Tzi Ma

Tzi Ma Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: June 10, 1962

Age: 62 years old

Birth Place: Hong Kong

The Hong Kong-born Tzi Ma, who studied theatre and dance in America, has proven that Asian men can carve out a successful niche in Hollywood, even if they aren't action superstars like Jackie Chan or Jet Li. One of his earliest roles to gain notice was as the main heavy in 1992's "Rapid Fire," in which he fought hand-to-hand on an elevated train platform with Brandon Lee, son of the legendary Bruce Lee. But for most of the decade, it was just as common to see Ma in roles that didn't require kung-fu kicks; he was effective in the 1994 drama "Golden Gate" (written by David Henry Hwang, with whom he collaborated numerous times for the stage) and on "NYPD Blue" in the recurring part of Detective Harold Ng.

In 2002, he played a shadowy assistant to Michael Caine's British journalist in "The Quiet American," one of the more critically acclaimed films of the year. This gave his career a boost, and he subsequently landed his highest-profile film yet: the Coen Brothers' 2004 remake of "The Ladykillers," which allowed Ma to show off a more comedic side. During this time, he was also active in independent film, playing a retiree desperately trying to hide a dark secret from his three grown daughters in "Red Doors." As for television work, Ma appeared in the series "24" as Cheng Zhi, a Chinese official who matches wits and wills, as opposed to fists, with protagonist Jack Bauer.

Credits

Interior ChinatownStream

Actor
Joe Wu
Series
2024
87%

Five Blind DatesStream

Actor
Movie
2024
43%

독전2

Actor
Mr. Lee
Movie
2023

Kung FuStream

Actor
Jin Shen
Series
2021

A Shot Through the Wall

Actor
Chow Tan
Movie
2021

MulanStream

Actor
Hua Zhou
Movie
2020
72%

The Kid DetectiveStream

Actor
Mr. Chang
Movie
2020
85%

A Sugar & Spice HolidayStream

Actor
Pete Yung
Movie
2020

Tamron HallStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Wu AssassinsStream

Actor
Mr. Young
Series
2019
83%

The Chuey Martinez Show

Guest
Show
2019

The FarewellStream

Actor
Haiyan
Movie
2019
97%

The ResidentStream

Guest Star
Ted Zhou
Series
2018

Bad Company

Actor
Hawking
Movie
2018

An American Girl Story - Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance

Actor
Gung-Gung
Show
2017

Arrival: Extras

Actor
Show
2017

RansomStream

Guest Star
Lormong Vang
Series
2017

The Jade Pendant

Actor
Yu Hing
Movie
2017

Meditation Park

Actor
Bing
Movie
2017

Criminal Minds: Beyond BordersStream

Guest Star
Inspector Cheong
Series
2016
25%

Angie TribecaStream

Guest Star
Joseph Takagi
Series
2016
96%

ArrivalStream

Actor
General Shang
Movie
2016
94%

DiabloStream

Actor
Quok Mi
Movie
2015
19%

Pali Road

Actor
Mr. Zhang
Movie
2015

Baby Steps

Actor
Mr. Lin
Movie
2015

State of Affairs

Guest Star
Series
2014
28%

Madam SecretaryStream

Guest Star
President Miguel Da Silva
Series
2014

SatisfactionStream

Guest Star
Series
2014

Silicon ValleyStream

Guest Star
Yao
Series
2014
94%

Million Dollar Arm

Actor
Chang
Movie
2014

A Good Man

Actor
Mr. Chen
Movie
2014

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Stream

Guest Star
Series
2013
95%

Chink

Actor
Mr. Chang
Movie
2013

ElementaryStream

Guest Star
Series
2012
95%

Vegas

Guest Star
Watanabe
Series
2012
67%

VeepStream

Guest Star
Lu Chi-Jang
Series
2012
93%

Someone I Used to Know

Actor
Simo Kim
Movie
2012

Hell on WheelsStream

Actor
Tao
Series
2011
73%

Once Upon a TimeStream

Guest Star
Series
2011
78%

CHAOS

Guest Star
Show
2011

Dark Vengeance

Actor
Chen
Movie
2011

The TalkStream

Guest
Talk
2010

Hawaii Five-0Stream

Guest Star
Series
2010

NCIS: Los AngelesStream

Guest Star
Series
2009

DollhouseStream

Guest Star
Series
2009
71%

Lie to MeStream

Guest Star
Mr. Chen
Series
2009

Formosa Betrayed

Actor
Kuo
Movie
2009

FringeStream

Guest Star
Ming Che
Series
2008
90%

Baby

Actor
Pops
Movie
2008

The Sensei

Actor
Buddhist Monk
Movie
2008

Dirty Sexy MoneyStream

Guest Star
Tsung Shien Chun
Series
2007
68%

Dragon Boys

Actor
Show
2007

Dragon Boys

Actor
Movie
2007

Rush Hour 3Stream

Actor
Ambassador Han
Movie
2007
17%

The UnitStream

Guest Star
Series
2006
84%

Akeelah and the BeeStream

Actor
Mr. Chiu
Movie
2006
86%

Commander in ChiefStream

Guest Star
Chinese Ambassador
Series
2005
82%

Grey's AnatomyStream

Guest Star
Series
2005
84%

American DadStream

Guest Star
Bah Bah
Series
2005

American DadStream

Guest Voice
Bah Bah
Series
2005

Red Doors

Actor
Ed Wong
Movie
2005

DeadwoodStream

Guest Star
Mahjong Player
Series
2004
92%

The LadykillersStream

Actor
The General
Movie
2004
54%

The Quiet AmericanStream

Actor
Hinh
Movie
2002
87%

24Stream

Guest Star
Cheng Zhi
Series
2001
87%

Hawaiian Gardens

Actor
Mr. Huong
Movie
2001

Gideon's Crossing

Guest Star
Show
2000

City of Angels

Guest Star
Show
2000

Catfish in Black Bean Sauce

Actor
Vinh
Movie
1999

Martial Law

Guest Star
Series
1998

The Magnificent SevenStream

Guest Star
Series
1998
33%

Rush HourStream

Actor
Consul Han
Movie
1998
62%

Dante's PeakStream

Actor
Stan, USGS Crew
Movie
1997
28%

Red CornerStream

Actor
Li Cheng
Movie
1997
27%

Millennium

Guest Star
Series
1996

The PretenderStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

Nash BridgesStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

Chain ReactionStream

Actor
Lu Chen
Movie
1996
18%

JAGStream

Guest Star
Series
1995

Chicago Hope

Guest Star
Series
1994

Golden Gate

Actor
Chen Jung Song
Movie
1994

NYPD BlueStream

Guest Star
Det. Harold Ng
Series
1993
83%

Walker, Texas RangerStream

Guest Star
Series
1993

Rapid Fire

Actor
Kinman Tau
Movie
1992

Law & OrderStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStream

Guest Star
Biomolecular physiologist
Series
1987
92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation 2.0

Guest Star
Show
1987

Head of the ClassStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

MacGyverStream

Guest Star
Series
1985

The Equalizer

Guest Star
Mr. Lin
Series
1985