then moving to Hong Kong later and eventually to the United States at the age of 6, celebrated actress Ming-Na Wen spent much of her youth learning about food in her family’s Pittsburgh restaurant, the Chinatown Inn, now a historic landmark and the only remaining establishment from the city’s original Chinatown. As an adult and now an Asian American icon, Ming-Na has appeared in television and films ranging from her breakout starring role in The Joy Luck Club, based on Amy Tan’s bestselling novel, to Karate Kid Legends in 2025. She broke barriers with her seven-year run as Dr. Chen on the Emmy Award–winning NBC series ER and was beloved by a younger generation for voicing the titular role in Disney’s acclaimed Mulan. She went on to be named a Disney Legend thanks to roles such as Agent May on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fennec Shand on the Star Wars franchise shows The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. With hundreds of other roles she’s played over decades, Ming-Na was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. She lives with her husband Eric in Los Angeles, and she is proud that they have raised their two beautiful children, Michaela and Cooper, to be passionate foodies.
