| Lucy Alexis Liu was born on December 2, 1968 in the Jackson Heights section of Queens, New York. She attended Brooklyn Tech and graduated from Stuyvesant High in 1986. She attended NYU and graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Asian languages and cultures. Her first television acting role was on Beverly Hills, 90210, as a waitress. She did several other small roles before landing a regular role on the sitcom Pearl in 1996. She subsequently appeared in the films Jerry Maguire, City of Industry, and Gridlock'd.
She found her breakthrough role on Ally McBeal. She auditioned for the role of Nell Porter but didn't get the part. However, the producers liked her so much they created the role of Ling Woo for her, to appear in a few episodes. Fan response was so great, however, that she became a regular cast member. This has led to more films, such as Payback and the blockbuster Charlie's Angels, and several accolades including becoming one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People.
Trivia:
She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, practices martial arts, including Kali-Eskrima-silat (knife and stick fighting).
She is a photo artist and has had her work exhibited in New York and Los Angeles.
She plays the accordion and describes it as "an instrument that breathes with you. You control the sound, you create the energy, you determine how loud it is....Go blow on that!".
She is 5' 1". | 
