| Eugenia Yuan | |
| Native Name: | (Yuan Lai-Kai) |
| Birth Date: | 22 January 1976 |
| Birth Place: | Inglewood, California, U.S. |
| Other Names: | Lai-Kai Yuan, Lai-Kei Yuan, Eugenia Lai-Kai Yuan |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Mother: | Cheng Pei-pei |
| Known For: | Member of U.S. National Rhythmic Gymnastics team. |
Eugenia Yuan is an American actress and former rhythmic gymnast who has won a Hong Kong Film Award.
On January 22, 1976, Yuan was born in Inglewood, Los Angeles county, California.[1] [2] Yuan's mother is Cheng Pei-pei, an actress who is known for being a Shaw Brothers Studio alumnus and the role of Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.[1] Yuan grew up in San Marino, California.[3] [2]
Yuan began her career as a rhythmic gymnast for the U.S. Olympic Team and was ranked #4 in the world. Yuan was a member of the U.S. National Rhythmic Gymnastics team for about seven years.[2]
Yuan's first screen role was acting alongside her mother in Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger (2002), a martial arts movie. Yuan co-starred in the 2002 drama Charlotte Sometimes which won the best first feature award at the Independent Spirit Awards.
Yuan returned to Hong Kong to star in one segment of Three where she was named "Best Newcomer" in the Hong Kong Film Awards. Hollywood director Doug Liman chose her for the title role of the mockumentary Mail Order Wife, for which she was named as a "Rising Star/Screen Acting Discovery" at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
She was nominated at Hong Kong's Golden Horse Awards for her starring role in 2004's The Eye 2 and had roles in the John Dahl film The Great Raid and the Oscar-winning Memoirs of a Geisha. The jewelry retailer Me & Ro created a special edition hair ornament inspired by Yuan's character in the movie.
Yuan continues to travel back and forth between Los Angeles, New York City and Hong Kong to take studio, Chinese-language and American independent roles alike including the 2007 Gotham Awards winning film Choking Man. She also co-stars with Tony Leung Ka Fai in the Kenneth Bi film, The Drummer, and Erica Leerhsen in Slaughter. Most recently she has appeared in the Australian television drama Secret City.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Hawaii Five-0 | Daiyu Mei | ||
| 2019 | Into the Badlands | Kannin | ||
| 2017 | She Has a Name | Mamma | [4] | |
| 2016 | Blind Enchantress | |||
| 2016 | Secret City | Weng | TV series - 12 episodes | |
| 2015 | The Man with the Iron Fists 2 | Ah Ni | ||
| 2015 | Jasmine | |||
| 2014 | Revenge of the Green Dragons | Snakehead Mama | [5] | |
| 2013 | Pupil (Short) | |||
| 2013 |
| |||
| 2012 | What About Us? (Short) | |||
| 2012 | Strangers (2012 film) | Strangers | ||
| 2011 | Shanghai Hotel | |||
| 2011 | I Don't Know How She Does It | Jack's Receptionist | ||
| 2010 | Fog | |||
| 2007 | The Drummer | Kuan's wife | ||
| 2006 | Choking Man | Amy | ||
| 2006 | Locked (1992) | |||
| 2005 | Memoirs of a Geisha | Korin | [6] | |
| 2005 | The Great Raid | Cora | ||
| 2004 | Mail Order Wife | Lichi | [7] | |
| 2004 | Irina | |||
| 2004 | The Eye 2 | Yuen Chi-kei | ||
| 2002 | 3 Extremes II | Hal'er, Uu's wife | ||
| 2002 | Charlotte Sometimes | Lori | ||
| 2002 | Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger | Xiao Xia | [8] | |
| 1982 | Dragon Strike | Voice |