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Michelle Ang

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michelle Ang
Born (1983-10-17) 17 October 1983 (age 41)
Christchurch, New Zealand
OccupationActress
Years active1997–present
Children1

Michelle Ang (born 17 October 1983) is a New Zealand actress. She is best known for her role as Lori Lee in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, and for voicing the Jango Fett clone Omega in the animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Early life and education

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Ang was born in Christchurch and is of Malaysian Chinese descent.[1][2] Ang was a ballet dancer when she was younger and performed in The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet with the Royal New Zealand Ballet.[3] Later she completed studies at Victoria University of Wellington for a double degree: a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (B.C.A.) in Accounting with Commercial Law and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.[4][5]

Ang has named The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle as the book that has most influenced her.[6]

Career

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Television

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Ang got her start in television at a young age through the family series Young Entertainers. Here, she got to show her skills at singing and dancing, much like The Mickey Mouse Club show on US television. She played Tai-San in the New Zealand post-apocalyptic drama The Tribe as part of the core cast from 1999 to 2001, and featured in the final episodes of the 2002 series. Ang also guest starred in the final 2 episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess as Akemi.

She played Lori Lee in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, in which she was a major character from 2002 to 2003; she left Neighbours to finish her university studies but returned briefly in 2004. Ang was nominated for a Logie Award for Most Popular New Female Talent for her role in Neighbours.[7] She played the role of Tracy Hong in the first two seasons of the New Zealand TV series Outrageous Fortune in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, Ang appeared in the American television drama South of Nowhere.

In 2012, Ang featured in the MTV series Underemployed as an aspiring writer who has to settle for working at a donut shop.[8]

In 2015, Ang starred in the web series Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462 as Alex, a passenger caught on a flight at the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, and went on to appear in the main series Fear the Walking Dead.[9] Ang received an Emmy nomination for her work on Flight 462.[10] In 2020 she had a recurring role on The New Legends of Monkey.

In 2021, Ang starred in the Disney+ original animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch as Omega, a mysterious female clone of Jango Fett. She was invited to keep her native New Zealand accent for the role in homage to fellow New Zealander Temuera Morrison, who portrayed Jango Fett in the franchise.[2]

In 2023, she starred as Melissa Wu in Homebound 3.0.[11]

Film

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Ang made her feature film debut in 2004's Futile Attraction. Ang had also appeared in a series of low-budget New Zealand short films including Forbidden Fury and Take 3. In 2006 she appeared in No.2, directed by Toa Fraser. In 2011 Ang portrayed a nerdy Chinese New Zealander in the romantic comedy My Wedding and Other Secrets, her first lead role in a feature. It won her the Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film award at the 2011 Aotearoa Film & Television Awards.[4] Her other film credits include Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son and Triple 9.

Ang auditioned for the Cho Chang role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but in the end the role was given to Katie Leung.[12] Prior to her role in The Bad Batch, Ang also had auditioned for a role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.[2]

Personal life

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Ang has a son.[13]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Forbidden Fury Terry Spears Short film
Futile Attraction Violet McKenzie
2006 Naming Number Two Grace
2008 Take 3 Melanie Shum Short film
2011 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son Mia
My Wedding and Other Secrets Emily
The Potential Wives of Norman Mao Suzy Fong Short film
2013 Echoes Singer Short film
2014 The Taking of Deborah Logan Mia Medina
2015 Fallen Stars Daisy[14]
2016 Triple 9 Detective Trina Ling

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1997–1998 Young Entertainers Super Trooper Unknown episodes
1999 A Twist in the Tale Messha Season 1, Episode 14
1999–2002 The Tribe Tai-San Main role (seasons 1–3)
2001 Xena: Warrior Princess Akemi 2 episodes
2002 Being Eve Masako Season 2, Episode 7
2002–2004 Neighbours Lori Lee 87 episodes
2005 The Market Victoria Chen Recurring role
2005–2006 Outrageous Fortune Tracy Hong 16 episodes
2007–2008 South of Nowhere Lily Zee 4 episodes
2012–2013 Underemployed Sophia Swanson 12 episodes
2013 Top of the Lake Kimmie 2 episodes; Mini-series
Grey's Anatomy Cherise Season 9, Episode 22
Drop Dead Diva Lanfen Season 5, Episode 7
Perception Former National Guardwoman Season 2, Episode 10
2014 Rizzoli & Isles Lucy Chen Season 5, Episode 11
2015 NCIS: Los Angeles Taman Budiano Season 6, Episode 19 "Blazing Glory"
2015–2016 Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462 Alex Web series; main role
2016 Fear the Walking Dead Alex 2 episodes (season 2)[15]
2020 The New Legends of Monkey Lord Khan Season 2, 7 Episodes
The Twilight Zone Ling Season 2, Episode 6
2021 Vegas Miranda Lau 6 episodes
My Life is Murder Kathleen Boyce Season 2, Episode 3
2021–2024 Star Wars: The Bad Batch Omega Main role; voice[16]

Video Games

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Year Title Role Notes
2023 Starfield Sati Chandra Voice

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2003 Logie Award Most Popular New Female Talent[7] Neighbours Nominated
2011 Aotearoa Film & Television Award Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film My Wedding and Other Secrets Won
2016 Emmy Award Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series[17] Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462 Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "In my beauty bag: Michelle Ang", Julie Roulston
  2. ^ a b c "MEET OMEGA: MICHELLE ANG ON BECOMING THE HEART OF STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH". StarWars.com. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  3. ^ "A Grey's day on set for Michelle", James Croot
  4. ^ a b Cardy, Tom (17 March 2011). "The secret is out". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  5. ^ Chan, Charles (26 April 2010). "Close to her heart". The Star.
  6. ^ "Book lover: Michelle Ang". The New Zealand Herald. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Don't bet on it". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 5 May 2003. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Michelle Ang stars in MTV's Underemployed". Asia Pacific Arts. 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 26 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Fear the Walking Dead: Will the Flight 462 survivors return?". tv.bt.com. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Michelle Ang just scored an Emmy nomination for Fear The Walking Dead". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  11. ^ Simich, Ricardo (11 June 2023). "Michelle Ang half of new TV odd couple". Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Harry Potter gets first girlfriend". China Daily. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  13. ^ @themichelleang (12 May 2019). "Mums make the world go round. Thanks to mine, to yours, to those about to become one, those who've left us, those who aspire to be. I'm blessed to be one. X". Retrieved 22 April 2024 – via Instagram.
  14. ^ "Ray Donovan's' Ryan O'Nan, 'Top of the Lake's' Michelle Ang to Lead Indie Movie 'Fallen Stars'". www.thewrap.com. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Fear The Walking Dead adds Michelle Ang to season 2". undeadwalking.com. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  16. ^ "Star Wars: The Bad Batch crew talks season length, Omega and Imperial oppression". www.cnet.com. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  17. ^ "68th Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners". www.emmys.com. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
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