Freda Foh Shen
{{short description|American actress}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Freda Foh Shen
| image =Freda Foh Shen 1976 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =Foh Shen in 1976
| birth_date = {{bda|1948|4|25}}
| birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| birth_name =
| other_names = Freyda Foh Shien, Freda Fo Shen, Frida Foh Shen, Freda Shen
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1975–present
| spouse =
}}
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
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/09/theater/review-theater-balcony-the-fantasy-within-a-fantasy.html|title=Review/Theater; 'Balcony': The Fantasy Within A Fantasy|last=Gussow|first=Mel|date=1990-04-09|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=15 September 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/b54c7f50-f82a-0137-2272-6f18db6f2d65 | title= (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)|author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library |accessdate=September 15, 2021 |publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}{{cite web|url=https://outlet.historicimages.com/products/adw101|title=Theater, Film, Tv Actress Freda Foh Shen Press Photo ADW101|date=1976|newspaper=Historical Images Outlet|access-date=13 August 2022}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://theknockturnal.com/freda-foh-shen-books-of-blood/|title=Exclusive: Freda Foh Shen Describes Working on Her Scariest Film Yet, Hulu's 'Books of Blood'|last=Taylor|first=Kage|date=2020-10-14|newspaper=The Knockturnal|access-date=15 September 2021}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2012/10/24/elementary-season-1-cast-freda-foh-shen-watson-mom/|title=Elementary Exclusive: Look Who's Playing Joan Watson's Mom! -- Will She Approve of Sherlock?|last=Gelman|first=Vlada|date=2012-10-24|newspaper=TVLine|access-date=15 September 2021}}
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).{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2012/10/24/elementary-season-1-cast-freda-foh-shen-watson-mom/|title='Mulan': Formula With a New Flavor|last=Turan|first=Kenneth|date=1998-06-19|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=15 September 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://moviemagg.blogspot.com/2008/12/universals-three-modern-mummies.html|title=Universal's Three Modern Mummies
|last=Conlan|first=Mark Gabrish|date=2008-12-23|newspaper=Movie Magg|access-date=15 September 2021}}
Filmography
=Film=
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role !Notes |
|---|
| 1975
| Khan! | | Episode: "Mask of Deceit" |
| rowspan="2" | 1976
| Pacific Overtures | Shogun's Wife | Television movie |
| Jade Snow
|Television documentary |
| 1981
| Ticket Agent | Television movie |
| 1984
| Lynn Watson | Episode: "The Almost Royal Family" |
| 1987
| Cliff's Patient | Episode: "That's Not What I Said" |
| 1988
| Leslie | Episode: "The Last Campaign" |
| 1990
| Mrs. Rioko Kishi | Episode: "Dawn and the Haunted House" |
| 1991
| Doctor Winston | Episode: "#1.6 848" |
| 1992
| Those Secrets | Alice | Television movie |
| rowspan="2" | 1992
| Renegade | Social Worker Shen | Episode: "The Talisman" |
| Doogie Howser, M.D.
| Radiologist | Episode: "Will the Real Doogie Howser Please Stand Up" |
| 1993
| Dr. Noriko Weinstein | 4 episodes |
| 1994–1996
| Miss Minor | Episodes: "Homework" and "Spring Breaks: Part 2" |
| rowspan="3" | 1995
| Sisters | Dr. Michelle Peck | Episode: "No Pain, No Gain" |
| New York News
| Jean | Episode: "Fun City" |
| Courthouse
| Nurse | Episode: "Injustice for All" |
| rowspan="5" | 1996
| 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
| Dr. Seaties / Dr. Aldmen | Episodes: "Growing Pains" and "Team Play" |
| rowspan="2" | 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
| Principal Howard / Ms. Gordan | 3 episodes |
| 1998
| Judge Alice Selleck | Episodes: "These Boots Were Made for Stalking" and "Who's Sorry Next?" |
| rowspan="4" | 1999
| Nurse Laura Chase | Episode: "Denial" |
| Invisible Child
| | Television movie |
| Rugrats
| Pam (voice) | Episode: "Runaway Reptar: Part 1" |
| Horse Sense
| Arlene | Television movie |
| rowspan="2" | 2000
| Dr. Kwan | Television movie |
| Strong Medicine
| Mrs. Simmons | Episode: "Do No Harm" |
| 2000–2001
| Mrs. Lee | 7 episodes |
| 2000
| | Episode: "Telling Lies" |
| rowspan="2" | 2001
| Yumiko Akida | Episode: "Mother's and Daughters" |
| Port Charles
| Suzanne | 5 episodes |
| rowspan="6" | 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
| Judge Amy Okubo | Episode: "Equal Justice" |
| rowspan="4" | 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
| Dr. Ann Kumi | Episode: "Smile" |
| 2006–2007
| Dr. Yolanda Perrin | 5 episodes |
| 2007
| Detective Maggie Conrad | Television movie |
| 2008
| Eleanor Thomas | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="3" | 2009
| Korean Store Owner | Episode: "Red John's Footsteps" |
| House
| Cecile | Episode: "Epic Fail" |
| Grey's Anatomy
| Missy Grant | Episode: "Invasion" |
| rowspan="3" | 2010
| Judge | Episode: "Pulling the Plug" |
| The Defenders
| Judge Sato | Episode: "Nevada v. Carter" |
| Law & Order: LA
| Forrester's Lawyer | Episode: "Pasadena" |
| 2011–2013
| Judge Leslie Hong | 3 episodes |
| 2012–2018
| Mary Watson |
| 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
| Aunt Mei | Episodes: "Chinese New Year" and "Howling at the Moon Festival" |
| rowspan="3" | 2018
| 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
| Grace Hill | Main role |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role !Notes |
|---|
| 2002
| Admiral Alice Liu (voice) | |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{wikiquote}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0791467|name=Freda Foh Shen}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foh Shen, Freda}}
Category:American film actresses
Category:American actresses of Chinese descent
Category:American television actresses
Category:American voice actresses
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses