Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii

Named Miss Teen USA, becoming the first Asian-American to be crowned

Made acting debut as Melia, Kirk Cameron's love interest, on "Growing Pains" (ABC)

Pursued a modeling career in Japan and Italy

Made guest appearances on such shows as “Tour of Duty,” (CBS) “Night Court,” (NBC) and “21 Jump Street” (Fox)

First role in a feature playing one of Jason's victims in “Friday the 13th VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan”

Played the wife of musician Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan) in Oliver Stone's “The Doors”

Appeared alongside Leslie Nielsen in “Surf Ninjas”

Appeared in "Strange Days" as a TV newscaster

1997 Cast in the recurring role of Michelle Chan on “Nash Bridges”

Played featured role in "Fakin' Da Funk"

Appeared regularly on the daytime soap “Sunset Beach” (NBC)

After earning a brown belt in karate, was offered the role of Det. Grace Chen, in the kung fu cop series, “Martial Law”

Cast alongside WWF superstar The Rock in “The Scorpion King,” a spin-off of “The Mummy” series

Starred as the villainess Sona in Joel Silver’s “Cradle 2 the Grave” opposite Jet Li

Starred as Yuriko Oyama/Deathstrike in Bryan Singer’s “X2”

Appeared in five episodes of "Threat Matrix," playing a headstrong former CIA agent who joins the team

Cast in "The Underclassman" with Nick Cannon

Cast on the TV series "In Case of Emergency"