Ali Wong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ali Wong
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Wong in 2012
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| Born |
Alexandra Dawn Wong
April 19, 1982 San Francisco, California, U.S.
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| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2002–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Justin Hakuta
(m. 2014; div. 2024) |
| Children | 2 |
Alexandra Dawn "Ali" Wong (born April 19, 1982) is an American comedian, actress, and writer. She is famous for her stand-up comedy specials on Netflix and for her award-winning acting. For her work, she has won major awards, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. In 2020 and 2023, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Wong is well-known for her Netflix comedy specials Baby Cobra (2016), Hard Knock Wife (2018), and Don Wong (2022). She won a Golden Globe Award for her 2024 special, Single Lady.
Her biggest acting success came from the Netflix show Beef (2023). For her role, she won a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award. This made her the first woman of Asian descent to win an Emmy for a lead acting role.
Wong has also acted in the TV show American Housewife and was a writer for the sitcom Fresh Off the Boat. She has voiced characters in animated shows like Tuca & Bertie and Big Mouth. In 2019, she co-wrote and starred in the movie Always Be My Maybe.
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Early Life and Education
Ali Wong was born in San Francisco, California, on April 19, 1982. She was the youngest of four children. Her mother, Tammy, was from Vietnam and worked as a social worker. Her father, Adolphus, was a Chinese-American anesthesiologist, a doctor who helps patients feel no pain during surgery.
Wong graduated from San Francisco University High School in 2000, where she was the student body president. She then went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and studied Asian American studies. She also spent time studying in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. After college, she returned to Vietnam with a special scholarship called the Fulbright program.
Career Journey
Starting in Stand-Up Comedy
After college, at age 23, Wong decided to try stand-up comedy. She moved to New York City to follow her dream. To get better, she would perform many times a night, sometimes up to nine shows.
Her hard work paid off. In 2011, Variety magazine called her one of the "10 Comics to Watch." This led to appearances on popular TV shows like The Tonight Show. She also became a regular cast member on the comedy series Are You There, Chelsea?.
Becoming a Netflix Star
Wong became a household name with her Netflix comedy specials. In 2016, she released Baby Cobra. She filmed it while she was seven months pregnant with her first child. The special was a huge hit.
Two years later, she released her second special, Hard Knock Wife (2018). Again, she performed while seven months pregnant, this time with her second child. Her honest and funny jokes about motherhood and life made her very popular. She released two more specials, Don Wong (2022) and Single Lady (2024).
Acting and Writing Success
Besides comedy, Wong is also a talented actress and writer. From 2016 to 2021, she starred as Doris in the ABC sitcom American Housewife. She also worked as a writer for the show Fresh Off the Boat.
In 2019, she co-wrote and starred in the Netflix movie Always Be My Maybe with her friend Randall Park. She has also done voice acting for animated shows, playing Bertie in Tuca & Bertie and Ali in Big Mouth.
In 2023, Wong starred with Steven Yeun in the Netflix series Beef. Her performance as the character Amy Lau won her a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award, making history as the first Asian woman to win a lead acting Emmy.
Personal Life
In 2010, Wong met Justin Hakuta, an entrepreneur. They married in 2014 and have two daughters. In 2022, the couple announced they were separating, and their divorce was finalized in 2024. Wong has said that they are still "best friends."
Wong has been in a relationship with fellow actor and comedian Bill Hader. They were seen together at the Emmy Awards in January 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Ali Wong para niños
