Lori Tan Chinn
Lori Tan Chinn (born 7 July 1948) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Mei Chang on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black and [1][2] Grandma on Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens. Chinn's first acting role was Miss Higa Jiga in Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen (1970) on Broadway. She was also a notable member of the Katherine Dunham dance company and performed African dance with Syvilla Fort.
Early life[]
Chinn was born in Seattle, Washington. She is of Hoisan, Chinese descent. Chinn moved to New York City by herself in 1969.[3]
Filmography[]
Film[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | Author! Author! | Mrs. Woo | |
1985 | Brass | Hilda | TV movie |
1989 | She-Devil | Vesta Rose Woman | |
1990 | Revealing Evidence: Stalking the Honolulu Strangler | Pua | TV movie |
1991 | What About Bob? | Bus driver | |
1992 | Glengarry Glen Ross | Coat check girl | |
1995 | Living in Oblivion | Costume Designer | |
1996 | Ransom | Woman on Street #3 | |
1999 | Mickey Blue Eyes | Restaurant Owner | |
2001 | South Pacific | Bloody Mary | 2003 Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Resident Musical |
2004 | From Other Worlds | Mrs. Kim | |
2007 | Security | Mrs. Pong | Short |
2007 | Year of the Fish | Shuk Yee | Animated film |
2008 | The Guitar | Mrs. Tzu | |
2012 | Miss D | Mrs. Ling | Short |
2013 | Final Recipe | Mrs. Wang | |
2015 | Chloe and Theo | Landlady |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | Roseanne | Iris | 4 episodes |
1992 | Mathnet | Miss Jessica | Episode: "The Case of the Smart Dummy" |
1999 | It's Like, You Know... | Daisy | Episode: "Lost in America" |
2000 | Spin City | Samaritan Nun | Episode: "Mike's Best Friend's Boyfriend" |
2000 | Law & Order | SEC Investigator | Episode: "High & Low" |
2005 | Law & Order: Trial by Jury | Mrs. Park | Episode: "The Line" |
2013–19 | Orange is the New Black | Mei Chang | 27 episodes |
2020–present | Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens | Nora's grandmother | starring role |
Theatre[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1970–1971 | Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen | Miss Higa Jiga | |
1979 | G. R. Point | Mama-San | |
1988–1990 | M. Butterfly | Comrade Chin, Suzuki, Shu Fan | [4] |
2015 | Gotta Dance | Mae | [5] |
2015 | Triassic Parq | Twin velociraptor | [6] |
References[]
- ^ "Prison as Playground". Slate. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
- ^ Canfield, David. "Every Story Matters: Why the Flashback Structure of 'Orange Is the New Black' Is More Vital Than Ever in Season 3". Indiewire. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
- ^ Chow, Andrew R. (January 24, 2020). "Lori Tan Chinn Is a Scene-Stealer in Awkwafina's New Series. But the Role Comes After Decades of Harassment and Discrimination". Time. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ Richards, David (February 11, 1988). "Chinese Puzzle; At the National, a Curious `M. Butterfly'". The Washington Post (subscription required). Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
- ^ Cox, Gordon (June 29, 2015). "Stefanie Powers, Georgia Engel Join Cast of Broadway-Bound 'Gotta Dance'". Variety. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
- ^ Gioia, Michael (October 31, 2011). "Mitchell Jarvis and Lori Tan Chinn Will Lead a Dinosaur Revolution in Triassic Parq NYC Readings". Playbill. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
External links[]
Categories:
- Living people
- American people of Chinese descent
- American film actresses
- Actresses from Seattle
- American musical theatre actresses
- American television actresses
- 1948 births
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses