Lucy Liu was born to Chinese immigrants in Queens, New York, in 1968. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Chinese Language and Culture, managing to squeeze in some additional training in dance, voice, fine arts, and acting. During her senior year, Liu auditioned for a small part in a production of Alice in Wonderland and walked away with the lead; encouraged by the experience, she decided to take the plunge into professional acting.
     Liu first appeared on the big screen as an ex-girlfriend in Jerry Maguire (1996.) She then waded through a series of supporting parts in small films before landing her big break on "Ally McBeal" (1997) as the growling, ill-tempered lawyer Ling Woo.
     After several lesser known films, Liu finally appeared as the third glamorous female crime fighter in the big-screen update of the 1970s detective series Charlie’s Angels.
     Liu keeps busy with an eclectic mix of off-screen hobbies. She practices the martial art of Kali-Eskrima-Silat (knife-and-stick fighting), skis, rock climbs, rides horses, and plays the accordion. In 1993 she exhibited a collection of multimedia art pieces at the Cast Iron Gallery in SoHo (New York), after which she won a grant to study and create art in China.