Hong Chau (born June 25, 1979) is an American actress. She has received several award nominations for her film roles as Ngoc Lan Tran in Downsizing (2017) and as Liz, a nurse, in The Whale (2022), including one for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the latter.
Chau was born to Vietnamese parents who lived in a refugee camp in Thailand after fleeing Vietnam in the late 1970s. A Vietnamese Catholic church in New Orleans, Louisiana sponsored Chau and her family to move to the United States. She grew up in New Orleans and majored in film studies at Boston University College of Communication before pursuing an acting career.
Chau began her acting career in the early 2010s, appearing in the TV series Treme and the film Inherent Vice. She went on to have supporting roles in the HBO limited series Watchmen and the Prime Video series Homecoming. Chau has also played leading roles in the 2019 films Driveways and American Woman, and further supporting roles in the 2022 film The Menu and the 2023 Netflix series The Night Agent.
Chau’s performance in The Whale has been particularly praised by critics, with many calling it a career-best turn. She has been nominated for numerous awards for her performance, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
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Hong Chau Net Worth
Hong Chau’s net worth is estimated to be $18 million as of 2023. She has earned her wealth through her successful career as an actress. She has appeared in numerous acclaimed movies and television shows, including Downsizing, The Whale, The Menu, and The Night Agent. Chau has also been nominated for numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Whale.
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Parents
Hong Chau’s parents are Vietnamese refugees who fled Vietnam in the late 1970s. They lived in a refugee camp in Thailand before being sponsored to move to the United States by a Vietnamese Catholic church in New Orleans, Louisiana. Chau’s mother was six months pregnant with her when they fled Vietnam, and she was born in the Thai refugee camp.
Chau has spoken about the influence her parents have had on her life and career. She has said that they taught her the importance of resilience and hard work. She has also said that their story of immigration has shaped her perspective on the world and the roles she chooses to play as an actress.
In a 2022 interview with People magazine, Chau said, “My parents are my heroes. They came to this country with nothing and built a life for themselves and their children. They taught me to never give up on my dreams and to always fight for what I believe in.”
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Education
Hong Chau graduated from the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts in 1997. She then went on to attend Boston University, where she majored in film studies and graduated in 2001.
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Brothers
Hong Chau has two older brothers.
In a 2017 interview with Vulture, Chau said that her brothers are “very supportive” of her career. She also said that they are “very different” from her, but that they all love and respect each other.
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Husband
Hong Chau is married to Bryan Lazarte, a Filipino American actor and writer. They met in 2015 while working on the film Inherent Vice, and they got married in 2019.
Lazarte is a talented actor and writer, and he has worked on a variety of projects, including the films Inherent Vice, Downsizing, and The Whale. He has also written for the TV shows Watchmen and Homecoming.
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Daughter
Hong Chau has a daughter, born in 2020, with her husband, Bryan Lazarte. Chau has not publicly shared her daughter’s name or photos, but she has spoken about how much her family means to her.
In a 2022 interview with People magazine, Chau said, “My husband and daughter are my everything. They are the reason I get out of bed in the morning. I am so grateful to have them in my life.”
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FAQs
How tall is Hong Chau?
Hong Chau is 5’1″ (1.55 m) tall.
What nationality is Hong Chau?
Hong Chau is an American actress of Vietnamese descent. She was born in a refugee camp in Thailand to Vietnamese parents who had fled Vietnam in the late 1970s. She was brought to the United States when she was a baby and raised in New Orleans.