Freda Foh Shen
Foh Shen in 1976
Born (1948-04-25) April 25, 1948 (age 75)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Other namesFreyda Foh Shien, Freda Fo Shen, Frida Foh Shen, Freda Shen
OccupationActress
Years active1975–present

Freda Foh Shen (born April 25, 1948) is an American actress. She is best known for the voice of Fa Li in the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan and its 2004 direct-to-video sequel Mulan II, and for playing Anne Lee on 9-1-1 (2019–present).

Early life

Foh Shen was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 25, 1948, to Chinese parents.[citation needed]

Career

In 1982, Foh Shen played Lady Nijō in Caryl Churchill's play Top Girls at the New York Shakespeare Festival. In 1990, she played Carmen in Jean Genet's play The Balcony at the Hudson Guild Theater in New York City.[1][2][3]

In addition to her theater performances, she played the role of Chinese American ceramist Jade Snow Wong in the 1976 PBS historical drama Jade Snow. Since the beginning of the 1980s, Foh Shen has appeared in several television series, including The Cosby Show, Adult Math, Renegade, Party of Five, JAG, 7th Heaven, 24, Desperate Housewives, Cracker, and Boston Legal. She has also appeared in movies including Crossing Delancey (1988), Basic Instinct (1992), Planet of the Apes (2001), The Ladykillers (2004), and a starring role in 2005's Red Doors.[4]

By 2007, she had already had recurring roles in three television series: as Mrs. Lee on Gideon's Crossing, as Dr. Chao on Everwood, and as Dr. Yolanda Perrin on Close to Home. She is also known for her role as Dr. Noriko Weinstein in the crime drama Silk Stalkings. Most recently, she appeared in a 2018 episode of Magnum P.I., and landed a recurring role on the 2019 series 9-1-1.[5]

As a voice actress, Foh Shen has provided the voices of Fa Li in Mulan (1998) and Mulan II (2004), the Chinese food lady in Dude, Where's My Car? (2000), Admiral Alice Liu in the 2002 video game Star Trek: Bridge Commander, and the Narrator in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008).[6][7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Without a Trace Reporter
1988 Crossing Delancey Self-Defense Teacher
1989 The Dream Team TV Newscaster
Longtime Companion Nurse with Addict
1990 Funny About Love Nurse
1991 Thousand Pieces of Gold Ah Ling
1992 Basic Instinct Berkeley Registrar
1993 Born Yesterday Maid
1996 The Glimmer Man Polygraph Technician
Daddy's Girl Dr. Marsh Direct-to-video
1997 The Video
1998 Mulan Fa Li (voice)[8][9]
1999 American Virgin Marge Credited as Freda Fo Shen
2000 Dude, Where's My Car? Chinese Food Lady (voice)
2001 Planet of the Apes Bon
2002 Coastlines Nurse
2003 A Mighty Wind Melinda Barrows
2004 The Ladykillers Doughnut Woman
Harlequin Colleen's Mom (voice) Short film
Mulan II Fa Li (voice) Direct-to-video
2005 Red Doors May-Li Wong
2008 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Narrator (voice)
2009 Star Trek Kelvin Helmsman
2010 The Mikado Project Mrs. O'Malley
2011 Balls to the Wall Miss Watson
2013 The Lone Ranger Kai
2014 The Possession of Michael King Dr. Cox
2019 Ad Astra Captain Lu
2020 Books of Blood Ellie[10][11][12]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1975 Khan! Episode: "Mask of Deceit"
1976 Pacific Overtures Shogun's Wife Television movie
Jade Snow Jade Snow Wong Television documentary
1981 Senior Trip Ticket Agent Television movie
1984 ABC Afterschool Special Lynn Watson Episode: "The Almost Royal Family"
1987 The Cosby Show Cliff's Patient Episode: "That's Not What I Said"
1988 The Equalizer Leslie Episode: "The Last Campaign"
1990 The Baby-Sitters Club Mrs. Rioko Kishi Episode: "Dawn and the Haunted House"
1991 Another World Doctor Winston Episode: "#1.6 848"
Credited as Freyda Foh Shen
1992 Those Secrets Alice Television movie
1992 Renegade Social Worker Shen Episode: "The Talisman"
Doogie Howser, M.D. Radiologist Episode: "Will the Real Doogie Howser Please Stand Up"
1993 Silk Stalkings Dr. Noriko Weinstein 4 episodes
1994–1996 Party of Five Miss Minor Episodes: "Homework" and "Spring Breaks: Part 2"
1995 Sisters Dr. Michelle Peck Episode: "No Pain, No Gain"
New York News Jean Episode: "Fun City"
Courthouse Nurse Episode: "Injustice for All"
1996 Alien Nation: Millennium Vivian Fairbanks Television movie
Nowhere Man Nurse Whiteford Episode: "Forever Jung"
Buddies Miss Maekawa Episode: "The PSA Story"
Nash Bridges Episode: "'Til Death Do Us Part"
Cracker DCI Janet Lee Cheung Episode: "White Ghost"
1997 Arliss Kikomo Episode: "The World at Your Feet"
1997–2004 JAG Lieutenant Commander Chen / Captain Lynda Chang Episodes: "Heroes" and "Coming Home"
1997–1999 Chicago Hope Dr. Seaties / Dr. Aldmen Episodes: "Growing Pains" and "Team Play"
1998 The Wonderful World of Disney Mrs. Yung Episode: "Safety Patrol"
The Tiger Woods Story Tida Woods Television movie
1998–1999 ER Audiologist 3 episodes
1998–2000 7th Heaven Principal Howard / Ms. Gordan 3 episodes
1998 To Have & to Hold Judge Alice Selleck Episodes: "These Boots Were Made for Stalking" and "Who's Sorry Next?"
1999 L.A. Doctors Nurse Laura Chase Episode: "Denial"
Invisible Child Television movie
Rugrats Pam (voice) Episode: "Runaway Reptar: Part 1"
Horse Sense Arlene Television movie
2000 Miracle in Lane 2 Dr. Kwan Television movie
Strong Medicine Mrs. Simmons Episode: "Do No Harm"
2000–2001 Gideon's Crossing Mrs. Lee 7 episodes
2000 Family Law Episode: "Telling Lies"
2001 The Division Yumiko Akida Episode: "Mother's and Daughters"
Port Charles Suzanne 5 episodes
2002 Roswell Dean Hackett Episode: "Panacea"
The Court Legal Counsel Reed Episode: "Life Sentence"
The Agency Curator Episode: "Moo"
Without a Trace Irene Taft Episode: "Little Big Man"
24 Doctor 2 episodes
For the People Marti Kino Episode: "Handle with Care"
2003 The Practice Judge Amy Okubo Episode: "Equal Justice"
2004 NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323 Savannah Cummings Television movie
Century City Judge Levinson Episode: "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Lose"
Jack & Bobby Miriam Chen-Pew Episode: "An Innocent Man"
Desperate Housewives Dr. Cheng Episode: "Guilty"
2005 Everwood Dr. Chao 5 episodes
2006 Boston Legal Dr. Ann Kumi Episode: "Smile"
2006–2007 Close to Home Dr. Yolanda Perrin 5 episodes
2007 Primal Doubt Detective Maggie Conrad Television movie
2008 Days of Our Lives Eleanor Thomas 2 episodes
2009 The Mentalist Korean Store Owner Episode: "Red John's Footsteps"
House Cecile Episode: "Epic Fail"
Grey's Anatomy Missy Grant Episode: "Invasion"
2010 Private Practice Judge Episode: "Pulling the Plug"
The Defenders Judge Sato Episode: "Nevada v. Carter"
Law & Order: LA Forrester's Lawyer Episode: "Pasadena"
2011–2013 Franklin & Bash Judge Leslie Hong 3 episodes
2012–2018 Elementary Mary Watson 3 episodes[13]
2013 LearningTown Wand-A 3 episodes
2014 Grimm Lani Tomas Episode: "Mommy Dearest"
2016 Bones FBI AD Courtney Schwartz Episode: "The Last Shot at a Second Chance"
2017 S.W.A.T. Dean Hargrove Episode: "Radical"
2017–2018 Andi Mack Aunt Mei Episodes: "Chinese New Year" and "Howling at the Moon Festival"
2018 Designated Survivor President Han Episode: "Summit"
Magnum P.I. Kitty Layton Episode: "The Woman Who Never Died"
How to Get Away with Murder Dr. Phillips Episode: "It's Her Kid"
2019 The Fix Judge Sandra Song Episodes: "The Fugitive" and "Making a Murderer"
2019–present 9-1-1 Anne Lee Recurring cast
2023 The Company You Keep Grace Hill Main role

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Star Trek: Bridge Commander Admiral Alice Liu (voice)

References

  1. ^ Gussow, Mel (1990-04-09). "Review/Theater; 'Balcony': The Fantasy Within A Fantasy". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  2. ^ Digital Collections, The New York Public Library. "(still image) (L-R) Valerie Mahaffey and Freda Foh Shen in a scene from the NY Shakespeare Festival production of the play "Top Girls"., (1982)". The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Theater, Film, Tv Actress Freda Foh Shen Press Photo ADW101". Historical Images Outlet. 1976. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  4. ^ Taylor, Kage (2020-10-14). "Exclusive: Freda Foh Shen Describes Working on Her Scariest Film Yet, Hulu's 'Books of Blood'". The Knockturnal. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  5. ^ Gelman, Vlada (2012-10-24). "Elementary Exclusive: Look Who's Playing Joan Watson's Mom! -- Will She Approve of Sherlock?". TVLine. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  6. ^ Turan, Kenneth (1998-06-19). "'Mulan': Formula With a New Flavor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  7. ^ Conlan, Mark Gabrish (2008-12-23). "Universal's Three Modern Mummies". Movie Magg. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Disney's 'Mulan' Set for Release Next Month". www.rafu.com. Rafu. February 26, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  9. ^ "Outdoor Screening of 'Mulan' at Griffith Park". www.rafu.com. Rafu. May 11, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (November 13, 2019). "'Books Of Blood': Andy McQueen, Freda Foh Shen & Nicholas Campbell Join Hulu Movie". www.deadlins.com. Deadline. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  11. ^ Taylor, Kage (October 19, 2020). "Exclusive: New Hulu Thriller 'Books of Blood' Even Frightens Cast Anna Friel, Rafi Gavron, Yul Vazquez [Video]". www.theknockturnal.com. The Knockturnal. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  12. ^ Meszoros, Mark (October 6, 2020). "Based on Clive Barker tales, Hulu's 'Books of Blood' has a few seasonal scares". www.news-herald.com. The News-Herald. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  13. ^ Gelman, Vlada (October 24, 2012). "Elementary Exclusive: Look Who's Playing Joan Watson's Mom! -- Will She Approve of Sherlock?". www.tvline.com. TVLine. Retrieved December 23, 2020.

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