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François Chau
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François Chau (born October 26, 1959) is a Cambodian actor based in the United States. He is known for his roles as Dr. Pierre Chang in ABC's Lost,[1] Quick Kick on G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Dr. Chang in the film 21 & Over, Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, and as industrialist Jules-Pierre Mao in The Expanse.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Chau was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, of Chinese and Vietnamese descent.[2] When he was roughly 6 years old, he and his family moved to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). At the age of 7, Chau moved from Saigon to France due to the Vietnam War and after a year moved to Washington, D.C., United States. Chau and his family settled there, and he was also schooled there.
After he graduated from college, Chau moved out to Los Angeles where he has remained since[3] and now lives with his wife and daughter.[4]
Career
[edit]Chau has had a number of diverse roles, playing Chinese, Japanese and even Hmong characters, most notably as Dr. Martin Ng in the American sci-fi series Gemini Division, and as Dr. Pierre Chang in 17 episodes of ABC's Lost.[5]
Chau has also taken on a number of smaller TV roles. He has appeared as Koo Yin, a Chinese consul in the drama 24 and a Chinese diplomat in Stargate SG-1. He was the voice of Quick Kick on G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and Dr. Shen in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and he portrayed Lieutenant Winston 'Vagabond' Chang in the Wing Commander III and Wing Commander IV video games. He was the voice of Sensei Ishikawa in the Ghost of Tsushima video game.
Chau has appeared as a guest star in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., The Unit, NUMB3RS, ER, Baywatch, Alias, Shark, Criminal Minds, Grey's Anatomy, JAG, Medium, The X-Files, Last Man Standing, and NCIS.
He was also featured in Chris Brown's music video Fine China,[6] the 2013 film 21 & Over, the television film 9/11: The Twin Towers, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, where he physically played Shredder.
His latest projects have included a Syfy production, The Expanse, starring as recurring character Jules-Pierre Mao, father of main character Julie Mao, and a recurring role as Arthur's step-father Walter on The Tick. He has also appeared in the Disney Channel spy-action comedy, K.C. Undercover, where he plays Zane, an evil villain who kidnaps K.C. and threatens to kill her family, due to a checkered history with them.
Chau portrayed mob-boss Mr. Keo in Cathy Yan's live action DC adaptation of Birds of Prey, starring Margot Robbie.[7]
Chau appeared on The George Lucas Talk Show during a fundraiser where various guests appeared for a marathon of the entirety of the seventh season of the HBO series Arliss. In 2019, he starred in the science fiction horror film The Honeymoon Phase.[8]
Personal life
[edit]Chau is married and has a daughter.[4]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Kusei: Endangered Species | Alien's | Voice, short film |
| Chisai Samurai | Bandit #1 | Short film | |
| 1987 | G.I. Joe: The Movie | Quick Kick | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 1989 | The Iron Triangle | Captain Duc / AVRN | |
| 1991 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze | The Shredder | Credited as Francois Chau |
| 1992 | Rapid Fire | Detective Farris | |
| 1993 | Point of No Return | Building Security Guard | |
| 1994 | Blue Tiger | Soya | |
| 1995 | No Way Back | FBI Agent Gim Takakura | |
| 1997 | Beverly Hills Ninja | Izumo | |
| City of Industry | Luke "Uncle Luke" | ||
| Wounded | Mr. Lee | ||
| Chinese Box | Mr. Wong | Uncredited | |
| 1998 | Lethal Weapon 4 | Four Father | |
| 1999 | Godzilla 2000 | Professor Yujj Shinoda | Voice, English version |
| Paper Bullets | Yang | ||
| At Face Value | Kee Sung Park | Short film | |
| 2000 | What's Cooking? | Duc Nguyen | Credited as Francois Chau |
| Deep Core | Crewmember | ||
| 2003 | Paris | Mr. Kim | |
| 2006 | Rescue Dawn | Province Governor | Credited as Francois Chau |
| No. 6 | Yoon | Short film | |
| 2007 | Orchard Orientation Film Outtakes | Dr. Edgar Halliwax | Short film Direct-to-video |
| 2009 | The Lodger | Sam | Credited as Francois Chau |
| Ingenious | Mr. Chow | ||
| Powder Blue | Butcher | Uncredited | |
| 2010 | Lost: Epilogue - The New Man in Charge | Dr. Pierre Chang | Uncredited Short film Direct-to-video |
| Deadbeat | Dad | Short film | |
| 2013 | 21 & Over | Dr. Chang | Credited as Francois Chau |
| Chris Brown: Fine China | Father / Mafia Boss | Short film Direct-to-video | |
| 2014 | Office Ninja | Kenji | |
| A Day of Havoc | Doom | Short film | |
| 2015 | The Boy Next Door | Detective Johnny Chou | Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2016 | The Last Tour | Colonel Tran | |
| 2017 | F**Ked Up | Daddy Chao | Short film Direct-to-video |
| 2019 | The Honeymoon Phase | The Director | |
| 2020 | Birds of Prey | Mr. Keo | |
| 2021 | Raya and the Last Dragon | Wahn[9] | Voice |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero | Quick Kick | Voice, 11 episodes |
| 1987 | Hill Street Blues | Emperor Leader | Episode: "A Pound of Flesh" Credited as Francois Chau |
| 1988 | Vietnam War Story | "Jojo" | Episode: "Dusk to Dawn" Credited as Francois Chau |
| 1989 | Tour of Duty | Vietnamese Man | Episode: "The Volunteer" |
| The Karate Kid: The Animated Series | Additional voices | Episode: "My Brother's Keeper" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Wiseguy | N/a | Episode: "Battle of the Barge" | |
| 1990 | China Beach | White Mouse | Episode: "Phoenix" |
| Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes | Captain Fukuda | Television film | |
| 1991 | The Flash | Johnny Choi | Episode: "Captain Cold" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Baywatch | Tadashi | Episode: "Nightmare Bay" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| MacGyver | Chi | Episode: "The Coltons" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Reasonable Doubts | Joey | Episode: "...and Sleep Won't Come" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| 1992 | Tequila and Bonetti | Gang Member | Episode: "Language of the Heart" |
| Intruders | Lab Technician | 2 episodes Television miniseries Credited as Francois Chau | |
| 1993 | Wild Palms | Hiro | 3 episodes Television miniseries |
| 1994 | Viper | Bobby Murabito | Episode: "Mind Games" |
| The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. | Aide | Episode: "And That Makes Three" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Time Trax | Cano Chan | Episode: "The Last M.I.A." | |
| 1995 | Tokyo Bound | Male Voice | Television film |
| 1996 | Shattered Mind | Resident | Television film |
| ER | Neuro Resident | Episode: "Baby Shower" | |
| Goode Behavior | N/a | Episode: "Goode and Fried" | |
| 1997 | ER | Neurosurgeon | Episode: "Ambush" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Melrose Place | Businessman | Episode: "The Doctor Is In... Deep" | |
| Profit | Mr. Wong | Episode: "Chinese Box" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| 1998 | Night Man | Chinese Intelligence Officer | Episode: "House of Soul" |
| 1999 | Sons of Thunder | Dow Long | Episode: "Lost & Found" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Nash Bridges | Albert Lee | Episode: "High Society" | |
| 2000 | JAG | Kin Ku | Episode: "The Bridge at Kang So Ri" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Walker, Texas Ranger | Mr. Chen | 3 episodes Credited as Francois Chau | |
| 2001 | JAG | General Shin Wa Chen | Episode: "Dog Robber" Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2002 | The Invisible Man | Chen Po Li | Episode: "The Invisible Woman" |
| 2003 | Stargate: SG-1 | Chinese Ambassador | Episode: "Disclosure" |
| Dragnet | Chief Edward Laseur | Episode: "Let's Make a Deal" | |
| The Agency | Jin-Gui Kim | Episode: "Our Man in Washington" | |
| Line of Fire | Tran Mai | Episode: "Boom, Swagger, Boom" | |
| 2004 | Alias | Mr. Cho | Episode: "Crossings" |
| Helter Skelter | Dr. Noguchi | Television film | |
| North Shore | Satoshi Ohashi | Episode: "Tessa" | |
| 2005 | 24 | Consul Koo Yin | Episode: "Day 4: 2:00 a.m.–3:00 a.m." |
| 2005–2010 | Lost | Dr. Pierre Chang / Various | 17 episodes |
| 2005 | Grey's Anatomy | Dr. Chue | Episode: "Bring the Pain" Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2006 | Popcorn Zen | Bandit #1 | Episode: "#2.2" |
| 9/11: The Twin Towers | Hong Zhu | Television film | |
| Numbers | Kaj-Jan Chen | Episode: "The Mole" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| 2007 | The Unit | Captain | Episode: "Sub-Conscious" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Shark | Mike Wong | Episode: "Dr. Laura" | |
| 2008 | Medium | Doctor | Episode: "Do You Hear What I Hear?" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Gemini Division | Dr. Martin Ng | 6 episodes | |
| 2009 | Gary Unmarried | Bobby Kim | Episode: "Gary and the Trophy" |
| 2010 | The Deep End | Lewis Chin | Episode: "Where There's Smoke" |
| Lost: Untangled | Dr. Pierre Chang | 2 episodes | |
| 2011 | Chuck | Guillermo Chan | Episode: "Chuck Versus the First Bank of Evil" Credited as Francois Chau |
| The Chicago Code | Chairman Lau | Episode: "O'Leary's Cow" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Franklin & Bash | Mr. Han | Episode: "Jennifer of Troy" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Childrens Hospital | Mr. Lee | Episode: "Nip/Tug" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Castle | Clifford Lee | Episode: "Kick the Ballistics" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Charlie's Angels | Frankie Han | Episode: "They Are Not Saints" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| 2012 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Binh Tran | Episode: "The Dragon and the Fairy" |
| Awake | John Koh | Episode: "Game Day" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| BFFs | Jessica's Father | 2 episodes | |
| 2013 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Dr. Chan | Episode: "It's a Miracle" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Body of Proof | Chinese Consolate | Episode: "Disappearing Act" | |
| Nikita | Dr. Kang | Episode: "Til Death Do Us Part" | |
| Childrens Hospital | Kaiju | Episode: "Triangles" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Aqua Teen Hunger Force | Bill | Episode: "Storage Zeebles" | |
| The Mentalist | Mr. Nguyen | Episode: "Green Thumb" | |
| The Ordained | Howard Ping | Television film | |
| 2014 | Hawaii Five-0 | Gary 'Aikupu | Episode: "Ma lalo o ka 'ili" |
| Rizzoli & Isles | Harold Chen | Episode: "If You Can't Stand the Heat" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Criminal Minds | Dr. Jack Chun | Episode: "The Itch" | |
| Bones | Victor Lee | Episode: "The Lost Love in the Foreign Land" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| 2015 | Major Crimes | Raymond Phan | Episode: "Four of a Kind" Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2015–2017 | K.C. Undercover | Zane | 7 episodes |
| 2015–2018 | The Expanse | Jules-Pierre Mao | 13 episodes Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2016 | Aquarius | South Vietnamese Consul | Episode: "When My Guitar Gently Weeps" |
| Berlin Station | Peter Shipley | Episode: "Station to Station" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| Grand Junction | Jae Kim | Television film | |
| 2017 | MacGyver | Richard Sang | Episode: "Compass" Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2017–2019 | The Tick | Walter | 10 episodes Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2018 | The X-Files | Peter Wong | Episode: "Ghouli" |
| 2018–2021 | Last Man Standing | Henry | 3 episodes Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2019 | NCIS | Henry Deng | Episode: "Bears and Cubs" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Veronica Mars | Hu | Episode: "Spring Break Forever" Credited as Francois Chau | |
| No Good Nick | Detective Pham | Episode: "The Fool's Errand" | |
| Room 104 | Dr. Blake | Episode: "Itchy" | |
| How to Get Away with Murder | Carl's Lawyer | Episode: "I Hate the World" | |
| 2020 | Magnum, P.I. | Kinny | Episode: "A Game of Cat and Mouse" Credited as Francois Chau |
| Space Command | Jerome Kiriyama | Episode: "Ripple Effect" | |
| (home)Schooled | Principal Coleman | Television film | |
| 2021 | Fantasy Island | Brent Lee | Episode: "His and Hers/The Heartbreak Hotel" |
| The Good Doctor | Leonard Song | Episode: "Crazytown" | |
| 2022 | Chicago Med | Patrick Choi | Episode: "What You Don't Know Can't Hurt You" Credited as Francois Chau |
| American Gigolo | Don Clyborne | 4 episodes | |
| 2023 | Quantum Leap | Lewis Tan | Episode: "Paging Dr. Song" |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime | Michael Quan | 2 episodes | |
| Barry | Bong | 3 episodes | |
| 2024 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Great Sage | Series[10] |
| The Penguin | Feng Zhao | 3 episodes Miniseries | |
| Laid | Ruby's dad | Episode: "Il Mostro del Sesso" |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger | Lieutenant Winston "Vagabond" Chang (live action) | |
| 1995 | Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom | ||
| 2000 | Starlancer | Ronin Wing Leader | |
| 2012 | XCOM: Enemy Unknown | Dr. Raymond Shen | Credited as Francois Chau |
| 2016 | XCOM 2 | ||
| 2020 | Ghost of Tsushima | Sensei Sadanobu Ishikawa | Voice and motion capture[11][12] |
| 2023 | The Expanse: A Telltale Series | Jules-Pierre Mao | Voice |
Awards and nominations
[edit]- 2011 Ovation Awards: Nominated for Featured Actor in a Play for the role of Dr. Heng in the Geffen Playhouse production of "Extraordinary Chambers"[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Hoschartner, Jon (30 March 2017). "Actor From Lost Describes Show's Production". Splice Today. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ "François Chau".
- ^ "Interview with Chau". August 2012. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2013 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b "Interview with Chau on AA Risings". Archived from the original on 28 March 2008.
- ^ "Pierre Chang". Lost.about.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ^ "Watch: Chris Brown's new song 'Fine China' is Michael Jackson meeting racial conflict: Watch". Immaculate Noise. HitFix. 1 April 2013. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (11 December 2018). "Chris Messina Joins Warner Bros/DC's 'Birds Of Prey' As Bad Guy Victor Zsasz". Deadline. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
- ^ "Horror Feature: Interview with Phillip G. Carroll Jr. writer and director of The Honeymoon Phase". The Horror Channel. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ Evangelista, Chris (4 March 2021). "'Raya and the Last Dragon' Production Diaries: Kelly Marie Tran Reveals Her Makeshift At-Home Recording Studio". www.slashfilm.com. Slash Film. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Williams, Caleb (24 August 2022). "François Chau & Ryan Mah Join Netflix's 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' as Fire Nation Members". Knight Edge Media. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ Archer, Callum (6 September 2020). "In-Game Vs Reality: What Ghost of Tsushima Characters Look Like In Real Life". www.thegamer.com. The Gamer. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Ames, Jeff (22 July 2020). "Ghost of Tsushima Review: An Engaging & Dazzling New World". www.comingsoon.net. ComingSoon.Net. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ "Kiss Me Kate Tops 2011 Ovation Award Nominations". 19 September 2011. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
External links
[edit]François Chau
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Early years
François Chau was born on October 26, 1959, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.[3] He is of Chinese and Vietnamese descent, reflecting the multicultural heritage common among families in the region during that era.[5] Around the age of six, Chau's family relocated from Phnom Penh to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam, seeking new opportunities amid the shifting political landscape.[5] His early childhood was soon upended by the escalating Vietnam War, which prompted the family's further displacement to France when he was seven years old, as they fled the intensifying conflict.[5] The family later settled in the United States.[6]Education
Chau's family fled Saigon in 1966 amid the escalating Vietnam War, first seeking refuge in France when he was seven years old. After spending approximately one year there, they immigrated to the United States and settled in Washington, D.C., when Chau was eight. This move marked the beginning of his adaptation to American life, where he navigated cultural transitions while growing up in a multicultural household of Chinese-Vietnamese descent. After settling in the Washington, D.C. area, the family moved to Congo, Africa, for two years due to work, before returning to the United States.[1][5][7] In Washington, D.C., Chau attended local schools, where he began exploring his interests beyond academics. These experiences shaped his early adaptation to the U.S., blending his Asian heritage with American influences as he pursued formal education.[7][8] Chau earned a BFA in theater and acting at university. Following graduation, he moved to Los Angeles in 1984 to launch a career in acting, marking the transition from student life to professional pursuits in the entertainment industry.[7][8]Career
Theater
After emigrating from Cambodia and settling in the United States, François Chau moved to Los Angeles, where he began his professional acting career in theater during the early 1980s.[2] He pursued extensive work in regional theater, building a foundation through performances at notable venues such as the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in In Perpetuity Throughout the Universe, the San Jose Repertory Theatre in The Caretaker, and East West Players in Art.[9] These roles allowed him to hone his craft in diverse productions, often exploring complex character dynamics and cultural themes on stage. A significant milestone in Chau's stage career came in 2011 when he took the lead role of Dr. Heng in the world premiere of Extraordinary Chambers at the Geffen Playhouse, directed by Pam MacKinnon.[10] The play, written by David Wiener, delves into the lingering impacts of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge era on contemporary Cambodian-American lives, following an American couple's journey to Phnom Penh that unearths personal and historical reckonings.[10] Chau's portrayal of the Cambodian doctor navigating justice and trauma was praised for its emotional depth, contributing to the production's acclaim for blending political history with intimate family drama.[9] Chau's theater work has notably advanced Cambodian-American narratives, particularly through his starring role in The Survivor: A Cambodian Odyssey at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre, a play based on Haing S. Ngor's memoir that recounts survival amid the Khmer Rouge atrocities.[9] By embodying these stories, he has helped amplify underrepresented voices in American theater, fostering greater cultural representation and awareness of Southeast Asian immigrant experiences.[11] His stage performances laid the groundwork for later transitions into film and television, where he continued to draw on this theatrical versatility.[2]Television
François Chau began his television career in the 1980s with voice work in animated series and has since amassed a diverse portfolio of guest, recurring, and series regular roles across genres, including drama, science fiction, comedy, and action. His early notable work includes voicing the character Quick Kick in the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero from 1985 to 1986, appearing in multiple episodes as a recurring role. In live-action, Chau gained prominence with his recurring portrayal of Dr. Pierre Chang (also known as Dr. Marvin Candle and Dr. Edgar Halliwax) in the ABC mystery drama Lost, appearing in 17 episodes from 2004 to 2010. He played the Chinese consul Koo Yin in two episodes of the Fox series 24 in 2009. Chau recurred as Jules-Pierre Mao, a powerful industrialist, in 13 episodes of the Syfy/Amazon science fiction series The Expanse from 2015 to 2022.[12] From 2016 to 2019, he appeared as the enigmatic Walter in 10 episodes of Amazon's superhero comedy The Tick.[13] In the Fox sitcom Last Man Standing, Chau guest-starred as Henry in three episodes between 2018 and 2021.[14] More recently, he portrayed Bong in three episodes of HBO's dark comedy Barry in 2023.[15] In 2024, Chau played the Great Sage in two episodes of Netflix's live-action adaptation Avatar: The Last Airbender.[16] That same year, he appeared as Feng Zhao, head of a crime family, in three episodes of the HBO miniseries The Penguin.[3] Chau has also made guest appearances in other series, such as a Chinese diplomat in Stargate SG-1 (2002), Patrick Choi in Chicago Med (2022), and various one-off roles in shows including The X-Files (2018), Major Crimes, and Veronica Mars.[13]Film
Chau has appeared in numerous films, often in supporting roles that highlight his multicultural background. Notable performances include voicing Yao's Father in the animated Mulan (1998), playing a Triad leader in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), Phisit in Rescue Dawn (2006), the shaman in Boy Kills World (2023), Mr. Keo in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020), and voicing Wahn in Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) and Itow-san in Ultraman: Rising (2024). He is also known for portraying Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), though his voice was dubbed. For a complete list, see the Filmography section.[3]Video games
François Chau has provided voice acting and performance capture for several video games throughout his career.[17][3]| Year | Title | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Lords of the Rising Sun | Adjutant | Live-action performance (FMV sequences)[17] |
| 1994 | Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger | Lt. Winston "Vagabond" Chang | Voice[18][17] |
| 1996 | Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom | Lt. Winston "Vagabond" Chang | Voice[18][17] |
| 2008 | Lost: Via Domus | Dr. Pierre Chang | Voice[19] |
| 2012 | XCOM: Enemy Unknown | Dr. Shen | Voice[4][17] |
| 2020 | Ghost of Tsushima | Sensei Sadanobu Ishikawa | Voice and motion capture[20][21][17] |
| 2023 | Forspoken | Treahy Duganur | Voice[22][17] |
| 2023 | Journey to Foundation | Commissioner Han Bo | Voice[3][17] |
Personal life
Family
François Chau is married to his wife, whose name has not been publicly disclosed. He is the father of one daughter. Details about Chau's family life remain largely private, with the actor choosing to keep personal relationships out of the public eye. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.[8]Residence
François Chau has resided in Los Angeles, California, since relocating there after graduating from college in the early 1980s.[1] This long-term base has provided stability, with no frequent relocations reported in his professional biography.[1] His immersion in Los Angeles's vibrant theater and film community shapes aspects of his daily life, as evidenced by his ongoing involvement with local institutions such as the Geffen Playhouse and East West Players, where he has performed in productions like The Woman Warrior and Art.[2] Chau shares this residence with his wife and daughter, fostering a family-oriented lifestyle amid the city's entertainment hub.[1]Filmography
Film
François Chau's film roles are listed below in chronological order by release year.[3]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Fatal Beauty | Detective |
| 1990 | RoboCop 2 | Japanese Executive |
| 1991 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze | Shredder |
| 1994 | The Puppet Masters | Japanese Ambassador |
| 1996 | Escape from L.A. | Tech #1 |
| 1997 | Beverly Hills Ninja | Izumo |
| 1998 | Mulan | Yao's Father (voice) |
| 1998 | Lethal Weapon 4 | Four Father[23] |
| 2001 | Ghost World | Sidewinder Boss |
| 2002 | We Were Soldiers | Hoang |
| 2003 | The Terminal | Customs Officer |
| 2004 | Around the World in 80 Days | Prosecutor |
| 2006 | Inside Man | Mobile Command Officer |
| 2006 | Rescue Dawn | Phisit |
| 2008 | 21 | Casino Employee |
| 2010 | The Town | FBI Agent |
| 2011 | The A-Team | General Tuan |
| 2013 | 21 & Over | Dr. Chang |
| 2014 | Office Ninja | Kenji[24] |
| 2016 | The Nice Guys | Kim |
| 2016 | The Last Tour | Colonel Tran[25] |
| 2019 | The Honeymoon Phase | The Director |
| 2020 | Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) | Mr. Keo |
| 2021 | Raya and the Last Dragon | Wahn (voice) |
| 2022 | The Resemblance | David |
| 2023 | Boy Kills World | Shaman (voice)[26] |
| 2024 | Ultraman: Rising | Itow-san (voice) |
Television
François Chau began his television career in the 1980s with voice work in animated series and has since amassed a diverse portfolio of guest, recurring, and series regular roles across genres, including drama, science fiction, comedy, and action. His early notable work includes voicing the character Quick Kick in the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero from 1985 to 1986, appearing in multiple episodes as a recurring role. In live-action, Chau gained prominence with his recurring portrayal of Dr. Pierre Chang (also known as Dr. Marvin Candle and Dr. Edgar Halliwax) in the ABC mystery drama Lost, appearing in 17 episodes from 2004 to 2010. He played the Chinese consul Koo Yin in two episodes of the Fox series 24 in 2009. Chau recurred as Jules-Pierre Mao, a powerful industrialist, in 13 episodes of the Syfy/Amazon science fiction series The Expanse from 2015 to 2022.[12] From 2016 to 2019, he appeared as the enigmatic Walter in 10 episodes of Amazon's superhero comedy The Tick.[13] In the Fox sitcom Last Man Standing, Chau guest-starred as Henry in three episodes between 2018 and 2021.[14] More recently, he portrayed Bong in three episodes of HBO's dark comedy Barry in 2023.[15] In 2024, Chau played the Great Sage in two episodes of Netflix's live-action adaptation Avatar: The Last Airbender.[16] That same year, he appeared as Feng Zhao, head of a crime family, in three episodes of the HBO miniseries The Penguin.[3] Chau has also made guest appearances in other series, such as a Chinese diplomat in Stargate SG-1 (2002), Patrick Choi in Chicago Med (2022), and various one-off roles in shows including The X-Files (2018), Major Crimes, and Veronica Mars.[13]Video games
François Chau has provided voice acting and performance capture for several video games throughout his career.[17][3]| Year | Title | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Lords of the Rising Sun | Adjutant | Live-action performance (FMV sequences)[17] |
| 1994 | Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger | Lt. Winston "Vagabond" Chang | Voice[18][17] |
| 1996 | Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom | Lt. Winston "Vagabond" Chang | Voice[18][17] |
| 2008 | Lost: Via Domus | Dr. Pierre Chang | Voice[19] |
| 2012 | XCOM: Enemy Unknown | Dr. Shen | Voice[4][17] |
| 2020 | Ghost of Tsushima | Sensei Sadanobu Ishikawa | Voice and motion capture[20][21][17] |
| 2023 | Forspoken | Treahy Duganur | Voice[22][17] |
| 2023 | Journey to Foundation | Commissioner Han Bo | Voice[3][17] |