Tzi Ma

For over four decades, Tzi Ma (pronounced “TIE MA”) has blazed new trails for the representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in Hollywood with a groundbreaking career that encompasses virtually every genre across film, television and theater.

From big budget blockbusters like the Rush Hour series (1998 – 2007) to award-winning independent films like Tigertail (2020), Ma’s unforgettable performances and uncanny versatility have garnered unanimous acclaim from critics and audiences around the world.

Since 2021, Ma has co-starred in The CW’s hit action adventure series Kung Fu as Jin Shen, a San Francisco restaurant owner and father of the show’s heroine, Nicky Shen (played by Olivia Liang).

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Staten Island, Ma worked at his family-owned restaurant while honing his craft in the New York theater scene throughout the 1970s. Despite limited opportunities for AAPI actors, Ma refused to perform roles he considered demeaning or stereotypical. During this period, he collaborated with then-emerging playwrights David Henry Hwang and Eric Overmyer; who both penned works specifically for Ma (The Dance and the Railroad and In Perpetuity Throughout the Universe, respectively).

As a young adult, Ma was a ubiquitous presence in Manhattan’s Chinatown where he worked as a counselor specializing in at-risk youth. Ma also volunteered for various community organizations; most notably, the Basement Workshop, a collective of Chinese American artists and activists seeking to promote the arts and arts education in the neighborhood.

In 1978, Ma made his screen debut alongside Jack Palance and Andy Warhol in the cult classic Cocaine Cowboys, directed by Ulli Lommel. Throughout the 1980s, Ma continued to perform in regional and off-Broadway productions while appearing as a guest star on hit television programs like The Equalizer, LA Law, MacGyver and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

During the 1990s, Ma became a ubiquitous presence at the multiplex with memorable roles in films like Rapid Fire (1992), Chain Reaction (1996), Dante’s Peak (1997) and Rush Hour (1998).

Since 2000, Ma has successfully balanced a prolific film and television career; appearing in movies like The Quiet American (2002), The Ladykillers (2004), Rush Hour 3 (2007) and Arrival (2016) and playing recurring characters on popular shows like 24, American Dad!, Hell on Wheels, The Man in High Castle and Veep.

In addition to his many high-profile projects, Ma has also been active in the world of independent cinema for over two decades; appearing in features and short films by up-and-coming AAPI and Asian directors. Notable works include Mina Shum’s Meditation Park (2017), for which he was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, and Lulu Wang’s The Farewell (2019).

Now entering his fifth decade in show business, Ma continues to challenge himself with diverse and unconventional roles. In 2020, he earned some of the best reviews of his career with his performance in Netflix’s Tigertail, in which he played a divorcee attempting to reconcile with his adult daughter. Later that year, Ma co-starred in Disney’s action adventure Mulan, portraying the title character’s doting father. In 2021, he joined the cast of The CW’s Kung Fu, now in its third season.

Ma’s upcoming projects include the Amazon film 5 Blind Dates and making his feature directorial debut with Hanako, a historical drama about Korea’s “comfort women”.