| Charlyne Yi | |
| Birth Name: | Charlyne Amanda Yi |
| Birth Date: | 4 January 1986[1] |
| Birth Place: | Los Angeles County, California, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Actor, comedian, musician, writer |
| Years Active: | 2006–present |
Charlyne Amanda Yi (born January 4, 1986) is an American actor, comedian, musician, and writer, known for their role as Dr. Chi Park on the Fox medical drama House and for providing the voices of the Rubies on the Cartoon Network animated series Steven Universe (2013–2019) and its epilogue series Steven Universe Future, Chloe Park on We Bare Bears (2014–2019), Alice on Summer Camp Island (2018–2023), and Mai in Next Gen (2018).
Yi's screenwriting debut, the feature film Paper Heart, won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. As a comedian, their performances include music, magic, games, and often audience participation.[2] [3] [4] [5]
Yi was raised in Fontana, California;[6] They are of Filipino, Mexican, and Korean descent.[7] [8] [9] They attended the University of California, Riverside before leaving to pursue a full-time career in comedy. They had an early interest in performing while attending Bloomington High School and were involved in theatre.
Yi began their career by performing in Bloomington, California. After high school, they performed shows in Los Angeles at The Steve Allen Theater, and The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. In 2005 and 2006 they performed in the New York Comedy Festival,[10] and in 2007 HBO's U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado.
Yi's film debut was in Judd Apatow's 2007 film Knocked Up. In 2008, Yi performed as part of the Apatow for Destruction Live comedy show at Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival.[11]
In the 2009 film Paper Heart, a "hybrid documentary"[12] in which Yi served as both executive producer and co-writer, Yi starred as a fictional version of themself, alongside Michael Cera.
Yi was chosen as one of Venus Zines "25 under 25" women for 2009.[13]
They appeared alongside Saturday Night Live cast member Fred Armisen in the 2009 music video for the song "Rabbit Habits" by Philadelphia experimental band Man Man.
Yi and Paul Rust formed the band The Glass Beef. The duo share one electric guitar and both sing lead vocals. In 2006, they released their debut album, The Farewell Album, produced by John Spiker, bassist of Tenacious D.
Yi was featured in the video "Song Away" by Hockey.[14] They are currently in the band Sacred Destinies.
From October 2011 to May 2012, Yi starred in the Fox television series House as Dr. Chi Park, a young doctor with anger management issues.[15] [16]
Yi has been involved with Oxfam America since 2010, working to raise awareness about poverty and hunger around the world.[17] Yi started the non-profit Caring is Cool in 2011, and hosted a benefit show to raise money for the organization.[18]
Yi describes their gender identity as "queer genderfluid enby".[19] They use they/them pronouns.
On Twitter, Yi accused Marilyn Manson of sexual harassment on the set of House.[20]
In 2018, Amber Tamblyn said of her husband David Cross, "Basically he was rightfully accused of doing something racist to the comedian Charlyne Yi," following tweets that Yi had posted on the subject in 2017.[21]
In 2021, they spoke out about their experience with James Franco, specifically discussing their efforts to quit his 2017 film, The Disaster Artist, after learning of the sexual misconduct allegations against him. Yi also criticized Seth Rogen for enabling Franco's behavior and continuing to work with him following the allegations.[22]
In 2024, Yi said that while filming Time Bandits for Apple TV+, they were constantly assaulted by a male actor who, in the process, injured their back. [23]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Knocked Up | Jodi | First film | |
| 2008 | Cloverfield | Party Goer | ||
| Semi-Pro | Wheelchair Jody | |||
| 2009 | Paper Heart | Charlyne Yi | Nominated – Comedy Film Award for Best Actress | |
| All About Steve | Young Protester | |||
| 2010 | Fast | Donna Fast | Two-minute video short | |
| 2012 | This Is 40 | Jodi | ||
| 2014 | The Last Time You Had Fun | Betty | ||
| 2016 | Nerdland | Becky | Voice[24] | |
| 2017 | The Disaster Artist | Safoya | ||
| Literally, Right Before Aaron | Claire | |||
| The Lego Ninjago Movie | Terri IT Nerd | Voice | ||
| 2018 | Nerissa | |||
| Next Gen | Mai Su | VoiceNominated – Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production | ||
| Second Act | Ariana | |||
| 2019 | Always Be My Maybe | Ginger | ||
| Goldie | Goldie | Voice, short | ||
| Ruby | Voice, television film | |||
| Jexi | Elaine | |||
| 2020 | Trolls World Tour | Pennywhistle | Voice | |
| Chloe Park | Voice | |||
| 2021 | Happily | Gretel | ||
| The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Abbey Posey | Voice | ||
| 2022 | My Father's Dragon | Magda | Voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Help Me Help You | Charlyne | Episode: "The Sheriff" | |
| 2007 | 30 Rock | Grace Park | Episode: "The C Word" | |
| Cold Case | Dorky Girl | Episode: "Stand Up and Holler" | ||
| Powerloafing | Executive Assistant | |||
| 2008 | Miss Guided | Karey | Episode: "Pool Party" | |
| 2011 | Love Bites | Sex Shop Manager | Episodes: "Unaired Pilot" & "Firsts" | |
| 2011–2012 | House | 21 episodes | ||
| 2015 | Looking | Cashier | Episode: "Looking for a Plot" | |
| 2015–2019 | Steven Universe | Ruby, various Rubies, Cluster | Voice, 12 episodes | |
| We Bare Bears | Chloe Park | Voice, series regular (18 episodes) | ||
| 2016 | Love | Cori | 3 episodes | |
| Jane the Virgin | Angela | Episode: "Chapter Thirty-Nine" | ||
| Future-Worm! | Zoe | Voice, episode: "Bug vs. the Babysitter" | ||
| 2017 | Twin Peaks | Ruby | Episode: "Part 15" | |
| Danger & Eggs | Layla | Voice, episode: "Keep Off the Grass/Pennies" | ||
| Room 104 | Gracie | Episode: "FOMO" | ||
| 2018 | Lucifer | 2 episodes[25] | ||
| DIY | Eli | Voice, TV short | ||
| 2018–present | Summer Camp Island | Alice Fefferman | Voice, series regular (22 episodes) | |
| 2019 | Steven Universe Future | Ruby, Eyeball Ruby, Ruby Bodyguards | Voice, 5 episodes | |
| 2020 | Good Girls | Lucy | 2 episodes | |
| 2021 | Tig n' Seek | Georgia | Voice, episode: "Must Love Bugs" | |
| 2022 | Amphibia | The Guardian | Voice, episode: "The Hardest Thing" | |
| Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities | Charlotte Xie | Episode: "The Viewing" | ||
| 2024 | Time Bandits | Judy | Yi withdrew halfway through filming |
| Year | Title | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Oh the Moon | Text/Image hybrid | |
| 2019 | You Can't Kill Me Twice (So Please Treat Me Right) | Poetry |