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Lori Tan Chinn

Lori Tan Chinn

Actor · Born July 7, 1948 (78) · Seattle, Washington, USA

Lori Tan Chinn (born 1948 or 1949) is an American actress and comedian. She played a recurring character in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black and Awkwafina's grandmother on Comedy Central (2020–2023). Chinn began acting on Broadway, playing Miss Higa Jiga in Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen (1970). She was also a notable member of the Katherine Dunham Company and performed African dance with Syvilla Fort. Description above from the Wikipedia article Lori Tan Chinn, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 7, 1948 (78)
From
Seattle, Washington, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 37 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 36% in 30 days

What are Lori Tan Chinn's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
44%
Bonds
35%
Survival
13%
Morality
6%
Society
3%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 6 · Intense 0

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 8 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 4
Mentor
1 of 4
Threshold guardian
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
8
Joyful
6
Hopeful
6
Tense
3
Absurd
3
Other
13

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Lori Tan Chinn's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Lori Tan Chinn's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

37 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page.

  • Sleepwalker(2026)

    as Bai Zhao

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • 31 Candles(2025)

    as Jaya

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld(2024)

    Show 13 episodes · as Gugu (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • A Man on the Inside(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · as Susan Yang

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Late Bloomers(2023)

    as Inez

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Kung Fu Panda 4(2024)

    as Granny Boar (voice)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Strange Planet(2023)

    Show 10 episodes · as Guide (voice)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Joy Ride(2023)

    as Nai Nai Chen

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Ghosts of Christmas Always(2022)

    as Arlene

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Turning Red(2022)

    as Auntie Chen (voice)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Teenage Euthanasia(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens(2020)

    Show 27 episodes · as Grandma

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Chloe and Theo(2015)

    as Landlady

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Final Recipe(2013)

    as Mrs. Wang

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Orange Is the New Black(2013)

    Show 26 episodes · as Mei Chang · as Mei Chang (voice)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Miss D (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Mrs. Ling

  • The Guitar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Mrs. Tzu

  • Year of the Fish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Shuk Yee

  • Law & Order: Trial by Jury(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Park

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • From Other Worlds(2004)

    as Mrs. Kim

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • South Pacific (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Bloody Mary

  • Mickey Blue Eyes(1999)

    as Chinese Waitress

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • It's Like, You Know... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Daisy

  • Ransom(1996)

    as Woman on Street #3

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Spin City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Samaritan Nun

  • Living in Oblivion(1995)

    as Costume Designer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • It Is Now Our Time: Peter Sellars’ The Merchant of Venice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Nerissa

  • The Adventures of Pete & Pete (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Gym Coach

  • Glengarry Glen Ross(1992)

    as Coat Check Girl

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • What About Bob?(1991)

    as Bus Driver

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as SEC Investigator

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Revealing Evidence: Stalking the Honolulu Strangler(1990)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • She-Devil(1989)

    as Vesta Rose Woman

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Roseanne(1988)

    Show 4 episodes · as Iris

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Mathnet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Miss Jessica

  • Brass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Hilda

  • Author! Author!(1982)

    as Mrs. Woo

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 37 titles from 1982 to 2026; peak year 2023.

Biggest box office

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

$548M worldwide

Highest rated

Ghosts of Christmas Always (2022)

Midcredits 86th

Most popular right now

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Film career

19822026

Peak 2023 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting37 of 37: 37 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1980s5 · acting1990s11 · acting2000s5 · acting2010s4 · acting2020s12 · acting

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
8297

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Lori Tan Chinn's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of all 18; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

31 Candles (2025)

95th percentile spread · 41% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Lori Tan Chinn's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, alcohol & drugs runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles16–53 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles15–69 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles19–78 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles7–82 · median 22 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles17–49 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Lori Tan Chinn work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lori Tan Chinn's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Awkwafina shares the most, 2.

Actors

Producers