Based on the Chinese poem, “The Song of Fa Mu Lan,” Mulan was originally supposed to be a Tootsie-inspired romantic comedy, where the heroine’s a misfit tomboy and a daddy’s girl who’s engaged to Shang, a man whom she’s never met. On her betrothal day, her dad Fa Zhou carves her destiny on a stone tablet in the family temple, which she shatters in anger, running away to forge her own destiny. As Head of Story, Chris Sanders had misgivings and wanted the film to be more faithful to the original legend where Mulan leaves home out of love for her father. General Li wasn’t originally going to be Li Shang’s dad but the writers did so to mirror Shang and Mulan’s love for their fathers. While story artist Joe Grant and Roy E. Disney had Cri-Kee and Mushu added. The latter becoming Eddie Murphy’s Shrek audition. Visual design was based on watercolor paintings derived from the Ming and Qing Dynasties since they’re the ones we know most about. Although German Expressionist silents, British and American epics from the 1950s and 1960s, and Spaghetti Westerns. They also used crowd simulation software for the Hun Army soldiers during the Huns’ attack sequence. Upon its 1998 release, Mulan grossed over $304 million over a $90 million budget at the box office as well as received positive reviews (it also swept the Annie Awards). However, Chicago Tribune critic Gene Siskel wasn’t pleased writing the film, “a big disappointment when compared with the studio’s other recent films about a female hero searching for independence.” He was further critical of Mulan’s characterization in comparison to Ariel and Belle and claimed the “design of the film does not take advantage of the inspiration provided by classic Chinese artists, and the songs are not memorable.” As someone who grew up with Mulan, I have to disagree, especially in regards to “Make a Man Out of You.” Also, today it holds a 92% Rotten Tomatoes rating for its exploration of themes such as strength, feminism, and gender roles. Yet, it didn’t do well in China with overall negative audience reception who accused Disney of westernizing the tale. Box office income was low due to an unfavorable release date and piracy. In this post, we’ll meet the people behind 5 more Hercules characters as well as the voices behind Mulan, Li Shang, Yao, Ling, and Chi-Fu.

231. Amanda Plummer

Dates: 1957-present

Early Life and Career: Born Amanda Michael Plummer in New York City. Father was Canadian actor and screen legend Christopher Plummer and American actress Tammy Grimes. Attended the elite Trinity School and graduated from the United Nations International School. Attended Middlebury College for 2 ½ years before studying acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City.

Movies and Cartoons: Hercules (1997) as well as Phineas and Ferb and the Hercules video game.

Characters: Clotho

Also Known For: Actress known for her work on stage and film including Joe Versus the Volcano, The Fisher King, Pulp Fiction, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and the third season of Star Trek: Picard. Film appearances include Cattle Annie and Little Britches, The World According to Garp, Daniel, The Hotel New Hampshire, Static, Made in Heaven, Freejack, So I Married an Axe Murderer, Needful Things, Pax, Butterfly Kiss, Nostradamus, The Final Cut, The Prophecy, Hysteria, L. A. Without a Map, You Can Thank Me Later, October 22, The Million Dollar Hotel, My Life Without Me, Satan’s Little Helper, Inconceivable, Red, The Making of Plus One, Vampire, Small Apartments, Abigail Harm, Reversion, The Dancer, We Are Boats, Spiral Farm, Night Raiders, and Showing Up. TV appearances include The ABC Afterschool Special, The Dollmaker, Moonlighting, The Equalizer, Miami Vice, Tales from the Crypt, HBO Storybook Musicals, L. A. Law, Kojak, The Hidden Room, The Outer Limits, Duckman, The Right to Remain Silent, Don’t Look Back, Under the Piano, The Apartment Complex, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Battlestar Galactica, WordGirl, Hannibal, The Blacklist, and Ratched. Stage appearances include A Month in the Country, A Taste of Honey, Agnes of God, The Glass Menagerie, Lee Harvey Oswald, A Lie of the Mind, You Can Never Tell, Pygmalion, Killer Joe, Lark, Summer and Smoke, The Two-Character Play, and The Night of the Iguana.

Personal Life: Granddaughter of artist Isabella Mary Abbott and stepdaughter of actress Elaine Taylor. Dated screenwriter and director Paul Chart during the late 1990s and lived together in Los Angeles.

Later Life: Still working as of 2025.

Trivia: Won a Tony and a Drama Desk Award for her 1982 performance in Agnes of God. Has won 3 Emmys and an Independent Spirit Award.

232. Paul Shaffer

Dates:1949-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Toronto and raised in Fort William, Ontario, Canada. Was raised in a Jewish family. Mother volunteered in local charities, donated to Hadassah Women’s Zionist Organization of America, and loved show tunes. Father was a lawyer and jazz afficionado. At 12, his parents took him on a trip to Las Vegas where they took in Nat King Cole and other shows, an experience that Shaffer has described as “life changing” and led to his decision to become a performer. Took piano lessons as a child and played organ in a band called Fabulous Fugitives with his schoolmates during his teenage years in Thunder Bay. Later performed with the Flash Landing Band at different venues around Edmonton and the interior of British Columbia. While attending the University of Toronto, he began playing with jazz guitarist Tisziji Munoz, performing in bands around the bars there, where he found an interest in musicals and completed his studies. Graduated with a degree in sociology in 1971. Began his music career in 1972 when invited by Stephen Schwartz to be the musical director in  the Toronto production of Godspell starring Victor Garber, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, and Andrea Martin.  Went on to play piano in the Schwartz Broadway show The Magic Show in 1974 and became a member of the house band on Saturday Night Live from 1975 until 1980. Began serving as musical director for David Letterman’s late night talk shows in 1982.

Movies and Cartoons: Hercules (1997)

Characters: Hermes

Also Known For: Canadian singer, keyboardist, actor, author, comedian, and musician who served as David Letterman’s musical director, band director, and sidekick on the entire run of Late Night with David Letterman and The Late Show with David Letterman. Has also served as musical director and producer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony since its inception in 1986. Hosts the Musicians Hall of Fame Museum induction concert and ceremonies. Recorded music with a wide range of artists such as  Donald Fagen, Ronnie Wood, Grand Funk Railroad, Diana Ross, B.B. King, Asleep at the Wheel, Cyndi Lauper, Carl Perkins, Yoko Ono, Blues Traveler, Jeff Healey, Cher, Barry Manilow, Chicago, Luba, Robert Burns, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Nina Hagen, Robert Plant, Peter Criss, Scandal, Brian Wilson, Warren Zevon, Miles Davis, Lew Soloff, Lou Marini and Earl Scruggs. Film appearances include North in Superior, Blues Brothers 2000, This Is Spinal Tap, Scrooged, Look Who’s Talking Too, and Small Talk About Sly. TV appearances include Saturday Night Live, A Year at the Top, Fats Domino and Friends, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Happy New Year America, Cover Wars, The Concert for New York City, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, How I Met Your Mother, A Very Murray Christmas, Schitt’s Creek, and The Masked Singer.

Personal Life: Married to former Good Morning America talent booker Cathy Vasapoli since 1990. Has 2 children with her.

Later Life: Published his memoir We’ll Be Here for the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin’ Show-biz Saga (co-authored by David Ritz) in 2009. Began hosting a monthly radio talk show called Paul Shaffer Plus One on Sirius XM and AXS TV in 2019. 

Trivia: Was musical director and producer for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Was once considered for the role of George Costanza in Seinfeld. Received a star on the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2006. Has been a spokesman for Epilepsy Canada since 2002. In 2005, he made a major contribution to Lakehead University to dedicate the 5^th floor ATAC boardroom to his father, inaugural member of the board of governors. Is a member of Artists Against Racism. Inducted into the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2002 for his part in opening doors in the entertainment industry for African Americans. Inducted into the Order of Canada in 2007. In 2015, the Ride of Fame honored him with a double-decker bus in New York City to commemorate his long run as leader of the CBS Orchestra for the Late Show with David Letterman. A street in Ontario’s Thunder Bay is named Paul Shaffer Drive.

233. Keith David

Dates: 1956-present

Early Life and Career: Born Keith David Williams in Harlem and raised in Corona, Queens in New York City. Mother was a manager at New York Telephone. Father was a director of payroll operations. Decided to become an actor after playing the Cowardly Lion in a school production of The Wizard of Oz and attended Manhattan’s High School of the Performing Arts. Later attended the Julliard’s Drama Division and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1979. Toured with John Houseman’s The Acting Company from 1980-1981. Went to star as Childs in The Thing less than 2 years later, kicking off his lengthy on-screen career.

Movies and Cartoons: Hercules (1997), The Princess and the Frog (2009), and the live action Mufasa (2024) as well as various cartoon series, The Princess and the Frog video game, and the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom theme park attraction.

Characters: Apollo, Dr. Facilier, and Musego as well as Goliath in the series Gargoyles.

Also Known For: Actor known for his deep voice and screen presence in over 300 roles in film, stage, television, and interactive media. Film appearances include The Thing, Platoon, Road House, Men at Work, Final Analysis, The Quick and the Dead, Larger Than Life, Armageddon, Where the Heart Is, Novocaine, Head of State, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Gamer, American Fiction, Coraline, Bird, Disco Godfather, Hot Pursuit (1987), Off Limits, Nails, The Puppet Masters, Dead Presidents, Loose Women, Never Met Picasso, There’s Something About Mary, Princess Mononoke, Requiem for a Dream, The Replacements, Barbershop, Kaena: The Prophecy, Agent Cody Banks, Hollywood Homicide, The Chronicles of Riddick, Crash, If I Had Known I Was a Genius, Delta Farce, First Sunday, My Mom’s New Boyfriend, All About Steve, Death at a Funeral (2010), Pastor Brown, Lottery Ticket, Chasing 3000, Chain Letter, Meet Monica Velour, Cloud Atlas, The Last Fall, Christmas in Compton, Free Birds, The Frog Kingdom, Field of Lost Shoes, Secrets of the Magic City, Birds of Paradise, The Nice Guys, Night School, Savage Dog, American Dresser, Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, The Wedding Year, In Search of Darkness, The Getaway, Pups Alone, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story, A Snow Day in Oakland, and Shelby Oaks. TV appearances include Community, Greenleaf, Jazz, The War, Muhammad Ali, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, Adventure Time, Amphibia, Transformers: EarthSpark, Rick and Morty, Pluto, Hazbin Hotel, Hit-Monkey, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, The Equalizer, Ladykillers, Christmas in Tattertown, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, American Playhouse, Fantastic Four, New York Undercover, Vanishing Point, Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest, Don King: Only in America, The Tiger Woods Story, The Outer Limits, Law & Order, Going to California, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites, Justice League, Inside Mecca, The Big House, Teen Titans, Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, City Confidential, Grey’s Anatomy, Everwood, ER, 7^th Heaven, Canterbury’s Law, World War II: Behind Closed Doors, Numb3rs, Psych, Funny or Die Presents, Ken Burns’ Baseball: The Tenth Inning, The Cape, Hawaii Five-0, Robot Chicken, The Bible, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Scorpion, Archer, Mr. Robot, Person of Interest, Kulipari, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ben 10, BoJack Horseman, We Bare Bears, The Flash, SpongeBob SquarePants, Fresh Off the Boat, Family Guy, NCIS: New Orleans, MacGyver, Black-Ish, Summer Camp Island, Central Park, Love Life, From Scratch, American Dad!, Firebuds, My Dad the Bounty Hunter, Krapopolis, Abbott Elementary, and High Potential. Video game appearances include Halo, Saints Row, Mass Effect, Dissidia Final Fantasy, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Destiny 2: the Final Shape, Fallout, Planetscape: Torment, Lords of EverQuest, Coraline, Megamind, Marvel Heroes, Darksiders: Genesis, Mortal Kombat 11, and Pocket Mortys. Stage appearances include The Lady from Dubuque, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, Macbeth, Jelly’s Last Jam, Hedda Gabler, Seven Guitars, Hot Feet, and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.

Personal Life: Married twice. First wife was Margit Edwards from 1990 to their divorce in 1999. They have a son. Second and current wife is Dionne Lea since 2001. They have 2 daughters.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Played Keith the Southwood Carpenter during the Neighborhood of Make-Believe segments of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood during the 1980s. Was nominated for a Tony Award in 1992. Has won 3 Emmy Awards.

234. Wayne Knight

Dates: 1955-present

Early Life and Career: Born in New York City. Family moved to Cartersville, Georgia where his father worked in the textile industry. Attended local schools and was a lineman on his high school’s football team. Attended the University of Georgia as an honors student but left one credit shy of completing his degree to pursue acting. And actually didn’t graduate until 2008. Received an internship at the Barter Theatre in Abington, Virginia, which produces repertory works. After completion, he joined the company and gained standing as an Equity Actor. Moved back to New York City and landed his first role on Broadway two years later and worked as a private investigator for 5 years after that.

Movies and Cartoons: Hercules (1997), Tarzan (1999), and Toy Story 2 (1999) as well as several series, the direct-to-video Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins, and the Toy Story 2 video game.

Characters: Demetrius, Tantor, and Al McWhiggan as well as Baron Von Sheldgoose in The Legend of the Three Caballeros.

Also Known For: Actor whose best known as Newman in Seinfeld, Officer Don Orville in 3^rd Rock from the Sun, Igor in Toonsylvania, Mr. Blik in Catscratch, Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park, and The Elf Elder in Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon. Film appearances include Dead Again, JFK, Basic Instinct, To Die For, Space Jam, For Richer or Poorer, Rat Race, Dirty Dancing, Born on the Fourth of July, My Favorite Martian, Cheaper by the Dozen, Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 3, Hail, Caesar!, Blindspotting, The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee, 12 Mighty Orphans, Back to the Outback, and Darby and the Dead. TV appearances include The Burning Bed, Mathnet, Square One TV, The Day After, The Edge, Fallen Angels, The Second Half, Golden Gate, Dilbert, That ‘70s Show, Becker, Midnight Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story, The Twilight Zone, Xiaolin Showdown, Gary the Rat, The Grim Adventures of Bill & Mandy, The Drew Carey Show, Listen Up, Justice League Unlimited, CSI: NY, Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, How I Met Your Mother, Tak and the Power of Juju, The Penguins of Madagascar, WordGirl, Woke Up Dead, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Nip/Tuck, The Super Hero Squad Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hot in Cleveland, Bones, Torchwood, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, The Exes, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Narcos, The Young and the Restless, Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, Harley Quinn, Robot Chicken, Infinity Train, Monster High, Them, and That 90’s Show. Video game appearances include NickToons: Attack of the Toybots, Jurrassic Park: The Game, The Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole Returns – Again!, and Jurassic Park (pinball). Stage appearances include Gemini, Mastergate, Art, Sweet Charity, Measure for Pleasure, The Front Page, The Odd Couple, and Elf.

Personal Life: Married twice. First wife was makeup artist Paula Sutor from 1996 to their divorce in 2003. They held their wedding in Michael Richards’ house. Second and current wife is Clare de Chenu from 2006. They have a son named Liam.

Later Life: Currently lives in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, where he’s resided for many years. Ahead of the 2020 Election, Knight appeared in an advertisement that examined “ethical breaches” of mail workers in the United States and the lack of government support they received during the Covid – 19 Pandemic under that fucking piece of shit Donald Trump. The ad was in support of the Democratic Party and anti-Trump.

Trivia: Was the first actor cast in Jurassic Park, which earned him a Saturn Award nomination.

235. Kathleen Freeman

Dates: 1923-2001

Early Life and Career: Born in Chicago, Illinois. Mother was a soprano Jessica Dixon who was known as “The Overseas Girl” at the end of World War I. Because she entertained American troops in England, France, and post-war Germany. Father was Frank Freeman known as “The Minstrel Man” since he headed Freeman’s Forty Minstrels in 1918. Freeman began her career at 2 by dancing in her parents’ vaudeville act. According to her, she eventually “got caught” at 10 and began to attend school. Attended the University of California at Los Angeles where she majored in music to be a pianist. Until she “got in a play and got a laugh.” After college, Freeman joined the Circle Players on Santa Monica Boulevard: “I became part of a theater group that came from ULCA, the Circle Players, which got to be at one point fairly internationally famous. And then we split off from that and started our own, Player’s Ring and Gallery Theater.” In 1948, actress and writer Peggy Webber saw Freeman on stage at the Circle Theatre and hired her for Webber’s local live TV series Treasures of Literature. Appeared in more than 50 productions of the California Artists Radio Theatre which records live performances of classic books and plays for KPCC, KPFK, NPR Playhouse, and National Public Radio. Also taught acting classes as well.

Movies and Cartoons: Hercules (1997) as well as series such as Duck Tales, The Magical World of Disney, and Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

Characters: Heavyset Woman

Also Known For: Actress whose career spanned over 50 years of portraying acerbic maids, secretaries, teachers, busybodies, nurses, and battle-axe neighbors and relatives, almost invariably to comic effect. Best remembered for appearing in 12 Jerry Lewis comedies during the 1950s and 1960s and The Blues Brothers. Was Madame Xima in The Curse of Monkey Island video game. Film appearances include The Naked City, Mr. Belvedere Goes to College, No Man of Her Own (1950), The Secret Fury, House by the River, The Reformer and the Redhead, Once a Thief, Lonely Hearts Bandits, The Second Face, The Company She Keeps, A Place in the Sun, Appointment with Danger, Strictly Dishonorable, Come Fill the Cup, Let’s Make It Legal, The Wild Blue Yonder, The Greatest Show on Earth, Singin’ in the Rain, Talk About a Stranger, Love Is Better Than Ever, Skirts Ahoy!, O. Henry’s Full House, Monkey Business, The Prisoner of Zenda (1952), The Bad and the Beautiful, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Far Country, The Seven Year Itch, Artists and Models, Pawnee, Kiss Them for Me, The Missouri Traveller, The Fly (1958), Houseboat, The Buccaneer (1958), North to Alaska, Madison Avenue, The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, The Nutty Professor (1963), Who’s Minding the Store?, Mail Order Bride, The Patsy, The Disorderly Orderly, The Rounders, That Funny Feeling, Marriage on the Rocks, Three on a Couch, Point Blank, Support Your Local Sheriff!, Death of a Gunfighter, Myra Breckinridge, The Norseman, Inside Out (1986), Dragnet (1987), Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, FernGully: The Last Rainforest, Hocus Pocus, Blues Brothers 2000, Baby Geniuses, Joe Dirt, and Shrek. TV appearances include Fireside Theatre, Dragnet, Our Miss Brooks, Schlitz Playhouse, Cavalcade of America, Lux Video Theatre, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Matinee Theatre, Father Knows Best, Warner Bros. Presents, December Bride, Lassie, Wagon Train, Lux Playhouse, General Electric Theatre, 77 Sunset Strip, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Rawhide, Laramie, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Hogan’s Heroes, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bonanza, Gomer Pyle U. S. M. C., The Mod Squad, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Kojak, ABC Weekend Special, Police Woman, CHiPs, AfterMASH, Mama’s Family, The Facts of Life, Simon & Simon, Murphy Brown, ALF, Growing Pains, The Hogan Family, Mr. Belvedere, The Golden Girls, Tales from the Crypt, Beverly Hills 91210, Matlock, MacGyver, Doogie Houser M. D., Herman’s Head, Party of Five, Married…with Children, The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest, Roseanne, ER, Duckman, Coach, Home Improvement, Providence, Rugrats, Detention, Becker, Batman Beyond, and As Told by Ginger.

Personal Life: Never married. But when she died, newspapers did mention that she lived with a long-time companion Helen Ramsey whom she met in college. They referred to her as a “best friend.” However, I’m fairly sure that they were more than “best friends.”

Later Life: Died of lung cancer in 2001 at Lenox Hill Hospital at 78. Cremated and had her ashes interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Trivia: Was nominated for a Theater World Award.

236. Ming-Na Wen

Dates: 1963-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Coloane, Macau, then a possession of the Portuguese. Mother moved there from Suzhou, China to escape Communism during the 1950s. Father is of Malaysian Chinese descent. Parents divorced during her infancy leading her to move with her mother and brother to Hong Kong. Attended Catholic school while her mother worked 3 jobs to support the family. That is, until her mother remarried a Chinese American which resulted in the family moving to New York City when she was 4 years old. 5 years later, they moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where her mother and stepfather operated the Chinatown Inn which is still in business. They resided in Mt. Lebanon where Wen attended Mt. Lebanon High School. Later went to Carnegie Mellon University as a theatre major where she graduated in 1986. First role on TV was as a royal trumpeter in a 1985 episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Movies and Cartoons: Mulan (1998) and Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) as well as a direct-to-video sequel, various series, and various video games.

Characters: Fa Mulan

Also Known For: Actress and model who’s best known as June Woo in The Joy Luck Club, Dr. Jing-Mei “Deb” Chen in ER, Agent Melinda May in Agents of S. H. I. E. L. D., Fennec Shand in The Mandalorian, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and The Book of Boba Fett, Chun-Li in Street Fighter, Detective Ellen Yin in The Batman, and Camile Wray in Stargate Universe. Film appearances include Rain Without Thunder, Hong Kong 97, Terminal Voyage, One Night Stand, Final Fantasy: Spirits Within, Teddy Bears’ Picnic, Prom Night, Push, BoyBand, The Darkness, and Karate Kid: Legends.  TV appearances include Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Another World, As the World Turns, All-American Girl, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, Oh Yeah! Cartoons, Hollywood Squares, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Inconceivable, Robot Chicken, George Lopez, American Masters, Two and a Half Men, Private Practice, Boston Legal, Eureka, Adventure Time, Nashville, We Bare Bears, Fresh Off the Boat, Iron Chef America, Celebrity Family Feud, Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel Rising, Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart, Awkwafina Is Norah from Queens, Yasuke, Young Sheldon, Hacks, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Mech Cadets, Velma, Blue Eye Samurai, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Video game appearances include Street Fighter: The Movie and Lego Marvel’s Avengers.

Personal Life: Married twice. First to screenwriter Kirk Aanes from 1990 to their divorce in 1993. Second and currently to Eric Michael Zee since 1995. They have a daughter and a son. Daughter Michaela Zee voices Princess Jun in Sofia the First.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Named Disney Legend in 2019. Made cameo appearance in the live-action Mulan (2020). Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. Has won an Annie Award and a Saturn Award. Fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.

237. B.D. Wong

Dates: 1960-present

Early Life and Career: Born Bradley Darryl Wong in San Francisco, California. Mother was a telephone company supervisor. Father was a postal worker. Attended Lincoln High School where he discovered his love of acting and starred as lead in numerous school plays. Later attended San Francisco State University during the 1970s where he was the only Asian American in the theater department and there were no roles for him. Gained widespread attention as a result of his Broadway debut in M. Butterfly opposite John Lithgow, which led him to win several awards including a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Clarence Derwent Award, and Theatre World Award. And has gone down as the only Broadway actor in history to win all those awards for the same role.

Movies and Cartoons: Mulan (1998) as well as a direct-to-video sequel, series Kim Possible and Duck Tales, The Duck Tales World Showcase Adventure, and a few video games.

Characters: Captain Li Shang

Also Known For: Actor best known for his role as Song Liling in M. Butterfly, Whiterose in Robot Chicken, Howard Weinstein in Father of the Bride (1991), Dr. George Huang in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Father Ray Mukada in Oz, Dr. John Lee in Awake, Dr. Henry Wu in the Jurassic Park franchise, Hugo Strange in Gotham, and Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme in Seven Years in Tibet. Film appearances include The Karate Kid Part II, Family Business, The Freshman, Mystery Date, And the Band Played On, The Ref, Men of War, Executive Decision, The Salton Sea, Stay, Ira & Abby, White Fog, Focus, The Space Between Us, Bird Box, Blue’s Big City Adventure, Heart of Stone, and The Monkey King. TV appearances include Simon & Simon, Sesame Street, And the Band Played On, All-American Girl, ABC Afternoon Specials, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, The X-Files, Chicago Hope, Welcome to New York, Marco Polo, NCIS: New Orleans, Madam Secretary, Nurse Jackie, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, The Flash, Awkwafina Is Norah from Queens, and Gremlins. Video game appearances include Lego Jurassic World and Jurassic World Evolution.

Personal Life: Was in a long-term relationship with Richie Jackson from 1988 until 2004. They had twin sons via surrogacy in 2000 named Boaz Dov who died shortly after birth and Jackson Foo. Wrote a memoir about his experiences with surrogacy called Following Foo: The Electronic Adventures of the Chestnut Man. Co-parented Jackson with his ex-partner and his husband theater producer Jordan Roth. Has been with his current husband Richert John Frederickson since 2010 and whom he’s been married to since 2018.

Later Life: Donates his time and resources to a number of LGBT and arts-related charities such as Ali Forney Center, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Materials for the Arts, and Rosie’s Theater Kids, of which he’s also a board member.

Trivia: Has been nominated for an Emmy and a Crtic’s Choice Award. Also received a GLAAD Media Award.

238. Harvey Fierstein

Dates: 1952-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in New York City. Mother was a school librarian. Father was a handkerchief manufacturer. Family belonged to a Conservative Jewish temple. Was a soprano in a professional boy’s choir before hitting puberty. Graduated from the High School of Art and Design and received a BFA from the Pratt Institute from 1973. Began working in theater as a founding member of The Gallery Players of Park Slope before being cast in Andy Warhol’s only play Pork. Other early roles include a transvestite in his own Flatbush Tosca…a 300-year-old woman, Lillian Russell, and 26 other parts in Ronald Tavel’s My Fetus Lived on Amboy Street.” Also performed his own drag routine in Greenwich Village, including an impersonation of Ethel Merman singing, “You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun.” As one of  the first openly gay celebrities in the United States, Fierstein helped turn gay and lesbian life into a viable subject for contemporary drama “with no apologies and no climactic suicides.”

Movies and Cartoons: Mulan (1998) as well as a direct-to-video sequel, the series Hercules, and a few video games.

Characters: Yao

Also Known For: Actor, playwright and screenwriter known for his distinctly gravelly voice.  Film appearances include Independence Day, Mrs. Doubtfire, Garbo Talks, The Times of Harvey Milk, Torch Song Trilogy, Bullets Over Broadway, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1995), The Celluloid Closet, Elmo Saves Christmas, White Lies, Kull the Conqueror, Safe Men, Jump, Playing Mona Lisa, Death to Smoochy, Duplex, Animal Crackers, and Bros. TV appearances include Miami Vice, The Simpsons, ABC Afterschool Specials, Cheers, Murder, She Wrote, Daddy’s Girl, The Larry Sanders Show, Fame L.A., Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, Ellen, Double Platinum, Common Ground, Behind the Music, Biography, Sesame Street, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Family Guy, How I Met Your Mother, The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie, Submissions Only, Smash, Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen, Saturday Night Live, Family Guy, The Wiz Live!, Hairspray Live!, BoJack Horseman, Big Mouth, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Stage appearances include Torch Song Trilogy, Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof, A Catered Affair, La Cage aux Folles, The Little Mermaid: An Immersive Live-to-Film Concert Experience, and Guys and Dolls. Wrote the book for Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles, Legs Diamond, A Catered Affair, Newsies, Kinky Boots, Casa Valentina, and Funny Girl.

Personal Life: Reportedly dated journalist Ted Casablanca from 1987 to 1992. Said his distinct gravelly voice is a result of an overdeveloped vestibular fold in his vocal chords, essentially giving him a “double voice” when he speaks.

Later Life: Has a history of alcohol abuse but stopped drinking after a suicide attempt in 1996. His book, I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir was released in 2022 and became an instant New York Times bestseller.

Trivia: Is Jewish but claims to pray 3-4 times a day despite not believing in God. Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016. Inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2007. Has won 4 Tony Awards, an Emmy Award, and 3 Drama Desk Awards.

239. Gedde Watanabe

Dates: 1955-present

Early Life and Career: Born Gary Watanabe in Ogden, Utah within a Japanese American family. Mother was a seamstress for the Utah Tailoring Company. Performed in several dramatic productions in high school, both acting and singing. After graduation, he moved to San Francisco where he worked as a street musician while honing his acting skills. First role was an original Broadway cast member of Pacific Overtures in 1976 where he originated the roles of the Priest, Girl, and Boy. Has played many roles with caricatured East Asians with heavy accents. Although he himself doesn’t speak Japanese.

Movies and Cartoons: Mulan (1998) as well as in a direct-to-video sequel, the series Kim Possible, and several video games.

Characters: Ling

Also Known For: Actor best known as Long Duk Dong in Sixteen Candles, Takahara “Kaz” Kazihiro in Gung Ho, Nurse Yosh Takata in ER. Film appearances include UHF, Volunteers, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Boys on the Side, That Thing You Do!, Nick and Jane, Perfect Alibi, Armageddon, Guinevere, EDtv, Slackers, Alfie (2004), The Onion Movie, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Not Forgotten, Parental Guidance, 47 Ronin, The Last Word, Kung Fu Panda 4, and Ultraman: Rising. TV appearances include The New Adventures of Beans Baxter, Sesame Street, Grand, Murphy Brown, Newhart, Down Home, Pacific Station, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, Duckman, Mad About You, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Rugrats, Home Improvement, Batman Beyond, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Jackie Chan Adventures, The Proud Family, What’s New, Scooby-Doo?, Whatever Happened to…Robot Jones?, Everwood, All Grown Up!, Family Guy, American Dad!, Bravest Warriors, Pickle and Peanut, Puppy Dog Pals, Perfect Harmony, Call Me Kat, and The Sex Lives of College Girls. Stage appearances include Pacific Overtures, Poor Little Lambs, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Pippin, La Cage aux Folles, and The Fantastiks.

Personal Life: I can’t find anything about his personal life.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: None.

240. James Hong

Dates: 1929-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Chinese immigrant parents. Father was a restaurant owner from Hong Kong and leader of the Hip Sing Tong. Moved to Hong Kong for his education, residing in Kowloon before returning to the United States at 10. During his childhood, Hong was the only Asian student in a class of 500 kids as well as experienced racism and bullying as a result. Especially since his looks and limited English proficiency made him stand out as a foreigner. Graduated from Minneapolis Central High School. First developed his interest in acting after watching Peking opera performers at his father’s shop. Studied civil engineering at the University of Minnesota, where he concentrated most of his free time moving plates and fixing templates for the drill squad. He also joined the Minnesota National Guard with his studies interrupted when his unit was mobilized during the Korean War and sent to Camp Rucker, Alabama for training. Spent 18 months training there and Fort McClellan. Yet, after training time was over each day, Hong would entertain his fellow soldiers. After witnessing the young man’s performing prowess, the camp general asked Hong to stay and be in charge of the camp’s live shows than deploy overseas. Hong reflected on this experience stating how it may have saved his life: “I do not know if I would have liked to go to war in Korea but let’s admit it that with a G.I. cap and this face charging at the Korean army, the Koreans would try to kill me. But then if we were to retreat and I turned around and ran back the Americans would try to kill me too because they would think I am an enemy in disguise. I definitely think I would have been shot from one side and the other.” After the Korean War, Hong moved to Los Angeles with a friend, where he’d finish completing his degree at the University of California. He soon began working full time as a road engineer for Los Angeles County during the day, while acting during the evenings, weekends, as well as his vacation and sick days. After 5 ½ years, he eventually quit engineering for good, devoting himself to acting and voice work full time. Career in show business began in the last days of the Golden Age of Hollywood when he redubbed soundtracks to several Asian films. In 1954, he appeared on the radio and game show You Bet Your Life with Groucho Marx where he did a number of impressions, including one of Groucho himself. Hong and his partner won $140 in the quiz. Although they contested the $2000 prize, they didn’t win.

Movies and Cartoons: Mulan (1998) and Turning Red (2022) as well as the Disney Animated Storybook video game.

Characters: Chi-Fu and Mr. Gao

Also Known For: Actor, producer, and director who’s one of the most prolific character actors of all time and has worked in numerous productions since the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1950s. Has played in over 600 film and television roles. Early in his career, he founded East West Players, the first Asian American theatre organization and the longest continuously running minority theatre in the US, to increase Asian representation in the industry. Roles include Daolon Wong in Jackie Chan Adventures, Professor Chang in Teen Titans, Mr. Ping in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, Zong Shi in Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans, Father Level Bests in Wendell & Wild, Bruce in the Seinfeld episode “The Chinese Restaurant,” and Gong Gong in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Film appearances include Soldier of Fortune, Flower Drum Song, The Sand Pebbles, Chinatown, The Two Jakes, The In-Laws, Airplane!, True Confessions, Blade Runner, Big Trouble in Little China, Wayne’s World 2, Balls of Fury, Safe, R. I. P. D., Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing, Blood Alley, Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, Battle Hymn, The Seventh Sin, Blood and Steel, Never So Few, China Gate, The Human Vapor, One Spy Too Many, Destination Inner Space, The Bamboo Saucer, Colossus: The Forbin Project, The Hawaiians, Fearless Fighters, Dynamite Brothers, The Carey Treatment, Bound for Glory, The World’s Greatest Lover, Breathless (1983), Missing in Action, The Golden Child, China Girl, Black Widow (1987), Vice Versa, Hot to Trot, Tango & Cash, The Vineyard, Caged Fury, Bethune: The Making of a Hero, Talons of the Eagle, The Shadow, Bad Company, Tank Girl, Operation Dumbo Drop, Infinity, McHale’s Navy, The Art of War, The Biggest Fan, Forbidden Warrior, Adventures of Johnny Tao, The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), Monkey King: Hero Is Back, Sherlock Gnomes, Abominable, and The Thundermans Return. TV appearances include The New Adventures of Charlie Chan, Hawaii Five-O, Bonanza, Perry Mason, The Man from U. N. C. L. E., I Spy, Kung Fu, TV Reader’s Digest, Fireside Theatre, Cavalcade of America, Crossroads, Sky King, NBC Matinee Theater, Four Star Playhouse, Tombstone Territory, General Electric Theater, Playhouse 90, Dragnet, The Californians, The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin, Cimarron City, Peter Gunn, Zorro, Bat Masterson, Death Valley Days, Johnny Ringo, Alcoa Presents One Step Beyond, Cheyenne, Have Gun – Will Travel, Checkmate, Wagon Train, The Outer Limits, The Fugitive, The Wackiest Ship in the Army, I Dream of Jeannie, The Donna Reed Show, Gomer Pyle U. S. M. C., CBS Playhouse, Family Affair, Mission: Impossible, All in the Family, The Bob Newhart Show, McMillan & Wife, S. W. A. T., Baretta, The Rockford Files, The Streets of San Francisco, Starsky & Hutch, Days of Our Lives, Wonder Woman, Maude, Charlie’s Angels, Taxi, Hart to Hart, Diff ‘rent Strokes, Fantasy Island, Soap, Dalls, The Dukes of Hazzard, St. Elsewhere, Dynasty, General Hospital, Falcon Crest, The A-Team, American Playhouse, Cagney & Lacey, Airwolf, Who’s the Boss?, McGyver, Magnum P. I., Miami Vice, The Equalizer, Doogie Houser M. D., Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Chicago Hope, Diagnosis: Murder, The X-Files, Home Improvement, Murphy Brown, Ellen, Friends, Dexter’s Laboratory, The Drew Carey Show, The Practice, The West Wing, Charmed, Alias, Malcolm in the Middle, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The King of Queens, Bones, Chuck, The Big Bang Theory, Archer, 2 Broke Girls, Key & Peele, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Agents of S. H. I. E. L. D., Star Wars Rebels, The Blacklist, Elementary, Star Wars: Visions, Cake, The Muppets Mayhem, American Born Chinese, Family Guy, and Gremlins. Video game appearances include Bruce Lee: Quest of the Dragon, True Crime: Streets of LA, Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction, Project Snowblind, True Crime: New York City, Def Jam: Icon, Alpha Protocol, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Diablo III, Sleeping Dogs, World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death, Prey, and Judgement.

Personal Life: Married twice. First wife was Pearl Huang from 1967 to their divorce in 1973. Second and current wife is Susan Tong since 1977. They have 3 daughters and 8 grandchildren.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022 for his work in film and television and became the oldest person honored at 93. All thanks to actor Daniel Dae Kim’s GoFundme campaign. Has also won a Screen Actors Guild Award. Has possibly been in more movies than anyone in history. Established the Association of Asian Pacific American Actors and has served as its president.