Ken Leung
Encyclopedia
Kenneth "Ken" Leung is an American actor best known for his role as Miles Straume
in the ABC
television series Lost
and roles in such films as Shanghai Kiss
, Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand
, and Saw
.
and initially raised in the Two Bridges
section of the Lower East Side
of Manhattan
. His family moved to Midwood, Brooklyn
where he grew up before finishing high school in Old Bridge
, New Jersey
.
Leung later attended New York University
(NYU) as a University Scholar and discovered acting
in his junior year, when he studied acting with Catherine Russell
and Nan Smithner, and then briefly with Anne Jackson at HB Studio
. During this time he acted mostly in downtown spaces and black box theaters, working with groups such as the Ma-Yi Theater Company
, New Perspectives, and STAR, a traveling group of actors-educators based in Mount Sinai Hospital
.
's Rush Hour. Ratner stated, "[Ken]'s a great actor. In my opinion, he's equivalent to Philip Seymour Hoffman as far as talent is concerned." He would later work with Ratner in the films Red Dragon
, The Family Man
, and X-Men: The Last Stand
. Edward Norton
cast him in his directorial debut Keeping the Faith
in 2000. Since then Leung has appeared in several independent and television films, as well as features, including four films with Brett Ratner and two with Spike Lee
. In 1998, he played James the Less and God in Terrence McNally
's passion play, Corpus Christi
, and in 2002 made his Broadway
debut in the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie
(and appears on the cast recording).
In 2007, he starred in the independent film Shanghai Kiss
with Hayden Panettiere
, and earned a Special Mention at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
. That same year he guest-starred in the final season of the HBO drama series The Sopranos
. He followed this with the ABC
drama Lost
as Miles Straume
from the series' fourth season through the rest of its run. Leung in rumored to star in the pilot for the television adaption of the comic book Chew
as the title character Tony Chu.
Interviews
Miles Straume
Miles Straume is a fictional character played by Ken Leung on the ABC television series Lost. Miles is introduced early in the fourth season as a hotheaded and sarcastic medium as a crew member aboard the freighter called the Kahana that is offshore the island where most of Lost takes place...
in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
and roles in such films as Shanghai Kiss
Shanghai Kiss
Shanghai Kiss is a 2007 direct-to-DVD romantic drama comedy. The film was released on DVD on October 9, 2007.Hayden Panettiere won the Feature Film Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival for her role as Adelaide.- Synopsis :...
, Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,...
, and Saw
Saw (film)
Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell...
.
Early life
Ken Leung was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and initially raised in the Two Bridges
Two Bridges, Manhattan
Two Bridges is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Although the exact boundaries of the neighborhood are not clearly defined, it is the East River waterfront area, roughly between the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge at the southern end of the...
section of the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. His family moved to Midwood, Brooklyn
Midwood, Brooklyn
Midwood is a neighborhood in the south central part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, New York, USA, roughly halfway between Prospect Park and Coney Island. The neighborhood is within Community District 14...
where he grew up before finishing high school in Old Bridge
Old Bridge Township, New Jersey
Old Bridge Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township had a total population of 60,456...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Leung later attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU) as a University Scholar and discovered acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
in his junior year, when he studied acting with Catherine Russell
Catherine Russell
Catherine Russell is a British stage, television and screen actress.-Personal:Catherine Russell is the daughter of actor Nicholas Smith and his wife Mary. She is married to film producer Richard Holmes and they have two children, Sam and Poppy...
and Nan Smithner, and then briefly with Anne Jackson at HB Studio
HB Studio
Founded in 1945 by Herbert Berghof, the HB Studio is a school that offers professional training in the performing arts. Located in Greenwich Village in New York City, its curriculum includes classes in a variety of areas, including acting, directing, playwrighting, screenwriting, musical theatre,...
. During this time he acted mostly in downtown spaces and black box theaters, working with groups such as the Ma-Yi Theater Company
Ma-Yi Theater Company
Ma-Yi Theater Company is a professional, not-for-profit, Obie Award and Drama Desk Award winning theater company based in New York City that was founded in 1989. Ma-Yi Theater is headed by Executive Director Jorge Ortoll and Artistic Director Ralph Peña...
, New Perspectives, and STAR, a traveling group of actors-educators based in Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital, New York
Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the United States. In 2011-2012, Mount Sinai Hospital was ranked as one of America's best hospitals by U.S...
.
Career
In 1997, Leung made his debut in Brett RatnerBrett Ratner
Brett Ratner is an American film director, film producer and music video director. He is best known for directing the Rush Hour film series, The Family Man, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Tower Heist. He was also a producer on the Fox drama series, Prison Break.- Early life :Ratner was...
's Rush Hour. Ratner stated, "[Ken]'s a great actor. In my opinion, he's equivalent to Philip Seymour Hoffman as far as talent is concerned." He would later work with Ratner in the films Red Dragon
Red Dragon (film)
Red Dragon is a 2002 thriller film based on Thomas Harris' novel of the same name and featuring psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It is a prequel to The Silence of the Lambs....
, The Family Man
The Family Man
The Family Man is a 2000 drama film directed by Brett Ratner and starring Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni. Cage's production company, Saturn Films, helped produce the film....
, and X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,...
. Edward Norton
Edward Norton
Edward Harrison Norton is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and producer. In 1996, his supporting role in the courtroom drama Primal Fear garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor...
cast him in his directorial debut Keeping the Faith
Keeping the Faith
Keeping the Faith is a 2000 American romantic comedy film, written by Stuart Blumberg and directed by Edward Norton. This film was released by Touchstone Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Triple Threat Talent on April 14, 2000....
in 2000. Since then Leung has appeared in several independent and television films, as well as features, including four films with Brett Ratner and two with Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
. In 1998, he played James the Less and God in Terrence McNally
Terrence McNally
Terrence McNally is an American playwright who has received four Tony Awards, an Emmy, two Guggenheim Fellowships, a Rockefeller Grant, the Lucille Lortel Award, the Hull-Warriner Award, and a citation from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He has been a member of the Council of the...
's passion play, Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi (play)
Corpus Christi is a passion play by Terrence McNally dramatizing the story of Jesus and the Apostles. Written in 1997 and first staged in New York in 1998, it depicts Jesus and the Apostles as gay men living in modern-day Texas. It utilizes modern devices like television with anachronisms like...
, and in 2002 made his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie
Thoroughly Modern Millie (musical)
Thoroughly Modern Millie is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and a book by Richard Morris and Scanlan. Based on the 1967 film of the same name, Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of a small-town girl, Millie Dillmount, who comes to New York City to marry for...
(and appears on the cast recording).
In 2007, he starred in the independent film Shanghai Kiss
Shanghai Kiss
Shanghai Kiss is a 2007 direct-to-DVD romantic drama comedy. The film was released on DVD on October 9, 2007.Hayden Panettiere won the Feature Film Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival for her role as Adelaide.- Synopsis :...
with Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Leslie Panettiere is an American actress and singer, best known as cheerleader Claire Bennet on the NBC television series Heroes. She began her acting career by playing Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live , and Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light , before starring at age 10 as Sheryl Yoast in...
, and earned a Special Mention at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
The San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival presented every March is the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 130 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose, USA...
. That same year he guest-starred in the final season of the HBO drama series The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
. He followed this with the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
drama Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
as Miles Straume
Miles Straume
Miles Straume is a fictional character played by Ken Leung on the ABC television series Lost. Miles is introduced early in the fourth season as a hotheaded and sarcastic medium as a crew member aboard the freighter called the Kahana that is offshore the island where most of Lost takes place...
from the series' fourth season through the rest of its run. Leung in rumored to star in the pilot for the television adaption of the comic book Chew
Chew (comics)
Chew is an Eisner Award-winning American comic book series written by John Layman with art by Rob Guillory and published by Image Comics. It is a story about an FDA Agent who solves crimes by getting psychic impressions by eating things, including people....
as the title character Tony Chu.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Pictures of Baby Jane Doe | Shopkeeper | |
| Welcome to the Dollhouse Welcome to the Dollhouse Welcome to the Dollhouse is a 1995 American independent coming of age dark comedy. An independent film, it launched the careers of Todd Solondz and Heather Matarazzo.-Plot:... |
Barry | ||
| 1997 | Red Corner Red Corner Red Corner is a drama film produced in 1997, directed by Jon Avnet and written by Robert King.- Plot :It tells the story of a wealthy American businessman named Jack Moore working in China and attempting to put together a satellite communications deal as part of a joint venture with the Chinese... |
Peng | |
| Kundun Kundun Kundun is a 1997 epic biographical film written by Melissa Mathison and directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the life and writings of the 14th Dalai Lama, the exiled political and spiritual leader of Tibet... |
(voice) | ||
| 1998 | Fly | Jeremy Kim | |
| Rush Hour | Sang | ||
| 1999 | Man of the Century Man of the Century Man of the Century is a 1999 comedy film directed by Adam Abraham and written by Abraham and Gibson Frazier. The film stars Frazier, Cara Buono, Susan Egan, Dwight Ewell and Anthony Rapp. It is a farce about the attitudes, values, and slang displayed in the popular culture of the 1920s . Man of... |
Mike Ramsey | |
| 2000 | Keeping the Faith Keeping the Faith Keeping the Faith is a 2000 American romantic comedy film, written by Stuart Blumberg and directed by Edward Norton. This film was released by Touchstone Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Triple Threat Talent on April 14, 2000.... |
Don | |
| Maze Maze (film) Maze is a 2000 romance film about a New York painter and sculptor—Lyle Maze —with Tourette syndrome and obsessive–compulsive disorder , who falls in love with Callie , the pregnant girlfriend of Maze’s best friend Mike while Mike is away on a long stay in Africa as a doctor.-Development:After... |
Dr. Mikao | ||
| The Family Man The Family Man The Family Man is a 2000 drama film directed by Brett Ratner and starring Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni. Cage's production company, Saturn Films, helped produce the film.... |
Sam Wong the Deli Clerk | ||
| 2001 | Artificial Intelligence: A.I. | Syatyoo-Sama | |
| Home Sweet Hoboken | |||
| Spy Game Spy Game Spy Game is a 2001 American spy film directed by Tony Scott and starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. The film grossed $62,362,785 in the United States and $143,049,560 worldwide.-Plot:... |
Li | ||
| Vanilla Sky Vanilla Sky Vanilla Sky is a 2001 American psychological thriller film directed, co-produced and co-written by Cameron Crowe. The film is an English-language remake of the 1997 Spanish movie Abre los ojos , the screenplay for which was written by Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil... |
Art Editor | ||
| 2002 | Face | Willie | |
| Red Dragon Red Dragon (film) Red Dragon is a 2002 thriller film based on Thomas Harris' novel of the same name and featuring psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It is a prequel to The Silence of the Lambs.... |
Lloyd Bowman | ||
| 2004 | Saw Saw (film) Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell... |
Detective Steven Sing | |
| Strip Search | Liu Tsung-Yuan | television film | |
| Sucker Free City Sucker Free City Sucker Free City is a 2004 film directed by Spike Lee. The film examines white, black, and Chinese characters in San Francisco and the conflicts they encounter with each other. The film was intended to be the pilot for a Showtime television series. Showtime declined to pick up the series... |
Lincoln Ma | ||
| 2005 | Hate | Mo | |
| The Squid and the Whale The Squid and the Whale The Squid and the Whale is a 2005 American drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach and produced by Wes Anderson. It tells the semi-autobiographical story of two boys in Brooklyn dealing with their parents' divorce in the 1980s. The film is named after a giant squid and sperm whale diorama... |
School Therapist | ||
| 2006 | Inside Man Inside Man Inside Man is a 2006 crime-drama film directed by Spike Lee. It stars Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Willem Dafoe and Jodie Foster. The film's screenplay was written by Russell Gewirtz and produced by Brian Grazer... |
Wing | |
| X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,... |
Kid Omega Quill (comics) Quill has been the name of four different fictional comic book characters in the Marvel Comics universe. All, however, are human mutants.-Quill :The Warpie known as Quill first appeared in Captain Britain, vol... |
||
| 2007 | Year of the Fish Year of the Fish Year of the Fish is a 2008 American animated film based on Ye Xian, a ninth century Chinese variant of the fairy tale Cinderella, starring Tsai Chin , Randall Duk Kim, Ken Leung and An Nguyen... |
Johnny | |
| Shanghai Kiss Shanghai Kiss Shanghai Kiss is a 2007 direct-to-DVD romantic drama comedy. The film was released on DVD on October 9, 2007.Hayden Panettiere won the Feature Film Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival for her role as Adelaide.- Synopsis :... |
Liam Liu | Received a Special Mention at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival The San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival presented every March is the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 130 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose, USA... for his breakthrough performance. |
|
| Falling for Grace Falling for Grace Falling for Grace is a 2006 romantic comedy film directed by Asian-American Fay Ann Lee, who also co-wrote the film with Karen Rousso, and stars alongside Gale Harold. It debuted at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival... |
Ming | ||
| 2009 | Saw V Saw V Saw V is a 2008 Canadian-American horror film directed by David Hackl and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor and Scott Patterson... |
Detective Steven Sing | Cameo |
| 2009 | Works of Art | John Kim |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 2000 2002 |
Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
Chung; Tommy Wong; Stephen Wong | |
| 1997 | New York Undercover New York Undercover New York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to... |
David Kwan | Episode: Vendetta |
| 2000 | Wonderland Wonderland (TV series) Wonderland was a short-lived and controversial 2000 ABC television drama directed by Peter Berg. It depicted daily life in a mental institution, from the perspectives of both the doctors and patients. Only two episodes aired on ABC during its original run in 2000... |
Episode: Spell Check | |
| Deadline | Fung | Episode: Pilot | |
| 2001 | Oz Oz (TV series) Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons... |
Bian Yixue | Episode: Conversions |
| 2004 | The Jury The Jury (TV series) The Jury is an American legal drama television series that was broadcast by the Fox Network in 2004. Each week, in the same New York City courtroom, a new 12-person jury deliberates over a criminal case... |
Ken Arata | Episode: Memories |
| Whoopi Whoopi Whoopi is an American situation comedy, starring Whoopi Goldberg. The series revolved around the events and people at her hotel, the Lamont Hotel, in New York City... |
Terrence | Episode: Identity Crisis | |
| 2007 | The Sopranos The Sopranos The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads... |
Carter Chong | Episode: Remember When |
| 2008–2010 | Lost Lost (TV series) Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island... |
Miles Straume Miles Straume Miles Straume is a fictional character played by Ken Leung on the ABC television series Lost. Miles is introduced early in the fourth season as a hotheaded and sarcastic medium as a crew member aboard the freighter called the Kahana that is offshore the island where most of Lost takes place... |
Series Regular; 45 episodes |
| 2011 | The Good Wife | Shen Yuan | Episode: Great Firewall |
External links
- Ken Leung at LostpediaLostpediaLostpedia is a wiki-powered online encyclopedia of information regarding the American television drama Lost. Launched on September 22, 2005 by Kevin Croy, the site uses MediaWiki software to maintain a user-created database of information...
Interviews
- Asia Pacific Arts - UCLA Asia Institute, May 30, 2008
- Hillis, Aaron. "Interview: Ken Leung on 'Year of the Fish'", IFC.com, August 27, 2008