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Liu graduated from
Stuyvesant High School in 1986 and enrolled in New
York University; discouraged by the "dark and
sarcastic" atmosphere of NYU, however, she
transferred to the University of Michigan after her
freshman year. She graduated from UM with a degree
in Chinese Language and Culture, managing to squeeze
in some additional training in dance, voice, fine
arts, and acting. During her senior year, Liu
auditioned for a small part in a production of
_Alice in Wonderland_ and walked away with the lead;
encouraged by the experience, she decided to take
the plunge into professional acting. She moved to
Los Angeles and split her time between auditions and
food service day jobs, eventually scoring a guest
appearance as a waitress on "Beverly Hills,
90210" (1990). That performance led to more
walk-on parts in shows like "NYPD Blue"
(1993), "ER" (1994), and "X Files,
The" (1993). In 1996, she was cast as an
ambitious college student on Rhea Perlman's
ephemeral sitcom "Pearl" (1996).
Liu first appeared
on the big screen as an ex-girlfriend in Jerry
Maguire (1996) (she had previously filmed a scene in
the indie Bang (1995), but it was shelved for two
years). She then waded through a series of
supporting parts in small films before landing her
big break on "Ally McBeal" (1997). Liu
initially auditioned for the role of Nelle Porter,
which went to Portia de Rossi, but writer-producer
David E. Kelley was so impressed with her spunk that
he promised to write a part for her in an upcoming
episode. The part turned out to be that of growling,
ill-tempered lawyer Ling Woo, which Liu filled with
such aplomb that she was signed on as a regular cast
member.
The
"Ally" win gave Liu's film career a
much-needed boost--in 1999, she was cast as a
dominatrix in the Mel Gibson action flick Payback
(1999), and as a hitchhiker in the ill-received
boxing saga Play It to the Bone (1999). The next
year brought even larger roles: first as the
kidnapped Princess Pei Pei in Jackie Chan's western
Shanghai Noon (2000), then as one-third of the
comely crime-fighting trio in Charlie's Angels
(2000).
When she's not
hissing at clients or throwing well-coiffed punches,
Liu keeps busy with an eclectic mix of off-screen
hobbies. She practices the martial art of Kali-Eskrima-Silat
(knife-and-stick fighting), skis, rock climbs, rides
horses, and plays the accordion. In 1993 she
exhibited a collection of multimedia art pieces at
the Cast Iron Gallery in SoHo (New York), after
which she won a grant to study and create art in
China. Her hectic schedule doesn't leave much time
for romantic intrigue, but Liu says she prefers to
keep that side of her life uncluttered. |
