At age seven, convinced her parents to let her perform with the Peking Opera traveling company in California

As a teen, began appearing on TV in commercials and guest spots

TV debut as a series regular, as the king's eldest daughter, on the short-lived CBS series, "Anna and the King"

Studied acting during Christmas and summer vacations

Worked part-time as a newswriter at KNX, the CBS-owned and operated all-news radio station in Los Angeles

Featured in a busted sitcom pilot entitled "Almost American"

Signed a two-year contract with a comedy development team at Embassy Television

Acted in first feature films, "The Big Brawl" (with Jackie Chan) and "Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge"

Played recurring role of Miss Chung, a school teacher on the long-running sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes"

Appeared on the final two-hour episode of the acclaimed series, "M*A*S*H" (the single highest rated episode of a TV program in broadcasting history), as Soon-Lee, a Korean woman who meets, loves and weds Jamie Farr's Corporal Klinger

Breakthrough TV-movie role, played the female lead in "The Terry Fox Story" (HBO)

Reprised the role of Soon-Lee Klinger on the CBS spinoff series, "AfterMASH"

Played the recurring role of Li-Ying, daughter of enigmatic housekeeper Chao-Li, on the CBS primetime soap "Falcon Crest"

First leading role on TV, in the PBS drama adaptation, "Paper Angels"

Played first leading role in a feature film in "1000 Pieces of Gold"

Played the recurring role of Keiko on the syndicated sci-fi series, "Star Trek: The Next Generation"

Played a lead in Wayne Wang's "The Joy Luck Club"

Reprised the role of Keiko O'Brien on the syndicated sci-fi spinoff series, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"

Had a minor roles as a flight attendant in "What Dreams May Come"

Had a small role in the remake of "Freaky Friday"

Guest-starred as Dr. Kim on several episodes of "The O.C." (Fox)

Appeared in a recurring guest role on the HBO series "Tell Me You Love Me"