Maggie Q facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maggie Q
Q in 2010
Born	Margaret Denise Quigley (1979-05-22) May 22, 1979 (age 46) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Other names	Maggie D. Quigley
Occupation	Actress model
Years active	1998–present

Margaret Denise Quigley (born May 22, 1979), known professionally as Maggie Q, is an American actress and model.

She started her acting career in Hong Kong, starring in action movies like Gen-Y Cops (2000) and Naked Weapon (2002). Later, she became famous in American films such as Mission: Impossible III (2006), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), and The Protégé (2021). She also played Tori Wu in the popular Divergent movie series (2014–2016).

On TV, Maggie Q was the main star in the action-thriller series Nikita (2010–2013). She also had a big role as FBI Special Agent Hannah Wells in the political thriller series Designated Survivor (2016–2019). She even lent her voice to Wonder Woman in the animated show Young Justice (2012–2019).

Early Life and School

Maggie Q was born and grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her father has Irish and Polish roots, and her mother is from Vietnam. Her parents met when her father was in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Maggie Q has four brothers and sisters and was raised Catholic.

She went to Mililani Waena Elementary School and Wheeler Intermediate School. For high school, she attended Mililani High School. There, she was very active in sports, joining the cross country, track and field, and swim teams. She was even voted "Best Body" in her senior year and finished high school in 1997. She earned a scholarship for sports to study veterinary science, but her family couldn't help with the costs. So, she left Hawaii to earn money, hoping to go back to school later.

Career Journey

Q at the world premiere of The Warrior and the Wolf in 2009

Starting in Hong Kong (1996–2005)

When she was 17, Maggie Q started modeling in Tokyo, Japan, after a friend suggested it. She then tried modeling in Taipei, Taiwan, but it didn't work out. She found success in Hong Kong, where she began using the stage name Maggie Q because her full last name, Quigley, was hard for locals to say. She remembers it was tough at first, saying she had very little money and didn't speak the language well.

In Hong Kong, she met famous action star Jackie Chan. He saw her potential as an action star and trained her intensely. This training taught her how important it was to be professional and to do her own stunts. She once said she had never done any martial arts before starting in the business.

In 1998, she began acting in the TV show House of the Dragon, which was very popular in Asia. Her first movie role was in 2000 in the horror film Model from Hell. That same year, she starred as FBI agent Jane Quigley in the action movie Gen-Y Cops. Jackie Chan was so impressed that he cast her in his films Manhattan Midnight and Rush Hour 2.

In 2005, she co-produced a documentary about animal treatment called Earthlings.

Hollywood and Nikita (2006–2013)

Lyndsy Fonseca and Q at a panel for the television series Nikita at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2010.

Maggie Q became well-known in Hollywood in 2006 when she co-starred with Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible III. She played Zhen, the only female member of the IMF team. In 2007, she appeared in the Bruce Willis movie Live Free or Die Hard and the comedy Balls of Fury.

In 2008, she played Cao Ying in the Chinese historical film Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon. She also appeared in the thriller Deception with Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman. She even played a federal agent named Chase Linh in the video game Need for Speed: Undercover.

Q during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2013

In 2010, Maggie Q took on the main role in The CW series Nikita. This show was based on a French film from 1990. She received many good reviews for her performance in Nikita. Her character was even called one of "TV's Toughest Ladies" by TV Guide.

Recent Projects (2014–Present)

In 2014, Maggie Q played Tori Wu, a member of the Dauntless group, in the movie Divergent. She returned for the sequels, The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015) and The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016).

She also starred as Detective Beth Davis in the CBS drama series Stalker, which started in 2014. In 2016, she joined the ABC drama series Designated Survivor as Hannah Wells, a leading FBI agent. The show later moved to Netflix for its final season.

In 2021, Maggie Q starred as an assassin named Anna in the action film The Protégé, alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton. In 2024, it was announced that she would play Homicide Detective Renée Ballard in a new TV series based on Michael Connelly's books. She will investigate old cases with the help of Harry Bosch.

Personal Life

Maggie Q was engaged to her Stalker co-star Dylan McDermott in 2015, but they ended their relationship in 2019.

She has five tattoos, including a cross, Tibetan writing, and a phoenix. In 2010, she temporarily lost hearing in her right ear because of an explosive stunt.

Helping Animals

Maggie Q is a strong supporter of animal rights. She has worked with PETA Asia to encourage people to eat less meat. She has been a vegetarian for many years and says it was one of the best choices she ever made. She feels better and has more energy. In 2008, PETA Asia-Pacific named her their Person of the Year. She has since become a vegan, meaning she doesn't eat any animal products. She is also an ambassador for Animals Asia Foundation.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Maggie Q para niños