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Hong Chau

Hong Chau

Actor · Born June 25, 1979 (47) · Thailand

Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Hong Chau (born June 25, 1979) is an American actress. She has received several award nominations for her film roles as Ngoc Lan Tran in Downsizing (2017) and as Liz, a nurse, in The Whale (2022), including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the latter. Chau was born to Vietnamese parents who lived in a refugee camp in Thailand after fleeing Vietnam in the late 1970s. A Vietnamese Catholic church in New Orleans sponsored Chau and her family to move to the United States. She grew up in New Orleans and majored in film studies at Boston University College of Communication before pursuing an acting career. She appeared in the TV series Treme (2010–2013) and the film Inherent Vice (2014). She went on to have supporting roles in the HBO limited series Watchmen (2019) and the Prime Video series Homecoming (2018–2020). Chau has also played leading roles in the 2019 films Driveways and American Woman and further supporting roles in the 2022 film The Menu and the 2023 Netflix series The Night Agent. Description above from the Wikipedia article Hong Chau, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 25, 1979 (47)
From
Thailand
Works as
Actor
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 32 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 19% in 30 days

What are Hong Chau's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Drama 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
30%
Bonds
21%
Morality
18%
Survival
10%
Society
10%
Power
9%
Ideas
2%
Identity4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

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

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 2

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 2

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 9 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 9
Shapeshifter
2 of 9
Threshold guardian
1 of 9
Hero
1 of 9
Shadow
1 of 9
Mentor
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Contemplative
7
Bittersweet
5
Hopeful
5
Melancholic
4
Other
7

How their films linger

Bittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5

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 Hong Chau's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Hong Chau'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

32 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Sheep Detectives(2026)

    as Beth Pennock

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Wuthering Heights(2026)

    as Nelly

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Instigators(2024)

    as Dr. Donna Rivera

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Kinds of Kindness(2024)

    as Sarah / Sharon / Aka

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Asteroid City(2023)

    as Polly

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Showing Up(2022)

    as Jo

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Night Agent(2023)

    Show 10 episodes · as Diane Farr

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Poker Face(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Marge

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Whale(2022)

    as Liz

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Menu(2022)

    as Elsa

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Driveways(2019)

    as Kathy

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Artemis Fowl(2020)

    as Opal Koboi (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Watchmen(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as Lady Trieu

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • American Woman(2019)

    Executive Producer · as Jenny

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Homecoming(2018)

    Show 11 episodes · as Audrey Temple

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Forever(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Sarah

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Duck Butter(2018)

    as Glow

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Downsizing(2017)

    as Ngoc Lan Tran

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Big Little Lies(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Jackie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Inherent Vice(2014)

    as Jade

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • A to Z (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 13 episodes · as Lora

  • BoJack Horseman(2014)

    Show 5 episodes · as Pickles Aplenty (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Market Hours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Angela

  • $#*! My Dad Says (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as DJ

  • Treme(2010)

    Show 4 episodes · as Linh

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Good Luck Charlie(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Theresa

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • The Sarah Silverman Program.(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Asian Masseuse

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • How I Met Your Mother(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Cook Pu

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • American Dad!(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Korean Spy (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Molly Choi

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Julie Blanch

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Ministry of Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · as Adela

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 32 titles, 31 of them dated from 2000 to 2026; peak year 2023.

Biggest box office

Wuthering Heights (2026)

$242M worldwide

Highest rated

The Whale (2022)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Kinds of Kindness (2024)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
20002026

Peak 2023 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 5 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
Acting32 of 32: 31 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thProducing1 of 32: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

2000s5 · acting2010s14 · 14 acting · 1 crew2020s12 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 9% of 11 roles

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.

Awards

2 major awards from 9 major nominations, 2015–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Independent Spirit Award, won
  2. 2023
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
  3. 2020
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Female Lead
  4. 2018
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
  5. 2015
    • Independent Spirit Award, won

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Hong Chau's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 14; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 28 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Artemis Fowl (2020)

63rd percentile spread · 53% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

BoJack Horseman (2014)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 78/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 85, detractors 52. 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 Hong Chau's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore9 titles23–68 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles11–70 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles50–85 · median 69 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles26–66 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles14–73 · median 44 · moderatenear 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 Hong Chau work with?

People who share at least 2 of Hong Chau's MovieCove titles; Matt Damon shares the most, 2.