Jimmy O. Yang

Yang's parents were both from Shanghai and later moved to Hong Kong, where he was born.{{cite web |last1=Friedrich |first1=Adam |title=From Hong Kong To LA — Jimmy O. Yang's Journey To The American Dream |url=https://www.wpr.org/hong-kong-la-%E2%80%94-jimmy-o-yangs-journey-american-dream |website=Wisconsin Public Radio |access-date=23 May 2020 |language=en |date=24 April 2018 |archive-date=4 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304105903/https://www.wpr.org/hong-kong-la-%E2%80%94-jimmy-o-yangs-journey-american-dream |url-status=live }} In 2000, when Yang was

13, his family emigrated to the United States and settled in Los Angeles, California.{{cite AV media |date=25 July 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvCVeo9KBm4 |title=Jimmy O. Yang (Comedian, HBO Silicon Valley) - Fun With Dumb - Ep. 1 |publisher=DUMBFOUNDEAD |via=YouTube |access-date=14 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129031759/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvCVeo9KBm4 |archive-date=29 January 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://texastravesty.com/interview/01/16/2015/jimmy-o-yang|title=Jimmy O. Yang|author=|website=Texas Travesty|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417073330/http://texastravesty.com/interview/01/16/2015/jimmy-o-yang|archive-date=17 April 2019|access-date=24 May 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=609057257 |title=Jimmy O. Yang on 'Silicon Valley' and 'How To American' |last=Sanders |first=Sam |website=NPR |date=May 8, 2018 |access-date=7 July 2019 |archive-date=30 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730225729/https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=609057257 |url-status=live }} His aunt and grandmother were already living in the U.S.; his parents joined them primarily to allow Yang and his brother, Roy, access to a better education. Yang enrolled at John Burroughs Middle School for eighth grade,{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aekvDwAAQBAJ&q=%22jimmy+o+yang%22+john+burroughs+middle&pg=PT30|title=How to American: An Immigrant's Guide to Disappointing Your Parents|last=Yang|first=Jimmy O.|date=2018-03-13|publisher=Hachette Books|isbn=978-0-306-90350-2|language=en|access-date=2020-10-26|archive-date=2023-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902050205/https://books.google.com/books?id=aekvDwAAQBAJ&q=%22jimmy+o+yang%22+john+burroughs+middle&pg=PT30|url-status=live}} then later attended Beverly Hills High School.

Yang graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in economics in 2009. The commencement speaker at his college graduation was his future Silicon Valley showrunner and fellow UCSD alumnus Mike Judge.

Yang did his first stand-up set at 21 years old as "Lowball Jim" at the Ha Ha Comedy Club likely between June 2008 and June 2009{{Cite web |last=Yang |first=O. Yang |date=2025-03-02 |title=EPK - Jimmy O. Yang Official Website |url=https://www.jimmycomedy.com/epk/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=jimmycomedy.com |language=en-US}} in North Hollywood, Los Angeles.

After graduation, he interned at the financial consulting firm Smith Barney in Beverly Hills, California, but found it unfulfilling and turned down its return offer. Instead, he returned to San Diego to finish his graduation requirements. He stayed in the city afterward, where he sold used cars, DJed at a strip club, and seated customers at a comedy club to support himself while doing stand-up sets for free at The Comedy Palace. There he met his mentor, Sean Kelly, a stand-up comedian who ran the venue and later created the reality show Storage Hunters.{{Cite web|url=https://nextshark.com/jimmy-o-yang-drove-uber-survive-silicon-valley-season-1/|title=Jimmy O. Yang Drove for Uber to Survive During 'Silicon Valley' Season 1|date=2018-08-15|website=NextShark|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-13|archive-date=2020-01-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113081222/https://nextshark.com/jimmy-o-yang-drove-uber-survive-silicon-valley-season-1/|url-status=live}}

When Yang moved back to Los Angeles, he signed up with Central Casting, due to their low barrier of entry, and with various casting websites. He was spurred to consider acting when a friend told him there was money to be made in residual checks from commercials. In the interim, he did stand-up sets around Southern California and signed up for acting classes. He eventually found acting representation through the Vesta Talent Agency.

File:Jimmy O Yang in Chinese restaurant, 2018.png

Yang made his television debut on the CBS series 2 Broke Girls in 2012, and his first late-night stand-up appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show in 2014. He played Tang-See in season 9 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and appeared in an episode of Criminal Minds as Nathan Chow, a high-school student who suffered a psychotic break. He was a writer/consultant for the Harlem Globetrotters,{{cite web|url=http://sanfranciscocomedycompetition.com/2011/comics/jimmy-ouyang/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420015007/http://sanfranciscocomedycompetition.com/2011/comics/jimmy-ouyang/ |archive-date=2012-04-20 |url-status=dead|title=Jimmy Ouyang | San Francisco Comedy Competition|access-date=2014-07-28}} and voiced roles in the video game Infamous Second Son.{{cite video game | developer=Sucker Punch Productions | publisher=Sony Computer Entertainment | scene=Credits, 3:43 in, Additional Voice Talent | title=Infamous: Second Son | year=2014}}

He initially appeared on Silicon Valley in a guest role, making scale, then $900 per episode. He appeared in three episodes and spent the money on a Prius so he could drive for Uber to earn money between the show's first and second seasons. For season 2, he was promoted to series regular.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/silicon-valley-promotes-jimmy-o-743541|title='Silicon Valley' Promotes Jimmy O. Yang to Series Regular (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2018-06-09|language=en|archive-date=2019-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327122945/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/silicon-valley-promotes-jimmy-o-743541|url-status=live}} Prior to the announcement, he had landed a series-regular role on the Yahoo! Screen original television show Sin City Saints. He turned down the offer because it would have required him to quit Silicon Valley, which ran from 2014 to 2019.

Yang's first dramatic role was as Dun "Danny" Meng, a Chinese immigrant who is carjacked by the Tsarnaev brothers, in the 2016 action drama Patriots Day.{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/video/silicon-valleys-jimmy-o-yang-abraham-lincolns-wing-247470|title=Silicon Valley's Jimmy O. Yang is Abraham Lincoln's wingman|date=15 December 2016|work=The A.V. Club|access-date=20 December 2016|archive-date=18 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218230957/http://www.avclub.com/video/silicon-valleys-jimmy-o-yang-abraham-lincolns-wing-247470|url-status=live}}

In 2018, he played Bernard Tai in the romantic comedy film Crazy Rich Asians, directed by Jon M. Chu.{{Cite web|title='Crazy Rich Asians': Jimmy O. Yang moves beyond 'Silicon Valley'|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-crazy-rich-asians-jimmy-o-yang-20180810-story.html|last=Yamato|first=Jen|date=August 10, 2018|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-10|archive-date=2020-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507052715/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-crazy-rich-asians-jimmy-o-yang-20180810-story.html|url-status=live}}

On September 26, 2019, it was announced that Yang was cast as Dr. Chan Kaifang in the Netflix comedy series Space Force.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/john-malkovich-ben-schwartz-join-steve-carell-netflixs-space-force-1243752|title=John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz Join Steve Carell in Netflix's 'Space Force'|last=Porter|first=Rick|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=September 26, 2019|access-date=September 26, 2019|archive-date=September 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927035906/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/john-malkovich-ben-schwartz-join-steve-carell-netflixs-space-force-1243752|url-status=live}}

In 2020, he starred opposite Ryan Hansen in two films, Like a Boss and Fantasy Island, released a month apart. In the first film, their characters were business partners; and in the second, they were step-siblings who were strongly fond of each other.

Yang's comedy special Good Deal was released on Amazon Prime Video on May 8, 2020.{{Cite web|title='Jimmy O Yang: Good Deal' {{!}} Catch the 'Silicon Valley' star's stand-up comedy special on Amazon Prime Video|url=https://www.pennlive.com/life/2020/05/jimmy-o-yang-good-deal-catch-the-silicon-valley-stars-stand-up-comedy-special-on-amazon-prime-video.html|last=Clifford|first=Katey|date=May 8, 2020|website=The Patriot-News|language=en|access-date=2020-05-10|archive-date=2021-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728130918/https://www.pennlive.com/life/2020/05/jimmy-o-yang-good-deal-catch-the-silicon-valley-stars-stand-up-comedy-special-on-amazon-prime-video.html|url-status=live}} In 2021, he starred opposite Nina Dobrev in Netflix's Love Hard, his first romantic film.{{Cite web|date=2020-08-14|title='Love Hard': Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Charles Melton Star in Netflix's Dating App Romantic-Comedy|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/love-hard-nina-dobrev-charles-melton-jimmy-o-yang/|access-date=2020-10-14|website=/Film|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014121159/https://www.slashfilm.com/love-hard-nina-dobrev-charles-melton-jimmy-o-yang/|url-status=live}} His second comedy special, Guess How Much? was released on Prime Video on May 2, 2023.{{cite news |last1=Maas |first1=Jennifer |title=Jimmy O. Yang Sets Second Amazon Standup Comedy Special, 'Guess How Much?' |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/jimmy-o-yang-standup-comedy-special-amazon-guess-how-much-1235562035/ |access-date=28 March 2023 |publisher=Variety |date=23 March 2023 |archive-date=27 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327172716/https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/jimmy-o-yang-standup-comedy-special-amazon-guess-how-much-1235562035/ |url-status=live }}

Yang starred as the voice of the Monkey King in Netflix's animated movie, The Monkey King, which debuted August 18, 2023.{{Cite web |title='The Monkey King': Everything You Need to Know About the Animated Movie |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/the-monkey-king-release-date-news |access-date=2023-07-17 |website=Netflix Tudum |language=en |archive-date=2023-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717173513/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/the-monkey-king-release-date-news |url-status=live }}

In 2024, Yang played the lead role in the Hulu series Interior Chinatown as Willis Wu. Also in 2024, Yang guest starred in the TikTok short series Natural Habitat Shorts, as the voice of Fathah Christmas, a porcupine.{{Cite web |title= |url=https://x.com/Natural_habitok/status/1871601191823798754}}

Yang is also the author of How to American: An Immigrant's Guide to Disappointing Your Parents, a book where "he shares his story of growing up as a Chinese immigrant who pursued a Hollywood career against the wishes of his parents."{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37814186-how-to-american|title=How to American|website=www.goodreads.com|access-date=2018-05-27|archive-date=2018-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528052422/https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37814186-how-to-american|url-status=live}} Mike Judge wrote the foreword.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/jimmy-o-yang/|title=Jimmy O. Yang talks Silicon Valley, Mike Judge and his book|date=2018-04-05|work=CNET|access-date=2018-06-09|archive-date=2018-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143743/https://www.cnet.com/news/jimmy-o-yang/|url-status=live}}

Yang has also continued doing stand-up comedy; in 2018, he appeared on a tour titled after the book.{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Jimmy-O-Yang-brings-How-to-American-to-S-F-12936103.php|title=Jimmy O. Yang brings 'How to American' to S.F.|work=SFGate|access-date=2018-06-09|archive-date=2018-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608000254/https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Jimmy-O-Yang-brings-How-to-American-to-S-F-12936103.php|url-status=live}}

Along with English, Yang speaks Shanghainese, Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese. Yang's father, Richard Ouyang,{{Cite web|last=Rana|first=Sambridhi|title=How Jimmy O. Yang's Dad Got On 'Patriots Day'|url=https://hollywoodmask.com/p/jimmy-o-yang-dad-patriots-day.html|access-date=2021-11-29|website=hollywoodmask|date=18 July 2021 |language=en|archive-date=2021-11-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129060555/https://hollywoodmask.com/p/jimmy-o-yang-dad-patriots-day.html|url-status=live}} later signed with the same talent agency and has appeared in several films, including playing the father of his son's character in Patriots Day.

Yang became an American citizen in 2015. He has a YouTube channel with a focus on cooking.{{cite web | url=https://youtube.com/@LowballJim | title=Jimmy O Yang - YouTube | website=YouTube | access-date=2023-04-18 | archive-date=2023-04-18 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418034743/https://www.youtube.com/@LowballJim | url-status=live }}

Yang was previously in a relationship with Brianne Kimmel, an American venture capitalist.{{cite web |first=Raymond |last=Ang |url=https://www.gq.com/story/jimmy-o-yang-gq-hype |title=Jimmy O. Yang's Funny Fantasy |publisher=GQ |date=10 June 2023 |accessdate=18 February 2024}}{{cite web |first=Raymond |last=Ang |url=https://www.gq.com/story/interior-chinatowns-jimmy-o-yang-has-always-had-main-character-energy |title=Interior Chinatown's Jimmy O. Yang Has Always Had Main Character Energy |publisher=GQ |date=10 December 2024 |accessdate=10 December 2024}}

According to recent social media posts made by his father, Yang's maternal-great‑great‑great‑grandfather co-founded the Tien Chu brand, which manufactured various food chemicals and byproducts including monosodium glutamate (MSG).

2018: How to American: An Immigrant's Guide to Disappointing Your Parents

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Category:Living people

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:American male voice actors

Category:American stand-up comedians

Category:American male actors of Hong Kong descent

Category:University of California, San Diego alumni

Category:21st-century American comedians

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:Hong Kong stand-up comedians

Category:Hong Kong emigrants to the United States

Category:1987 births

Category:American comedians of Chinese descent

Category:Comedians from Los Angeles