Ken Jeong
Known for his scene-stealing abilities, actor, producer, writer and comedian Ken Jeong has established himself as one of today’s top comedic stars. Since his feature film debut in 2007, playing the doctor in “Knocked Up,” Jeong has gone on to create memorable roles on both TV and film.
In addition to being a panelist on THE MASKED SINGER, Jeong is the host and executive producer of I CAN SEE YOUR VOICE. When both of these shows aired on FOX Wednesdays, the network declared each week’s viewings as #Kensday. Prior to this, Jeong starred on “Dr. Ken,” on which he was the creator, writer and executive producer. He also was a series regular on the critically acclaimed show “Community” from 2009-2015, which won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy Series in 2012. In 2015, Jeong directed an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, “Student Athlete,” and he also starred in and produced the Sundance Award-winning film “Advantageous,” which also received an Independent Spirit Award nomination.
Jeong’s career path started off on a different course. He earned his undergraduate degree at Duke University and went on to get his medical degree at the University of North Carolina. Jeong completed his Internal Medicine residency in New Orleans, all the while developing his comedy. In 1995, he won the Big Easy Laff Off. The competition, which was judged by former NBC President Brandon Tartikoff and Improv founder Budd Friedman, turned out to be Jeong’s big break, as Tartikoff and Friedman urged him to head to Los Angeles.
Once in Los Angeles, he began performing regularly at the Improv and Laugh Factory and was seen on several television shows, including “The Office,” “Entourage” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” It wasn’t until he caught Judd Apatow’s eye, who cast him as “Dr. Kuni” in “Knocked Up,” that he solidified himself as a feature film actor. In 2008, Jeong had his first major role, opposite Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott, as the villain in David Wain's “Role Models.” That same year, he also appeared in cult comedy hits “Pineapple Express” and “Step Brothers.” In May of 2009, Jeong appeared as Asian mobster “Mr. Chow” in the sleeper-hit comedy “The Hangover,” also starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, which earned Jeong an MTV Movie Award in 2010. “The Hangover” also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy/Musical and Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy in 2010. The film was the highest-grossing R-rated comedy to date, earning more than $467 million worldwide, only to be trumped by “The Hangover Part II,” which grossed $581 million worldwide. Jeong reprised his iconic role in “The Hangover Part III.” His other credits include “My Spy,” “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” “The Duff” and “Couples Retreat,” among a steady list of roles.
Jeong has lent his voice to a plethora of animated films and was recently heard in the Academy Award-nominated streaming film “Over The Moon,” “Scoob” and “Lady And The Tramp.” Jeong also can be seen in the live action/animated hybrid film “Tom And Jerry.” He can next be heard in the film adaptation of “My Little Pony,” set to be released on September 24, 2021.
In February 2019, Jeong returned to his stand-up roots for his first-ever hit streaming comedy special, “Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho,” which earned him a People’s Choice nomination for Comedy Act of 2019. Filmed at The Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, CA, where Jeong first got his start in comedy, the special reflects on how he went from being a doctor to a comedy superstar. He opens up about how his wife’s courageous battle with breast cancer led to him to star in one of the biggest comedy franchises of all time, “The Hangover,” and more recently, “Crazy Rich Asians.”
Jeong dedicates his spare time to volunteering with Stand Up 2 Cancer, which is a cause very dear to his heart.