BD Wong

Asian-American and LGBTQ+ Advocate • Tony Award winner

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BD Wong is a celebrated actor and advocate with over three decades of excellence on stage, on television, and in film. He made his Broadway debut in M. Butterfly in the titular role, which earned him a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Clarence Derwent Award, and Theatre World Award. He is the only actor to win all five of these major New York theater awards for a single role.

His experiences as an openly queer Asian-American actor in Hollywood have shaped his career and inform his ongoing work as a spokesperson for his various communities. Having seen and experienced typecasting, racism, and homophobia in the entertainment industry, he brings keen insight to issues of diversity and representation in the media and beyond. In his heartfelt, inspirational, and spontaneously amusing talks, he addresses racial self-image, the “model minority myth,” moving beyond preconceptions so we can appreciate our full humanity, the beauty and challenges of owning multiple identities, and the importance of passing the torch of intergenerational support to younger people.

In addition to many performances on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in U.S. regional theatre, Wong is also known for his roles on the popular TV shows Law & Order: SVU, Mr. Robot, Oz, and most recently, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens. Some of his most immediately recognizable work on the silver screen includes four films of the Jurassic franchise, two animated Mulan films, two Father of the Bride films, and Netflix’s Bird Box.

Beyond his success as an actor, Wong has worked most recently as a writer and director. He directed and co-authored the World Premiere of the musical adaptation of the Oscar-nominated film Mr. Holland’s Opus at Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. He also directed Yes, I Can Say That!, starring actor-writer and stand-up comedian Judy Gold, Off-Broadway at Primary Stages.

Wong has a deep appreciation for the mentorship and intergenerational collaboration he experienced at every stage of his life and career. Without the warm stewardship of his high school drama teacher who “forbade him from squandering his potential,” he wouldn’t have so efficiently connected to his calling. Mrs. (Zora) Chanes steered his love for performing from a passionate pastime into a legitimate career choice, and other mentors along the way provided him with tools to make him into the star he is today. As a highly successful, veteran performer, he sees mentoring future generations as a big part of his life’s work. Originally involved as a guest teaching artist, he currently serves on the board of Rosie’s Theater Kids, an arts education organization providing free performing arts instruction, life skills development, and tutoring to underserved students in the New York City public school system.

His support for, and pride in, being a member of the Asian-American and LGBTQ+ communities extends beyond speaking out for respectful and nuanced representation in Hollywood. He leveraged his celebrity to elevate the Stop Asian Hate movement, appearing in national PSAs and social media campaigns. He is an advocate for The Trevor Project and its “It Gets Better” campaign and has also received community service awards from GLAAD, PFLAG, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Empire State Pride Agenda, Marriage Equality NY, the Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund, and the Museum of Chinese in the Americas, among many others.

For more information, please visit his Linktree.

BD Wong is a celebrated actor and advocate with over three decades of excellence on stage, on television, and in film. He made his Broadway debut in M. Butterfly in the titular role, which earned him a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Clarence Derwent Award, and Theatre World Award. He is the only actor to win all five of these major New York theater awards for a single role.

His experiences as an openly queer Asian-American actor in Hollywood have shaped his career and inform his ongoing work as a spokesperson for his various communities. Having seen and experienced typecasting, racism, and homophobia in the entertainment industry, he brings keen insight to issues of diversity and representation in the media and beyond. In his heartfelt, inspirational, and spontaneously amusing talks, he addresses racial self-image, the “model minority myth,” moving beyond preconceptions so we can appreciate our full humanity, the beauty and challenges of owning multiple identities, and the importance of passing the torch of intergenerational support to younger people.

In addition to many performances on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in U.S. regional theatre, Wong is also known for his roles on the popular TV shows Law & Order: SVU, Mr. Robot, Oz, and most recently, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens. Some of his most immediately recognizable work on the silver screen includes four films of the Jurassic franchise, two animated Mulan films, two Father of the Bride films, and Netflix’s Bird Box.

Beyond his success as an actor, Wong has worked most recently as a writer and director. He directed and co-authored the World Premiere of the musical adaptation of the Oscar-nominated film Mr. Holland’s Opus at Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. He also directed Yes, I Can Say That!, starring actor-writer and stand-up comedian Judy Gold, Off-Broadway at Primary Stages.

Wong has a deep appreciation for the mentorship and intergenerational collaboration he experienced at every stage of his life and career. Without the warm stewardship of his high school drama teacher who “forbade him from squandering his potential,” he wouldn’t have so efficiently connected to his calling. Mrs. (Zora) Chanes steered his love for performing from a passionate pastime into a legitimate career choice, and other mentors along the way provided him with tools to make him into the star he is today. As a highly successful, veteran performer, he sees mentoring future generations as a big part of his life’s work. Originally involved as a guest teaching artist, he currently serves on the board of Rosie’s Theater Kids, an arts education organization providing free performing arts instruction, life skills development, and tutoring to underserved students in the New York City public school system.

His support for, and pride in, being a member of the Asian-American and LGBTQ+ communities extends beyond speaking out for respectful and nuanced representation in Hollywood. He leveraged his celebrity to elevate the Stop Asian Hate movement, appearing in national PSAs and social media campaigns. He is an advocate for The Trevor Project and its “It Gets Better” campaign and has also received community service awards from GLAAD, PFLAG, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Empire State Pride Agenda, Marriage Equality NY, the Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund, and the Museum of Chinese in the Americas, among many others.

For more information, please visit his Linktree.

An Evening with BD Wong: From M. Butterfly to Jurassic World
Behind the glitz and glamour of a career in the entertainment industry is a labyrinth of uncertainty, racism, homophobia and ignorance/inexperience that benefits greatly from the kind of communication and dialogue BD instigates. When you step off the beaten path, away from “conventional” careers, you assume certain risks. Passion and talent aren’t enough to take you to the top; and your dream job will still be a job. In this talk, award-winning actor BD Wong takes audiences through his adventurous life and career, highlighting the lessons he’s learned every step of the way. You’ll hear how he went from enthusiastic hobbyist to Tony Award winner, his insights on the importance of mentorship, and why this career pursuit must be taken as seriously as any other.

All the World’s a Stage: From Exclusion to Inclusion
When a young BD Wong first discovered his love of performing, the world was his oyster — roles of all kinds were his for the taking. Stepping into the entertainment space as a professional, however, he learned that the horizon was woefully limited. Few roles were available to him: always the supporting character, never the leading man, presented with numerous opportunities to perpetuate a stereotype. Through these attempts to pigeonhole him, he unearthed the stark difference between the way the world views him and his own self-image — a reductionist snapshot stuffed into a constricting mold as opposed to a multifaceted human being. In a talk that is equal parts poignant and humorous, BD walks you through how he created a space for himself and opened doors for others while offering reflections on the work that is yet to be done. Audiences will walk away with a deeper appreciation for the nuances of being human and a clearer understanding of what it means to be truly open-minded and move beyond prejudice, as well as the power and essential role that media representation plays in our daily lives and the lives of our children.

2016 Gold Derby TV Award, Drama Guest Actor (Mr. Robot)
2013 Best Shorts Competition, Voice-Over Talent (The No Name Painting Association)
2003 GLAAD Media Award, Davidson/Valentini Award
1988 Tony Award, Best Featured Actor in a Play (M. Butterfly)
1988 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (M. Butterfly)
1988 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Debut Performance (M. Butterfly)
1988 Theatre World Award
1988 Clarence Derwent Award, Most Promising Male Performer (M. Butterfly)

BD was a great speaker to work with. He was very accommodating of our requests and fantastic with each audience he met. That included a group of theater students before his main talk, a group of donors, and also taking photos with attendees after his talk. He also did an interview with local media before the talk. His talk itself was engaging, and he wanted to make sure to answer each question from the audience.

Chair, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, California State University, Bakersfield