Jump to content

Garrett Wang: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
Tags: Reverted Mobile edit Mobile web edit
 
(43 intermediate revisions by 33 users not shown)
Line 6: Line 6:
| caption = Wang in 2013 at [[FedCon]] in Germany
| caption = Wang in 2013 at [[FedCon]] in Germany
| birth_name = Garrett Richard Wang
| birth_name = Garrett Richard Wang
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|12|15}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|12|15}}
| birth_place = [[Riverside, California]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Riverside, California]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_place =
⚫
| education = [[University of California, Los Angeles]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| alma_mater = Star Fleet Academy
⚫
| othername = Wang Yi Jahn<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/community/chat/archive/transcript/1297.html|title=Chat Transcript|date=1998-05-07|access-date=2010-02-24|archive-date=2010-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626075919/http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/community/chat/archive/transcript/1297.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> (王以瞻)<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/world/2000-2-2/58857.html|title=特写：美国华人龙年迎春巡礼|publisher=中新社|date=2002-02-02}}</ref>
⚫
[[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]
⚫
| othername = Wang Yi Jahn<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/community/chat/archive/transcript/1297.html|title=Chat Transcript |date=1998-05-07}}</ref> (王以瞻)<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/world/2000-2-2/58857.html|title=特写：美国华人龙年迎春巡礼|publisher=中新社|date=2002-02-02}}</ref>
| years_active = 1994–present
| years_active = 1994–present
| spouse =
| spouse =
| homepage =
| homepage =
|module={{Infobox Chinese|child=yes| p=Wáng Yǐzhān|mi={{IPAc-cmn|wang|2|-|yi|3|.|zh|an|1}}|c={{linktext|王|以|瞻}} |poj=Ông Í-chiam }}
}}
}}
'''Garrett Richard Wang''' ({{zh|t=[[wikt:王|王]][[wikt:以|以]][[wikt:瞻|瞻]]|p=Wáng Yǐzhān}}) (born December 15, 1968) is an American [[actor]]. Wang is known for his role in ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' as [[Harry Kim (Star Trek)|Ensign Harry Kim should be a captain]].
'''Garrett Richard Wang''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɑː|ŋ}}; {{zh|c=王以瞻}}; born December 15, 1968) is an American actor best known for his role of [[Harry Kim (Star Trek)|Ensign Harry Kim]] in ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]''.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Wang was born in [[Riverside, California]] to [[Taiwanese people|Taiwanese]] [[immigrant]] parents. He has one sister.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nhCbevrSTJQC&q=%22Garrett+Wang%22|title=Yellow Light: The Flowering of Asian American Arts|last=Ling|first=Amy|publisher=Temple University Press|year=1999|isbn=978-1-56639-817-6|pages=302–303|language=en}}</ref> Growing up, Wang moved often. He attended kindergarten in [[Indiana]] before moving to [[Bermuda]],<ref name=":0" /> then [[Memphis, Tennessee]],<ref name="latimes.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-01-10-ca-1621-story.html|title=Chay Yew Mines Dark Side of Asian Life in 'Porcelain'|date=1993-01-10|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> and then back to [[California]].<ref name=":0" />
Wang was born in [[Riverside, California]] to [[Taiwanese people|Taiwanese]]<ref>[https://medium.com/star-wars-fans-against-trump/why-star-trek-voyager-actor-garrett-wang-more-or-less-left-hollywood-for-a-decade-and-a-half-79a3c4fc3429 Why ‘Star Trek’ Actor Garrett Wang (More or Less) Left Hollywood for a Decade-and-a-Half]</ref> [[immigrant]] parents. He has one sister.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nhCbevrSTJQC&q=%22Garrett+Wang%22|title=Yellow Light: The Flowering of Asian American Arts|last=Ling|first=Amy|publisher=Temple University Press|year=1999|isbn=978-1-56639-817-6|pages=302–303|language=en}}</ref> Growing up, Wang moved often. He attended kindergarten in [[Indiana]] before moving to [[Bermuda]],<ref name=":0" /> then to [[Memphis, Tennessee]],<ref name="latimes.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-01-10-ca-1621-story.html|title=Chay Yew Mines Dark Side of Asian Life in 'Porcelain'|date=1993-01-10|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> and then back to [[California]].<ref name=":0" />


In the summer of 1990, he attended a Taiwanese-state sponsored cultural exchange program, which was the first time in his life where he wasn't the only Asian around.<ref name=":0" /> He cites this as a reason why he went into acting; to provide a role model in entertainment for other Asian Americans in otherwise predominantly non-Asian environments in the United States.<ref name=":0" /> Wang graduated from [[Harding Academy High School]] in Memphis.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Murff |editor1-first=Richard |title=Memphians |date=2011 |publisher=The Nautilus Publishing Company |location=Memphis, TN |isbn=978-193694603-7 |page=70 |language=en |chapter=Movies, Television & Stage}}</ref>
In the summer of 1990, he attended a Taiwanese-state sponsored cultural exchange program.<ref name=":0" /> One of the reasons he decided to become an actor was to be a role model for other Asian-Americans seeking work in the entertainment industry, a predominantly non-Asian environment.<ref name=":0" /> Wang graduated from [[Harding Academy High School]] in Memphis.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Murff |editor1-first=Richard |title=Memphians |date=2011 |publisher=The Nautilus Publishing Company |location=Memphis, TN |isbn=978-193694603-7 |page=70 |language=en |chapter=Movies, Television & Stage}}</ref>


Wang's parents were not supportive of his acting ambitions. His father emigrated from Taiwan to attend graduate school in the States and did not view acting as a stable career choice.<ref name=":0" /> His mother had been accepted to Taiwan School of Drama in her youth but did not go due to her father's objections.<ref name=":0" /> When his parents met actress [[Bonnie Franklin]] at an airport in Hawaii, she told them that Wang would never make it in the business.<ref name=":0" /> His mother eventually even suggested that he join the military to learn some discipline.<ref name=":0" />
Wang's parents did not support his acting ambitions. His father emigrated from Taiwan to attend graduate school in the States and did not view acting as a stable career choice.<ref name=":0" /> His mother was accepted to the Taiwan School of Drama in her youth, but did not attend it due to her father's objections.<ref name=":0" /> When his parents met actress [[Bonnie Franklin]] at an airport in Hawaii, she told them that Wang would never make it in the business.<ref name=":0" /> His mother eventually even suggested that he join the military to learn some discipline.<ref name=":0" />


Wang attended [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]. He switched majors multiple times, going from [[biology]] to [[political science]] to [[history]] to [[economics]] and finally [[Asian studies]] with all his upper-division electives in [[theater]].<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Murff |editor1-first=Richard |title=Memphians |date=2011 |publisher=The Nautilus Publishing Company |location=Memphis, TN |isbn=978-193694603-7 |page=70 |edition=Limited}}</ref>
Wang attended [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]. He switched majors multiple times, going from [[biology]] to [[political science]] to [[history]] to [[economics]] and finally [[Asian studies]], with all his upper-division electives in [[theater]].<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Murff |editor1-first=Richard |title=Memphians |date=2011 |publisher=The Nautilus Publishing Company |location=Memphis, TN |isbn=978-193694603-7 |page=70 |edition=Limited}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
When Wang decided to become a full-time actor, he made a deal with his parents that he would quit after two years on the condition that they helped finance his expenses.<ref name=":0" /> After months of not landing anything, he managed to book a few roles in commercials.<ref name=":0" /> This subsequent exposure got him a guest star role in 1994 on the episode "Submission:Impossible" of [[Margaret Cho]]'s ''[[All-American Girl (TV series)#episodes|All-American Girl]]'' as Raymond Han, who is, ironically enough, a financially stable bachelor who is also a doctor.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Citation|title=All-American Girl|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108693/|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref>
When Wang decided to become a full-time actor, he made a deal with his parents that, if he was not successful within two years, he would quit, on the condition that they helped finance his expenses.<ref name=":0" /> After finding no work for months, he managed to book a few roles in commercials.<ref name=":0" /> This exposure got him a guest-star role in 1994 on the episode "Submission:Impossible" of [[Margaret Cho]]'s ''[[All-American Girl (TV series)#Episodes|All-American Girl]]'' as Raymond Han, a financially stable single doctor.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Citation|title=All-American Girl|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108693/|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref>


Wang starred in Eric Koyanagi's MFA thesis film at [[USC School of Cinematic Arts|USC]] film school, ''Angry Cafe'' (1995).<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nhCbevrSTJQC&q=%22Garrett+Wang%22|title=Yellow Light: The Flowering of Asian American Arts|last=Ling|first=Amy|publisher=Temple University Press|year=1999|isbn=978-1-56639-817-6|pages=308|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Angry Cafe|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112367/|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> He subsequently came back to star in Koyanagi's feature directorial debut, ''hundred percent'' (1998), which also was Wang's feature debut.<ref>{{Citation|title=Hundred Percent|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119330/|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Both films were written, directed, and starred Asian Americans.<ref name=":1" />
Wang starred in Eric Koyanagi's MFA thesis film at [[USC School of Cinematic Arts|USC]] film school, ''Angry Cafe'' (1995).<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nhCbevrSTJQC&q=%22Garrett+Wang%22|title=Yellow Light: The Flowering of Asian American Arts|last=Ling|first=Amy|publisher=Temple University Press|year=1999|isbn=978-1-56639-817-6|pages=308|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Angry Cafe|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112367/|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> He subsequently came back to star in Koyanagi's feature directorial debut, ''hundred percent'' (1998), which also was Wang's feature debut.<ref>{{Citation|title=Hundred Percent|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119330/|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Both films were written and directed by, and starred Asian Americans.<ref name=":1" />


A year and a half after his wager with his parents, Wang landed his most recognizable role as series regular, Ensign Harry Kim, on ''Star Trek: Voyager'', which ran from 1995 to 2001.<ref name=":0" />
A year and a half after his wager with his parents, Wang landed his best-known role, that of Ensign Harry Kim in ''Star Trek: Voyager'', which ran from 1995 to 2001.<ref name=":0" />


In 2005, Wang played the role of Chow Ping in the TV miniseries ''[[Into the West (miniseries)|Into The West]]'', which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
In 2005, Wang played Chow Ping in the TV miniseries ''[[Into the West (miniseries)|Into The West]]'', which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg.


He played the part of Garan in the 2007 fan production ''[[Star Trek: Of Gods and Men]]'', saying, "it’s always more challenging for an actor to play the bad guy."<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/19255.html | title = Let There Be Lights: "Of Gods and Men" Shoots | publisher = startrek.com | date = July 12, 2006 }}</ref>
He played Garan in the 2007 fan production ''[[Star Trek: Of Gods and Men]]'', saying, "it’s always more challenging for an actor to play the bad guy."<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/19255.html | title = Let There Be Lights: "Of Gods and Men" Shoots | publisher = startrek.com | date = July 12, 2006 | access-date = August 20, 2007 | archive-date = December 30, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061230085124/http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/19255.html | url-status = dead }}</ref>


=== Theatre ===
=== Theatre ===
In 1993, Wang portrayed John Lee, a gay British Chinese teenager who kills his Irish lover, in [[Chay Yew]]'s play, ''Porcelain'', at the now defunct Burbage Theater in [[Sawtelle, Los Angeles]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-16-we-43216-story.html|title=THEATER : New Home, New Spirit for Zeitgeist Theatre|date=1995-03-16|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> while still a student at UCLA.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="latimes.com"/>
In 1993, while a student at UCLA, Wang portrayed John Lee, a gay British Chinese teenager who kills his Irish lover, in [[Chay Yew]]'s play, ''Porcelain'', at the now defunct Burbage Theater in [[Sawtelle, Los Angeles]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-16-we-43216-story.html|title=THEATER : New Home, New Spirit for Zeitgeist Theatre|date=1995-03-16|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name="latimes.com"/>


==''Star Trek''==
==''Star Trek''==
From early childhood on, actor Garrett Wang was a science-fiction fan, in particular ''[[Star Wars]]'' and ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]''.<ref name=trekweb>[http://www.trekweb.com/stories.php?aid=4038c72a46cf8 Garrett Wang Reflects on Voyager] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202115145/http://trekweb.com/stories.php?aid=4038c72a46cf8 |date=2010-12-02 }}, trekweb.com, February 22, 2004.</ref>
From early childhood on, actor Garrett Wang was a science-fiction fan, in particular of ''[[Star Wars]]'' and ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]''.<ref name=trekweb>[http://www.trekweb.com/stories.php?aid=4038c72a46cf8 Garrett Wang Reflects on Voyager] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202115145/http://trekweb.com/stories.php?aid=4038c72a46cf8 |date=2010-12-02 }}, trekweb.com, February 22, 2004.</ref>


He watched all the ''Star Trek ''films that came out in the theaters, but never really got into ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' (TNG) prior to working on ''Voyager''. The first season-one TNG episode he watched was [[Code of Honor (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|"Code of Honor"]], which Garrett says is widely considered by all Trek writers to be the worst episode of Star Trek ever produced. On three occasions (in a span of a year and a half), he tried to watch TNG again, and it was always a repeat of "Code of Honor". Wang considers this a good thing, as he believes if he had been a huge fan of TNG, he might have been so nervous during his auditions for ''Voyager'' that he might have ended up losing the role altogether.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}
He watched all the ''Star Trek ''films that came out in the theaters, but didn't follow ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' (TNG) prior to working on ''Voyager''. The first season-one TNG episode he saw was [[Code of Honor (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|"Code of Honor"]], which he said all Trek writers considered "the worst episode ever produced".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Atkinson |first1=Torie |title=Star Trek: The Next Generation Re-Watch: "Code of Honor" |url=https://www.theviewscreen.com/code-of-honor/ |website=theviewscreen.com |access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref> On three occasions, within a year and a half, he tried to watch TNG again, and it was always a repeat of "Code of Honor".


On a convention panel in 2015, Wang said of this: "I realized God was telling me ‘Don’t become a fan of TNG!’ Because I would have been too nervous to audition for Voyager. So really, God helped me get on Voyager."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whitley |first1=Jared |title=STLV 2015: After 20 years, entire Voyager crew makes it home to Las Vegas |url=https://trekmovie.com/2015/08/09/stlv-2015-after-20-years-entire-voyager-crew-makes-it-home-to-las-vegas/ |website=TrekMovie.com |access-date=11 August 2023 |date=9 August 2015}}</ref>
At Star Trek Las Vegas in 2014, Wang was announced to be reprising his role as Harry Kim in "Delta Rising", the second expansion of the [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]], ''[[Star Trek Online]]''.

At Star Trek Las Vegas in 2014, Wang was announced to be reprising his role as Harry Kim in "Delta Rising", the second expansion of the [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]], ''[[Star Trek Online]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Katie |title=Star Trek: Voyager Actors Join Cast For Star Trek Online: Delta Rising Expansion |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/09/02/star-trek-voyager-actors-join-cast-for-star-trek-online-delta-rising-expansion |website=ign.com |date=2 September 2014 |access-date=29 April 2022}}</ref>


=== Conventions ===
=== Conventions ===
He has been a celebrity moderator interviewing other celebrities at various conventions around the world since 2008.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}
Wang has been a celebrity moderator interviewing other celebrities at various conventions around the world since 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=July Spotlight: Garrett Wang |url=https://chrisroemanagement.com/spotlight/july-spotlight-garrett-wang/ |website=chrisroemanagement.com |date=6 July 2020 |publisher=Chris Roe Management |access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref>


In 2010, Wang was named the director of the Trek Track for [[Dragon Con]], becoming the first actor to work behind the scenes at a convention.<ref>[http://dragon-con.pbworks.com/enwiki/w/page/26494390/Trek-Track Trek Track on PBWorks]</ref>
In 2010, he was named the director of the Trek Track for [[Dragon Con]], becoming the first actor to work behind the scenes at a convention.<ref>[http://dragon-con.pbworks.com/enwiki/w/page/26494390/Trek-Track Trek Track on PBWorks]</ref>


Wang has participated in the [[Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo]], in 2012 interviewing [[Stan Lee]] and being present at a booth among other exhibitors, as well as being a surprise speaker at TNG Exposed.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}
Wang has participated in the [[Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo]], in 2012 interviewing [[Stan Lee]] and being present at a booth among other exhibitors, and as a surprise speaker at TNG Exposed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Garrett Wang from Star Trek Voyager to attend Windsor ComiCon 2017 |url=https://www.windsorcomicon.com/garrett-wang-from-star-trek-voyager-to-attend-windsor-comicon-2017/ |website=windsorcomiccon.com |date=21 June 2017 |publisher=Windsor ComiCon |access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref>


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
⚫
Through November 2017, Wang hosted a weekly podcast on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]]. He discussed his post-Star Trek work as a convention moderator, and other anecdotes of his life.<ref>Wang, G 'GW' retrieved from https://www.twitch.tv/garrettwang, retrieved on September 13, 2017</ref>


He currently co-hosts The Delta Flyers Podcast<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.thedeltaflyers.org/about | title = The Delta Flyers | date = | website = The Delta Flyers | access-date = 2024-05-12 | quote = The Delta Flyers is a weekly podcast hosted by Garrett Wang and Robert Duncan McNeill from Star Trek Voyager. }}</ref> with [[Robert Duncan McNeill]], who portrayed [[Tom Paris]] in ''Voyager''.
⚫
Through November 2017, Wang hosted a weekly podcast on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]]. He discussed his post-Star Trek work as being a convention moderator, and other anecdotes of his life.<ref>Wang, G 'GW' retrieved from https://www.twitch.tv/garrettwang, retrieved on September 13, 2017</ref>

He currently co-hosts The Delta Flyers Podcast with Robert Duncan McNeill.
([https://the-delta-flyers.captivate.fm/ The Delta Flyers Podcast])


He is also a [[Baptists|Baptist]].<ref name=":0" />
He is a [[Baptists|Baptist]].<ref name=":0"/>


== Filmography ==
== Filmography ==
Line 110: Line 110:
|
|
| Short video film
| Short video film
|-
| 2006
| ''The Money Spread''
| Taylor Vin
| Short film
|-
|-
| 2009
| 2009
Line 122: Line 127:
|-
|-
| 2014
| 2014
| ''Alongside Night''
| ''[[Alongside Night (film)|Alongside Night]]''
| Major Chin
| Major Chin
| Based on [[Alongside Night|the book of the same name]]
| Based on [[Alongside Night|the book of the same name]]
Line 153: Line 158:
| ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]''
| ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]''
|[[Harry Kim (Star Trek)|Harry Kim]]
|[[Harry Kim (Star Trek)|Harry Kim]]
| TV series; main role<br />176 episodes
| TV series; main role<br />172 episodes
|-
|-
| 2002
| 2002
Line 169: Line 174:
|Chinese Man
|Chinese Man
|Episode: "American Fung"
|Episode: "American Fung"
|-
|2024
|''[[Star Trek: Lower Decks]]''
|Alternate Harry Kim
|Episode: "Fissure Quest"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=TrekMovie com |title=Preview The Penultimate ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Episode With New Images From “Fissure Quest” |url=https://trekmovie.com/2024/12/09/preview-penultimate-star-trek-lower-decks-episode-with-new-images-from-fissure-quest/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=TrekMovie.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
|}
|}


Line 181: Line 191:
| 2002
| 2002
| ''[[Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force]]''
| ''[[Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force]]''
| [[Harry Kim (Star Trek)|Ensign Harry Kim]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Harry Kim (Star Trek)|Harry Kim]]
| Voice role
| rowspan="2" | Voice role
|-
|-
| 2014
| 2014
| ''[[Star Trek Online]]''
| ''[[Star Trek Online]]''
|-
| [[Harry Kim (Star Trek)|Captain Harry Kim]]
|2023
| Voice role
|''Truth''
|Host
|
|}
|}


Line 209: Line 222:
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American male voice actors]]
[[Category:American male voice actors]]
[[Category:American people of Taiwanese descent]]
[[Category:American actors of Taiwanese descent]]
[[Category:American podcasters]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Male actors from Riverside, California]]
[[Category:Male actors from Riverside, California]]
[[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:American men podcasters]]

Latest revision as of 15:43, 12 December 2024

Garrett Wang
Wang in 2013 at FedCon in Germany
Born
Garrett Richard Wang

(1968-12-15) December 15, 1968 (age 55)
Riverside, California, U.S.
Other namesWang Yi Jahn[1] (王以瞻)[2]
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Years active1994–present
Chinese name
Chinese王以瞻
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWáng Yǐzhān
IPA[wǎŋ ì.ʈʂán]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJÔng Í-chiam

Garrett Richard Wang (/ˈwɑːŋ/; Chinese: 王以瞻; born December 15, 1968) is an American actor best known for his role of Ensign Harry Kim in Star Trek: Voyager.

Early life

[edit]

Wang was born in Riverside, California to Taiwanese[3] immigrant parents. He has one sister.[4] Growing up, Wang moved often. He attended kindergarten in Indiana before moving to Bermuda,[4] then to Memphis, Tennessee,[5] and then back to California.[4]

In the summer of 1990, he attended a Taiwanese-state sponsored cultural exchange program.[4] One of the reasons he decided to become an actor was to be a role model for other Asian-Americans seeking work in the entertainment industry, a predominantly non-Asian environment.[4] Wang graduated from Harding Academy High School in Memphis.[6]

Wang's parents did not support his acting ambitions. His father emigrated from Taiwan to attend graduate school in the States and did not view acting as a stable career choice.[4] His mother was accepted to the Taiwan School of Drama in her youth, but did not attend it due to her father's objections.[4] When his parents met actress Bonnie Franklin at an airport in Hawaii, she told them that Wang would never make it in the business.[4] His mother eventually even suggested that he join the military to learn some discipline.[4]

Wang attended UCLA. He switched majors multiple times, going from biology to political science to history to economics and finally Asian studies, with all his upper-division electives in theater.[7]

Career

[edit]

When Wang decided to become a full-time actor, he made a deal with his parents that, if he was not successful within two years, he would quit, on the condition that they helped finance his expenses.[4] After finding no work for months, he managed to book a few roles in commercials.[4] This exposure got him a guest-star role in 1994 on the episode "Submission:Impossible" of Margaret Cho's All-American Girl as Raymond Han, a financially stable single doctor.[4][8]

Wang starred in Eric Koyanagi's MFA thesis film at USC film school, Angry Cafe (1995).[9][10] He subsequently came back to star in Koyanagi's feature directorial debut, hundred percent (1998), which also was Wang's feature debut.[11][9] Both films were written and directed by, and starred Asian Americans.[9]

A year and a half after his wager with his parents, Wang landed his best-known role, that of Ensign Harry Kim in Star Trek: Voyager, which ran from 1995 to 2001.[4]

In 2005, Wang played Chow Ping in the TV miniseries Into The West, which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg.

He played Garan in the 2007 fan production Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, saying, "it’s always more challenging for an actor to play the bad guy."[12]

Theatre

[edit]

In 1993, while a student at UCLA, Wang portrayed John Lee, a gay British Chinese teenager who kills his Irish lover, in Chay Yew's play, Porcelain, at the now defunct Burbage Theater in Sawtelle, Los Angeles.[13][9][5]

Star Trek

[edit]

From early childhood on, actor Garrett Wang was a science-fiction fan, in particular of Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica.[14]

He watched all the Star Trek films that came out in the theaters, but didn't follow Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) prior to working on Voyager. The first season-one TNG episode he saw was "Code of Honor", which he said all Trek writers considered "the worst episode ever produced".[15] On three occasions, within a year and a half, he tried to watch TNG again, and it was always a repeat of "Code of Honor".

On a convention panel in 2015, Wang said of this: "I realized God was telling me ‘Don’t become a fan of TNG!’ Because I would have been too nervous to audition for Voyager. So really, God helped me get on Voyager."[16]

At Star Trek Las Vegas in 2014, Wang was announced to be reprising his role as Harry Kim in "Delta Rising", the second expansion of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Star Trek Online.[17]

Conventions

[edit]

Wang has been a celebrity moderator interviewing other celebrities at various conventions around the world since 2008.[18]

In 2010, he was named the director of the Trek Track for Dragon Con, becoming the first actor to work behind the scenes at a convention.[19]

Wang has participated in the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, in 2012 interviewing Stan Lee and being present at a booth among other exhibitors, and as a surprise speaker at TNG Exposed.[20]

Personal life

[edit]

Through November 2017, Wang hosted a weekly podcast on Twitch. He discussed his post-Star Trek work as a convention moderator, and other anecdotes of his life.[21]

He currently co-hosts The Delta Flyers Podcast[22] with Robert Duncan McNeill, who portrayed Tom Paris in Voyager.

He is a Baptist.[4]

Filmography

[edit]
Garrett Wang interacts with the audience at his panel at the Calgary Expo 2015.

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1995 Flesh Suitcase
1995 Angry Cafe No Name Short film
1998 Hundred Percent Troy Tashima
1998 Ivory Tower Mark
1999 The Auteur Theory Mike Wong/God
2002 Demon Island Paul
2005 Deja Vu Short video film
2006 The Money Spread Taylor Vin Short film
2009 Why Am I Doing This? Vic Vu
2009 The Ride Henry Short film
2014 Alongside Night Major Chin Based on the book of the same name
2020 Unbelievable!!!!! Dr. Charles Hunter
2020 Monster Force Zero

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1994 All-American Girl Raymond Han Episode: "Submission Impossible"
1995–2001 Star Trek: Voyager Harry Kim TV series; main role
172 episodes
2002 Into the West Chow-Ping Yen TV miniseries
Episode: "Hell on Wheels"
2007 Star Trek: Of Gods and Men Commander Garan Miniseries
3 episodes
2015 American Dad! Chinese Man Episode: "American Fung"
2024 Star Trek: Lower Decks Alternate Harry Kim Episode: "Fissure Quest"[23]

Video games

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force Harry Kim Voice role
2014 Star Trek Online
2023 Truth Host

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Chat Transcript, 1998-05-07, archived from the original on 2010-06-26, retrieved 2010-02-24
  2. ^ "特写：美国华人龙年迎春巡礼". 中新社. 2002-02-02.
  3. ^ Why ‘Star Trek’ Actor Garrett Wang (More or Less) Left Hollywood for a Decade-and-a-Half
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Ling, Amy (1999). Yellow Light: The Flowering of Asian American Arts. Temple University Press. pp. 302–303. ISBN 978-1-56639-817-6.
  5. ^ a b "Chay Yew Mines Dark Side of Asian Life in 'Porcelain'". Los Angeles Times. 1993-01-10. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  6. ^ Murff, Richard, ed. (2011). "Movies, Television & Stage". Memphians. Memphis, TN: The Nautilus Publishing Company. p. 70. ISBN 978-193694603-7.
  7. ^ Murff, Richard, ed. (2011). Memphians (Limited ed.). Memphis, TN: The Nautilus Publishing Company. p. 70. ISBN 978-193694603-7.
  8. ^ All-American Girl, retrieved 2019-12-21
  9. ^ a b c d Ling, Amy (1999). Yellow Light: The Flowering of Asian American Arts. Temple University Press. p. 308. ISBN 978-1-56639-817-6.
  10. ^ Angry Cafe, retrieved 2019-12-21
  11. ^ Hundred Percent, retrieved 2019-12-21
  12. ^ "Let There Be Lights: "Of Gods and Men" Shoots". startrek.com. July 12, 2006. Archived from the original on December 30, 2006. Retrieved August 20, 2007.
  13. ^ "THEATER : New Home, New Spirit for Zeitgeist Theatre". Los Angeles Times. 1995-03-16. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  14. ^ Garrett Wang Reflects on Voyager Archived 2010-12-02 at the Wayback Machine, trekweb.com, February 22, 2004.
  15. ^ Atkinson, Torie. "Star Trek: The Next Generation Re-Watch: "Code of Honor"". theviewscreen.com. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  16. ^ Whitley, Jared (9 August 2015). "STLV 2015: After 20 years, entire Voyager crew makes it home to Las Vegas". TrekMovie.com. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  17. ^ Williams, Katie (2 September 2014). "Star Trek: Voyager Actors Join Cast For Star Trek Online: Delta Rising Expansion". ign.com. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  18. ^ "July Spotlight: Garrett Wang". chrisroemanagement.com. Chris Roe Management. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  19. ^ Trek Track on PBWorks
  20. ^ "Garrett Wang from Star Trek Voyager to attend Windsor ComiCon 2017". windsorcomiccon.com. Windsor ComiCon. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  21. ^ Wang, G 'GW' retrieved from https://www.twitch.tv/garrettwang, retrieved on September 13, 2017
  22. ^ "The Delta Flyers". The Delta Flyers. Retrieved 2024-05-12. The Delta Flyers is a weekly podcast hosted by Garrett Wang and Robert Duncan McNeill from Star Trek Voyager.
  23. ^ Staff, TrekMovie com. "Preview The Penultimate 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Episode With New Images From "Fissure Quest"". TrekMovie.com. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Garrett Wang.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Garrett_Wang&oldid=1262666590"