James Hong

James Hong was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. He initially studied civil engineering at the University of Minnesota, but eventually developed an interest in acting. He graduated from the University of Southern California and worked for 1½ years as a road engineer with the County of Los Angeles, using sick leaves and vacation time to pursue film work. He eventually left engineering to focus on acting full time. He is one of the founders of the East-West Players, the oldest Asian American theater in Los Angeles. He served as president and charter member of the Association of Asian Pacific American Artists. Hong is one of the most prolific and well-recognized Asian-American character actors in movies and television. He currently resides in Los Angeles and is planning to produce and direct his own films.