Lucy Liu Biography

Best known to television audiences as Ling Woo, the raging force of political incorrectness on Ally McBeal, Lucy Alexis Liu has managed to cross over to the big screen in such features as Payback and Play It to the Bone. Born to Chinese parents in Jackson Heights, NY, on December 2, 1968, Liu grew up speaking both English and Mandarin. After graduating from Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School, she earned a degree in Asian languages and cultures from the University of Michigan, where she also studied acting, dance, and voice. Liu's first professional job was playing a waitress on Beverly Hills 90210, something that led to more substantial work on various TV shows, including a regular part on the TV series Pearl. Liu's biggest breakthrough came in 1998, when she was cast as Ling Woo on Ally McBeal. She had originally auditioned for the role of Nelle Porter, which ultimately went to Australian actress Portia DeRossi. David E. Kelley, the show's producer, was so impressed with Liu's audition, however, that he created the role of Ling Woo specifically for her. The character was initially supposed to be included on only a few episodes but proved so popular with the show's audience that Liu was made into a regular cast member.Unsurprisingly, the actress' increased exposure led to greater opportunities on the screen and after playing supporting roles in such films as Payback and Molly (both 1999), she moved on to more substantial work in Play It to the Bone and the Jackie Chan martial-arts period comedy Shanghai Noon, which cast her as a princess who has been kidnapped from her emperor father. In 2000, she also was cast in perhaps her most high-profile role to date, when she was chosen alongside Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz as one of the titular crime fighters in Charlie's Angels: The Movie.With the exception of a small role as an inmate in the Oscar-winning film Chicago, 2002 brought little recognition for Liu -- Cypher, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, and Party Monster with former Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin went virtually unseen by the general public. 2003's Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle placed Liu firmly back inside the spotlight, though she was somewhat overshadowed by the toothy blonde glint that is Cameron Diaz. Luckily for Liu, she was given the chance to shine quite independently when Quentin Tarantino cast her as the deadly O-Ren Ishii, AKA Cottonmouth, in Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003). Unfortunately roles in subsequent action films like Domino and Lucky Number Slevin failed to capitolize on that momentary career momentum, though a voice role as Viper in Kung Fu Panda (as well as the sequel and subsequent television series) found her continuing to kick butt in virtual form. Meanwhile, on the small screen, Liu donned a badge for a recurring role on the TNT cop series Southland. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

• 1. O-Ren Ishii: As your leader, I encourage you from time to time, and always in a respectful manner, to question my logic. If you're unconvinced that a particular plan of action I've decided is the wisest, tell me so, but allow me to convince you and I promise you right here and now, no subject will ever be taboo. Except, of course, the subject that was just under discussion. The price you pay for bringing up either my Chinese or American heritage as a negative is... I collect your fucking head. Just like this fucker here. Now, if any of you sons of bitches got anything else to say, now's the fucking time!
  From Kill Bill: Volume 1. Submitted by Marco M (5 months ago)

• 1. Madame Blossom: Power belongs to no one.
  From The Man With the Iron Fists. Submitted by Chris P (7 months ago)

• 1. O-Ren Ishii: Silly rabbit...
  2. The Bride: Tricks are for...
  3. O-Ren Ishii: Kids.
  From Kill Bill: Volume 1. Submitted by Courtney E (12 months ago)

• 1. O-Ren Ishii: That really was a Hattori Hanzo sword.
  From Kill Bill: Volume 1. Submitted by Lucas M (13 months ago)

• 1. The Bride: Is that what I think it is?
  2. O-Ren Ishii: You didn't think it was gonna be that easy, did you?
  3. The Bride: You know, for a second there, Yeah! I kinda did.
  From Kill Bill: Volume 1. Submitted by Krystoffer Dave L (13 months ago)

• 1. Lindsey: What happened to your nose?
  2. Slevin: I was using it to break some guy's fist.
  From Lucky Number Slevin. Submitted by Fisch K (13 months ago)

• 1. O-Ren Ishii: The price you pay for bringing up either my Chinese or my American heritage as a negative is, I collect your f**king head. Just like this f**ker here. Now if any of you sons of b**ches got anything else to say, NOW'S THE F**KING TIME! ...I didn't think so.
  From Kill Bill: Volume 1. Submitted by Minnie O (18 months ago)

• 1. Po: I have to get to him.
  2. Tigress: Then tell me why!
  3. Po: He was there, okay?! The peacock was there the last time I saw my parents. He knows what happened...where I came from...who I am. [Tigress feeling depressed] Look, I'm going. I have to know. The hard core can't understand.
  4. Viper: Tigress, no! [Thought Tigress was going to attack him, but actually hugged him; Crane's jaw drops]
  5. Tigress: The hard core do understand. But I can't watch my friend be killed. [to the furious five] We're going.
  From Kung Fu Panda 2. Submitted by Derek K (18 months ago)

• 1. Viper: Tigress, no!
  From Kung Fu Panda 2. Submitted by Anthony A (18 months ago)

• 1. O-Ren Ishii: Silly Caucasian girl likes to play with Samurai swords. You may not be able to fight like a Samurai, but you can at least die like a Samurai.
  From Kill Bill: Volume 1. Submitted by Kenneth Matthew G (19 months ago)

• 1. Po: They must be close. I can feel a kung fu chill riding up my spine.
  2. Viper: Sorry Po, it's just me.
  From Kung Fu Panda 2. Submitted by Rishi K (23 months ago)

• 1. Tigress: If he's smart he won't come back up those stairs.
  2. Monkey: But he will.
  3. Viper: He's not going to quit, is he?
  4. Mantis: I'll tell you what, he's not gonna quit bouncing.
  From Kung Fu Panda. Submitted by Shichao C (24 months ago)

• 1. Lindsey: Why do they call him the Rabbi?
  2. Slevin: Because he's a Rabbi...
  From Lucky Number Slevin. Submitted by Sean O (2 years ago)

• 1. Lindsey: I was just thinking that if you're still alive when I get back from work tonight... maybe, I don't know, we could go out to dinner or something?
  From Lucky Number Slevin. Submitted by Chris P (2 years ago)