Camille Chen
Camille Chen (born September 1, 1979) is a Taiwanese-born American actress.
Camille Chen | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 1, 1979[1] |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Known for | portraying Samantha Li in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip |
| Website | https://www.camillechen.com |
Early life, education, and career
Born in Taiwan and raised in the U.S.,[2] Chen attended the University of Texas at Austin and then began her career in show business, doing voiceover work for the English version of anime television series such as Lost Universe and Devil Lady.
Chen's first feature film roles were uncredited appearances as Miss New Hampshire in the 2000 film, Miss Congeniality, and as a cheerleader in the 2002 film, The New Guy.
Later career
From 2006 to 2007, Chen had a regular recurring role as Samantha Li on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.[3] She guest-starred on the 2009 episode of Law & Order, "Just a Girl in the World" as Emma Kim, first thought to be the target of a serial killer, but later discovered to be the murderer herself.[4] On stage, Chen portrayed "Christmas Eve" in a 2012 Los Angeles production of Avenue Q.[5]
In 2016, Chen starred in Poor Todd, an independent pilot selected by the New York Television Festival for its Independent Pilot Competition.[6] In 2017, she had a prominent guest-starring role in an episode of the TV series Teachers, playing Mrs. Chan, "a priggish mother of two and president of the parent group Two Million Moms".[7]
In a 2017 interview by The Guardian, she addressed barriers facing Asian actors:
Camille Chen... said she had been getting auditions for a wide range of parts and that her ethnicity had become an advantage as more industry leaders recognized the importance of diversity. But despite the significant progress – when she started her career 13 years ago, she felt she had no choice but to go up for the masseuses and prostitutes – Chen acknowledged that she never got to audition for principal characters in films. "I wish they would open their minds to having Asian Americans lead."[8]
Chen's performance as a "tactless doctor"[9] in a bit part in the 2018 film Game Night was reviewed in The Village Voice as "a deadpan gift",[10] in a scene described by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of Game Night's funnier scenes",[9] and by The New Yorker as making "memorable impressions".[11] Also in 2018, she guest-starred in multiple episodes of Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. as robbery-homicide department secretary Grace Kim.[12] She had a starring role in the independent pilot "I Was a Teenage Pillow Queen", premiered in September 2018 at the Tribeca TV Festival,[13] and in November 2018, she guest-starred in two episodes of Single Parents.[14] In January 2019, Chen guest-starred on an episode of God Friended Me.[15]
She has also appeared in about two dozen advertising campaigns, including some prominent commercial roles.[16]
Work
Feature films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Yesterday | Wendy[17] | |
| 2018 | Game Night | Dr. Chin | |
| 2005 | The Ringer | ||
| 2003 | Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | Processor | |
| 2003 | Sexless | Carissa | |
| 2003 | Hallow's End | Lily Moore | |
| 2002 | The New Guy | Cheerleader |
Short films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Spilled | ||
| 2005 | Heavenly Beauties | Asian Beauty | |
| 2005 | Passages | Gina | |
| 2004 | Elegy | Hua Lee | |
| 2002 | Triple Threat | Jenika | |
| 2002 | Jason and the High Cost of Electricity | Weathergirl |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Carol's Second Act | Sharon | 1 episode |
| 2019 | God Friended Me | Heidi James | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Single Parents | Lex | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. | Grace Kim | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Teachers | Mrs. Chan | 1 episode |
| 2017 | House Hunters Renovation | Herself | Season 10, Episode 3 |
| 2016 | 2 Broke Girls | Evie | 1 episode |
| 2015 | Backstrom | Celia Gu | 1 episode |
| 2014 | Garfunkel & Oates | Caroline | 1 episode |
| 2013 | Grimm | Jenna Marshall | Episode: "Nameless" |
| 2013 | American Horror Story: Asylum | April Mayfield | 1 episode |
| 2012 | Touch | Serena | 1 episode |
| 2011 | Royal Pains | Anna | 1 episode |
| 2011 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Dr. Maya Zhuang | 1 episode |
| 2011 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Alice Katsu | 1 episode |
| 2011 | Californication | Heather Tracy | 1 episode |
| 2010 | Grey's Anatomy | Kerry Schultz | 1 episode |
| 2010 | Eagles in the Chicken Coop | Pamela Holdsbar | 1 episode |
| 2010 | Private Practice | Lucia | 1 episode |
| 2009 | Law & Order | Emma Kim | Episode: "Just a Girl in the World" |
| 2009 | Meteor | Lieutenant Quigley | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Numb3rs | Zi-Zi | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Ghost Whisperer | Jenna Chen | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Derek and Simon: The Show | Camille | 1 episode |
| 2006-7 | Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Samantha Li | 15 episodes |
| 2005 | Without a Trace | Waitress | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Barbershop: The Series | Michelle | 1 episode |
Voice
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Jing: King of Bandits | Fino | |
| 1999 | Eden's Bowy | Elisiss | |
| 1998 | Devil Lady | Kazumi Takiura | |
| 1997 | Lost Universe | Nina Mercury/Little Girl |
Notable television commercials
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Red Baron pizza | Mom trying to prepare dinner | |
| 2016 | McDonald's | Mom with daughter | |
| 2015 | Experian | lady negotiating for the best furniture deal | |
| 2013 | State Farm | girl buying a new purse who doesn't have State Farm | |
| 2013 | Motorola - Moto X | Sophie, the phone-accessorizing girl | |
| 2013 | Wendy's | one of the girls at the pool with Wendy |
References
- Camille Chen, Yahoo TV
- "The Wild East Magazine". thewildeast.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
- Tseng, Ada (December 6, 2006). "It's About to Shine Brighter on Studio 60". international.ucla.edu.
- "Just a Girl in the World". Law & Order. Season 20. Episode 2. October 2, 2009.
- "'Avenue Q' in Fullerton lives in harsh reality". Orange County Register. 17 July 2012.
- Wagmeister, Elizabeth (15 August 2016). "New York Television Festival Announces Independent Pilot Competition Selections". Variety.
- Porch, Scott (March 14, 2017). "How Caitlin, Cate, Kate, Katy, Kathryn (Who Goes by Katie) and Katie Got a Show on TV Land Called 'Teachers' — and Why You Should Be Watching It". Decider.
- Levin, Sam (April 11, 2017). "'We're the geeks, the prostitutes': Asian American actors on Hollywood's barriers". The Guardian.
- Frosch, Jon (February 20, 2018). "'Game Night': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ""Game Night" Is the Comedy Knockout We've Been Waiting For". www.villagevoice.com.
- Brody, Richard (February 22, 2018). ""Game Night" and the Obsolete Exertions of Improv Comedy". The New Yorker.
- "Guest Stars Announced For 'Unsolved: The Murders Of Tupac And The Notorious B.I.G.' - Blog - Unsolved". USA Network. 24 October 2017.
- Travers, Ben (August 22, 2018). "Tribeca TV Festival 2018 Lineup: 'Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown' Premiere, Meryl Streep with Tracey Ullman, and More". IndieWire.
- Mitovich, Matt Webb; Mitovich, Matt Webb (26 November 2018). "SNL Vet Vanessa Bayer Joins ABC's Single Parents as Taran Killam's Ex".
- craigbyrne (6 January 2019). "God Friended Me Preview: "Ready Player Two"".
- "Camille Chen TV Commercials". www.ispot.tv.
- Palmer, Jason (February 14, 2019). "Richard Curtis & Danny Boyle unite for new Beatles inspired rom-com Yesterday". Entertainment Focus.
External links
- Camille Chen on IMDb