François Chau
Biography
Biography
Most television viewers know François Chau as Dr. Pierre Chang -- among other aliases -- the enigmatic star of multiple "orientation" films found on the mysterious island on the popular TV show "Lost" (ABC, 2004-10). But in the two decades before he confounded both fans and the show's plane crash survivors, Chau accrued a lengthy resume in TV and film beginning with as the voice of Quick Kick, G.I. Joe's martial arts expert on the animated show "G.I. Joe" (Syndication, 1983-86). Throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, Chau continued to appear on numerous popular series in guest and occasional recurring spots including "Hill Street Blues" (NBC, 1981-87), "ER" (NBC, 1994-2009) and "Alias" (ABC, 2001-06) as well as bit parts in several films. "Lost," however, was his first regular role on a network series.
Chau was born far from the glitz of the Hollywood television and movie industry in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. With war brewing in the region, his family moved first to Vietnam, then to France and finally to Washington, D.C. when Chau was seven,. Chau then moved to Los Angeles and began working in television and film. One of his first jobs was voicing the role of martial arts expert Quick Kick on the animated series "G.I. Joe." Chau went on to appear in many TV shows and movies such as "Hill Street Blues" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze" (1991), in which he played the Turtles' nemesis, Shredder.
He continued making guest appearances on various TV shows until his role on "Lost." There, Chau appeared exclusively in videos seen by the survivors on the island for seasons two through four and only materialized as a character during the show's fifth season. He was also memorably represented in one episode by a giant puppet built by Jim Henson Studios. He continued to work after the show ended its run in 2010, landing guest roles on "Body of Proof" (ABC, 2011-13) and "Nikita" (The CW, 2010-14), among others. Chau has also appeared onstage in London, New York and Los Angeles and in 2011 was nominated for an Ovation Award for Featured Actor in a Play in "Extraordinary Chambers." In an odd coincidence, Chau played another Dr. Chang in the 2013 comedy, "21 & Over.," which was unrelated to his character on "Lost."
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1985
First role as voice of Quick Kick on "G.I. Joe"
1987
First TV guest appearance, "Hill Street Blues"
1991
Appeared in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze"
2005
Began recurring role on "Lost"
