Garrett Wang

Garrett Richard Wang was born on December 15, 1968, in Riverside, California. His childhood involved frequent relocation, with residences in Indiana, Bermuda, and Tennessee. He graduated from Harding Academy High School in Memphis before attending UCLA, where he initially pursued Asian studies. At UCLA, theater professor Jenny Roudtree influenced his decision to pursue an acting career. His early acting endeavors included theatrical performances such as “Porcelain,” where he portrayed “John Lee,” and later roles in “Model Minority,” “Woman Warrior,” and “A Language Of Our Own.” Wang made his television debut with a guest-starring role in 1994 on the pilot episode of the comedy series “All-American Girl.” This early exposure in both theater and television laid the groundwork for his subsequent career.

A pivotal career moment occurred in 1995 when Wang secured the role of Ensign Harry Kim on “Star Trek: Voyager.” He remained a regular cast member for the entirety of the show’s seven-year run, appearing in 172 episodes which aired until 2001. During this period, his public profile increased, leading to him being named one of People Magazine’s “50 most beautiful people in the world” in 1997, and E! Entertainment Television recognized him as one of the “20 Coolest Bachelors” in the country. Following his extensive work on “Star Trek: Voyager,” Wang continued to accumulate film credits, appearing in movies such as “Flesh Suitcase” (1995), “Angry Cafe” (1995), “Ivory Tower” (1998), “Hundred Percent” (1998), and “Survival Island” (2002). His acting career has continued to evolve with roles in television miniseries like “Into The West” (2005), where he played Chow Ping, and the fan production “Star Trek: Of Gods and Men” (2007) as Commander Garan, showcasing his sustained engagement within the science fiction community.

In recent years, Wang has expanded his involvement within the science fiction and entertainment communities. He reprised his role as Ensign Harry Kim in the massively multiplayer online role-playing game “Star Trek Online” as part of its “Delta Rising” expansion (2014) and voiced Harry Kim in “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (2024). Beyond acting, Wang has become a prominent figure at various conventions, serving as a celebrity moderator since 2008. In 2010, he was appointed the director of the Trek Track for Dragon Con, marking the first time an actor took on a behind-the-scenes role at a major convention. He also co-hosts The Delta Flyers Podcast with Robert Duncan McNeill, where they discuss “Star Trek: Voyager” episodes. His commitment to the acting profession and the science fiction fandom continues through these diverse engagements.