Hong Chau Wiki: Everything To Know About The 'Downsizing' Actress

Have you watched the movie, “Downsizing?” If you have, then Hong Chau’s face should be on your mind right now. Chau has also appeared in other movies including “Inherent Voice,” and in TV series like “Treme,” but you probably won’t know much about Chau, as she lives a very private life away from the paparazzi. Chou also has a beautiful history and if you hear the story of how her parents ended up in America, you will find out that the story is fascinating. So, who is Hong Chau? Hong Chau is an American actress with Vietnamese roots. When most Americans hear about Vietnam, what comes to their minds is the historical war, but Vietnam has become such a beautiful country to visit right now. Chau’s parents were Vietnamese refugees living in a Thailand refugee camp after fleeing their home country in the late 70s, later moving to the United States where Chau was born in 1979. Chau grew up and also studied in New Orleans, Louisiana, and then went to Boston University where she majored in film studies. Chau said that while growing up, she helped her parents, who spoke with heavy Vietnamese accents, to ensure her siblings got educated. After she completed her studies, she got employed by PBS and focused on documentaries. Later on, she went to New York and studied acting before she actually started acting in 2006.

One of the series that Chau appeared in and became known for was “Treme.” It’s a drama series created by David Simon and aired on HBO. “Treme” premiered on April 2010 and the last episode aired in December 2013. The series' name was derived from a town neighboring New Orleans known as Treme, and it comprises four seasons that have a total of 36 episodes collectively. The first episode starts three months after Hurricane Katrina, as the residents try to reconstruct their lives, build their homes again, and rebuild their culture in the aftermath of the disaster. Hong Chau plays Linh from season two to season four, and she is Sonny’s girlfriend whom he marries in season three. “Treme” received positive reviews and enjoyed a lot of views countrywide. One of the things that impressed the fans of the TV series was the performance of the actors and musicians. The series also portrays the New Orleans culture realistically and naturally.

Hong Chau is featured in “Inherent Vice,” a comedy movie directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and based on Thomas Pynchon’s same-titled novel. “Inherent Vice” revolves around Larry Sportello, also known as Doc. Sportello digs deep into Los Angeles criminal underworld trying to investigate three cases related to his ex-girlfriend’s disappearance. Chou plays Jade. On one particular scene, Chau's character drops a message at Doc’s office apologizing for setting him up and also warning him to beware of the Golden Fang. Dong meets Chau's character and in an alley where she explains to him what the Golden Fang is. “Inherent Vice,” was ranked among the top ten movies of 2014, and it also received numerous awards and got nominated for some. Critics praised both the performance and setting. The main actor got a Golden Globe Award nomination while Chau was winning hearts and increasing her net worth.

Chou also appears in a movie written and directed by Jon Goldman, titled “Market Hours,” where she plays the role of Angela. “Market Hours” tells the story of Randall, a man who spends days imagining the lives of the vendors selling products. One particular vendor is Angela, who owns a pastry shop. Randall’s intention leads to a string of thefts and it threatens to make him jobless. He meets Angela and her dog and gets an opportunity to say what he is feeling as well as prove to everyone at the market what he is worth. The movie did well and boosted Chou’s net worth.

You might have seen Chau on “Big Little Lies” where she plays a minor role as Jackie. “Big Little Lies” is a drama TV series that aired on HBO from February to April this year. It was one of the most successful TV series in 2017, receiving 16 Emmy Award nominations and winning half of them. At first, “Big Little Lies” was billed as a miniseries, but HBO announced that the fans should expect the second season in 2018. Even though Chou played a minor role, her performance was excellent enough to get noticed and land her another acting job, boosting her income and net worth.

Probably the most recognizable role that Hong Chau played this year was in the movie “Downsizing.” The movie is a sci-fi comedy-drama directed by Alexander Payne. “Downsizing” also stars Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig and Christoph Waltz. The movie narrates the story of a couple that decides to test a new procedure to shrink their bodies and start a new life in another community. If you want to know what happens next, you need to watch the movie. Hong Chau plays Ngoc Lan Tran, a Vietnamese activist shrunk by the government against her will. Chau’s performance was so incredible that she got nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Hong Chau has a net worth of $15 million. She hasn't been featured in many movies, but it seems she knows how to manage her expenses. Most actors with that net worth have landed more roles than her. It was a good year for Chau and, hopefully, 2018 will be better. Her fans hope that she will show them something next year and everybody also wants to see the Vietnamese beauty with a handsome guy.