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This Vietnamese-American star also returned to Vietnam to film a Hollywood movie.
Maggie Q, also known as Ly My Ky, is a Vietnamese-American actress who shines in Hollywood. She possesses an admirable career in both the film industry and business.
From Unknown Model to Renowned Action Heroine
Maggie Q's real name is Margaret Denise Quigley. She carries the bloodlines of Ireland, Poland, America, and Vietnam, with her mother being Vietnamese. Facing financial struggles in her youth, Maggie Q couldn't pursue a veterinary career. After completing her first year of university, she moved to Japan and began a career as an unknown model. Despite her strong and powerful beauty not being in line with Japanese tastes, she struggled to find success in the modeling industry.
After failing in Japan, she traveled around to make ends meet. Finally, luck smiled upon her, and she had the opportunity to join Thành Gia Ban (a group of martial artists and stunt performers under the guidance of Jackie Chan). Maggie Q officially entered the seventh art from there and quickly shone. With the rise of martial arts action movies in the 2000s, Maggie Q had the chance to test her skills with numerous major roles. Starring alongside Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 2 was the film that propelled her to stardom.
Brilliantly Shining in Hollywood
Exuding a hot and seductive yet incredibly powerful image with a touch of 'Western' beauty, Maggie Q found success but still felt somewhat lost in the Asian market. Stepping into Hollywood, where she faced no limits in role selection, she quickly made her first breakthrough in the film capital with Mission: Impossible III (2006) alongside superstar Tom Cruise.
Not stopping at the big screen, the Vietnamese-American beauty ventured into television and found success with a three-year-long series titled Nikita. This continued to be a project where she showcased her top-notch martial arts skills.
Her diligent work ethic, seriousness, dedication to her roles, and fearlessness in the face of any challenge or hardship are factors that earned Maggie Q high praise from Hollywood filmmakers. Most recently, she once again made Vietnamese people proud by showcasing the stunning beauty of Vietnam in film. Specifically, her work The Protégé depicted scenes in Da Nang, telling the story of a Vietnamese girl seeking revenge for her family.
Image source: Nerdist, CinemaBlend
