The Best Asian Actresses Of 2022

Jason Bancroft
Updated September 15, 2023 307 votes 44 voters
Help shape these rankings by voting on this list of The Best Asian Actresses Of 2022

Inclusion and diversity in Hollywood is more important than ever, so it's nice to see great Asian actresses get the recognition they deserve. Michelle Yeoh launched into 2022 with The Daniels' Everything Everywhere All at Once and is primed to star in Avatar 2. We're also excited to see Hailee Steinfeld in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) and (Part Two) when it comes out. But watch out for Freida Pinto who is sure to be awesome in Mr. Malcolm's List and we can't wait for it to come out later this year. With so many great Asian actresses working today it's hard to determine the best, but that's where your vote can help.

Vote up all your favorite Asian actresses that are having their moment in the spotlight this year. Then check back to see if one of them made it to the top of the list. Who knows, you might be able to use this list to predict an Oscar winner in 2023.

  • Michelle Yeoh
    1

    Recent Credits: Everything Everywhere All at Once, Avatar 2, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

    Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato' Seri Michelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng, PSM, SPMP (; born 6 August 1962) is a Malaysian actress who rose to fame with frequent roles in 1990s Hong Kong action films and is best known internationally for her roles in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies and the Chinese language martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Born in Ipoh, Malaysia, she won the Miss Malaysia pageant of 1983 at the age of 20. She later achieved fame in the early 1990s after starring in a series of Hong Kong action films in which she performed her own stunts, such as Yes, Madam (1985), Police Story 3: Supercop (1992) and Holy Weapon (1993). She was credited as Michelle Khan in her early Hollywood films. She was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress for her work in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She has appeared in many English, Mandarin and Cantonese language films. Her other works include Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), Reign of Assassins (2010), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016), Star Trek: Discovery (2017) and The Lady (2011), in which she portrayed Aung San Suu Kyi. In 2018, she starred in the American romantic comedy-drama film, Crazy Rich Asians. She has also recently acted in Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy. The film critic website Rotten Tomatoes ranked her the greatest action heroine of all time in 2008. In 1997, she was chosen by People as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World," and in 2009 the same magazine listed her as one of the "35 All-Time Screen Beauties"—the only Asian actress to make the list.
  • Ming-Na Wen
    2

    Ming-Na Wen

    16 votes

    Recent Credits: The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Young Sheldon

    Ming-Na Wen (Chinese: 溫明娜; pinyin: Wēn Míngnà; born November 20, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as Melinda May in the ABC action drama series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–present) and for voicing the Disney Princess, Fa Mulan, in the animated musical action films Mulan (1998) and Mulan II (2004). She reprised the role of Fa Mulan in the video game Kingdom Hearts II (2005), the animated children's series Sofia the First (2014), and the animated comedy film Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018).Wen is also known for her role as Dr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen in the medical drama series ER (1995–2004). She starred as Rachel Lu in the medical drama series Inconceivable (2005), one of the few American television series with an Asian American series lead. She also had starring roles as Detective Ellen Yin in the animated series The Batman (2004–2005) and as Camile Wray in the science fiction series Stargate Universe (2009–2011). She is notable for starring in the films The Joy Luck Club (1993), Street Fighter (1994), and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001).
  • Constance Wu
    3

    Constance Wu

    37 votes

    Recent Credits: The Terminal List, Solos, Lyle Lyle Crocodile

    Constance Tianming Wu (born March 22, 1982) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Kathy on the web series EastSiders (2012–present) and as Jessica Huang in the ABC comedy series Fresh Off the Boat (2015–present). In 2017, Wu was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.
  • Priyanka Chopra
    4

    Recent Credits: The Matrix Resurrections, The White Tiger, We Can Be Heroes

    Priyanka Chopra Jonas (born 18 July 1982) is an Indian actress, singer, and film producer who works in Hindi films. The winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, Chopra is one of India's highest-paid and most popular entertainers. She has received numerous accolades, including a National Film Award and five Filmfare Awards. In 2016, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri and Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and in the next two years Forbes listed her among the World's 100 Most Powerful Women. Although Chopra initially aspired to study aeronautical engineering, she accepted offers to join the Indian film industry, which came as a result of her pageant wins, making her Bollywood debut in The Hero: Love Story of a Spy (2003). She played the leading lady in the box-office hits Andaaz (2003) and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004) and received critical acclaim for her breakout role in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz.
  • Maggie Q
    5

    Maggie Q

    12 votes

    Recent Credits: The Protege, Pivoting, Death of Me

    Margaret Denise Quigley (born May 22, 1979), professionally known as Maggie Q, is an Hawaiian-American actress, model and animal rights activist. She is known for starring as the title role on The CW action-thriller series Nikita (2010–13). She also starred as former-FBI agent and CIA Case Officer Hannah Wells in the political drama series, Designated Survivor (2016–19).Q had starring roles in the action films, Mission: Impossible III (2006), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), and Priest (2011). She portrayed Tori Wu in the dystopian science-fiction action film, Divergent (2014), and reprised her role in the sequels, Insurgent (2015) and Allegiant (2016).
  • Jamie Chung
    6

    Jamie Chung

    34 votes

    Recent Credits: Star Wars: Visions, Dexter: New Blood, The Misfits

    Jamie Jilynn Chung (born April 10, 1983) is an American actress, and former reality television personality. She first gained fame in 2004 as a cast member on the MTV reality series The Real World: San Diego and subsequently through her appearances on its spin-off show, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno II. She is regarded by many as the Real World alumna with the most successful media career.She later transitioned into acting and has since become known for films such as Dragonball Evolution, Grown Ups, Premium Rush, Sorority Row, The Hangover Part II, Sucker Punch, and Big Hero 6 and having been the series lead of the ABC Family television miniseries Samurai Girl. Chung received critical acclaim for her lead performance in the independent drama film about domestic human trafficking Eden. In 2017, she was cast as the teleporting mutant Clarice Fong/Blink in the superhero drama series The Gifted on Fox. Since 2012, Chung has appeared in the recurring role of Mulan in the ABC fantasy television series Once Upon a Time.