Vanessa Kai

Vanessa Kai

CountryUnited States United States
GenderFemale
Birthdaysept. 18, 1982
BiographyVANESSA KAI is best known for her work in CW's hit series "Kung Fu". Most recently, you can find Vanessa in a recurring role as Gisela Mott on "Elsbeth" starring Carrie Preston on CBS. In theater, Vanessa Kai was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as "Ruby" in the world premiere of "KPOP," an Off-Broadway, immersive musical event produced by Ars Nova. Other notable credits include the world premieres of "The Pain of My Belligerence" at Playwrights Horizons, "Somebody's Daughter" at Second Stage and "The Architecture of Becoming" at New York's City Center. Vanessa's breakthrough role came in 2020 when she was cast as Pei-Ling Zhang in CW's hit series "Kung Fu", produced by Warner Bros. Her powerful portrayal of the mysterious and wise mentor to the show's protagonist, Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang), has been praised for its depth and nuance that quickly made her a fan favorite. Before "Kung Fu", Vanessa appeared in a number of other television series and films, including "New Amsterdam", "Orange Is the New Black", "The Mysteries of Laura", "The Blacklist", "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit", and "Madam Secretary". A champion of new works Kai is much sought after for her collaborative spirit and her love of world building, and has helped to develop new plays at New York Stage & Film, Public Theater, SoHo Rep., Roundabout Theater Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, Steppenwolf Theatre, Eugene O’Neill Theatre, Two River Theater, The New Group, The Lark Play Development Center, Baltimore Center Stage, Playwrights Realm, New Dramatists, and many others. Vanessa is a native New Yorker and a first generation Chinese American.

Known For

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
48 Hours
Running

48 Hours

48 Hours is a CBS news magazine that investigates intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all aspects of the human experience. Over its long run, the show has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, driven the reopening -- and resolution -- of cold cases, and changed numerous lives. CBS News correspondents offer an in-depth look into each story, with the emphasis on solving the mystery at its heart. The program and its team have earned critical acclaim, including 20 Emmys and three Peabody Awards.

The Brokenwood Mysteries
Running

The Brokenwood Mysteries

The Brokenwood Mysteries is set in a seemingly quiet New Zealand country town where the town's newest resident, Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd, finds that murder lurks in even the most homely location.

Premiered in 2014 on Prime Television New Zealand. Moved to TVNZ 1 and Acorn TV with Season 7 in early 2021.

The Young and the Restless
Running

The Young and the Restless

The Young and the Restless revolves around the rivalries, romances, hopes and fears of the residents of the fictional Midwestern metropolis, Genoa City. The lives and loves of a wide variety of characters mingle through the generations, dominated by the Newman, Abbott, Chancellor, Baldwin and Winters families. ­ When The Young and the Restless premiered in 1973, it revolutionized the daytime drama. It continues to set the standard with strong characters, socially conscious storylines, romance and sensuality.

Wild Cards
Running

Wild Cards

Wild Cards follows the unlikely duo of a gruff, sardonic cop and a spirited, clever con woman. Ellis, a demoted detective, has unfortunately spent the last year on the maritime unit, while Max has been living a transient life elaborately scamming everyone she meets. But when Max gets arrested and ends up helping Ellis solve a local crime, the two are offered the opportunity to redeem themselves, with Ellis going back to detective and Max staying out of jail. The catch? They have to work together, with each using their unique skills to solve crimes. For Ellis, that means hard-boiled shoe leather police work; for Max, it means accents, schemes and generally befriending everyone in sight, while driving Ellis absolutely nuts. Against the backdrop of beautiful Vancouver — with all its unique, charming, and even contradictory neighbourhoods and subcultures — the two will have to learn what it means to trust another person and maybe actually become partners.

Wheel of Fortune
Running

Wheel of Fortune

Contestants guess hidden phrases by guessing letters one at a time. Contestants win money or prizes, as determined by a spin of the wheel, for each correct consonant they guess. But they have to pay to see what vowels are in a puzzle. The contestant that has amassed the most winnings at the end of a game goes on to play the bonus round, in which the player can win even more -- prizes frequently seen in the bonus round include automobiles, vacations and more cash.

GenreFamily