Michelle Kruseic

Michelle Krusiec was born Ya-Huei Yang in Taiwan in 1974. At the age of five, she was adopted by her father’s elder sister and her Polish American husband, a U.S. Navy officer, and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Her adoptive father renamed her Michelle Jacqueline. Krusiec pursued her education in theatre at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), where she earned a B.A. She furthered her studies in Shakespeare and women’s literature at the University of Oxford on a scholarship, demonstrating a strong academic foundation in her craft early in her career.

Krusiec’s career began in television in 1996 when she was recruited as one of six global travel reporters for the Discovery Channel series *Travelers*, during which she visited over 50 locations. She gained recognition for her role as the 18-year-old Molly O’Brien in the *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* episode “Time’s Orphan.” Her early television work also included co-starring in the NBC Saturday morning sitcom *One World* and playing Exquisite Woo on *Popular*. Continuously expanding her repertoire, Krusiec played Mei-Ling Hwa Darling in ABC’s dramedy *Dirty Sexy Money* and had a recurring role as Nadine Park on Season 4 of Fox’s *Fringe*. Her film career includes a Best Actress nomination at the Golden Horse Film Festival for her performance in *Saving Face* (2005), portraying Chinese American surgeon Wilhelmina Pang, balancing personal and professional demands. She also appeared in films such as *What Happens in Vegas* (2008), *Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd* (2003), and *Nanking* (2007).

In 2020, Krusiec played Anna May Wong in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series *Hollywood*, a role that highlighted her ability to portray historical figures. Beyond acting, Krusiec has developed her writing and directing skills. She wrote, directed, and performed a one-woman show titled “Made in Taiwan,” which premiered in Los Angeles and at the New York International Fringe Festival. This project received funding from Visual Communications to be developed into a feature film. Her theatrical work also includes touring with the cast of David Henry Hwang’s play *Chinglish* in the role of Xi Yian, and starring in The Public Theatre’s production of Hansol Jung’s *Wild Goose Dreams* as Yoo Nanhee in 2018. Her diverse body of work showcases a consistent commitment to her acting and creative endeavors.