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Ken JeongAmerican film and television actor, doctor of medicine
Date of Birth: 15.06.1969
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Ken Jeong
Early LifeKen Jeong, an American actor of film and television, left his medical degree behind to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian and actor. Born on July 13, 1969, in Detroit, Jeong grew up in a family of immigrants from South Korea. Unlike the father of the protagonist in the film "Minari," Jeong's father was not a farmer but a university professor. After moving to Greensboro, North Carolina, shortly after Jeong's birth, the family provided him and his sister Sarah with a well-rounded upbringing. Jeong played the violin during his childhood, participated in interdisciplinary quizzes, and served on the student council of Walter Hines High School. At the age of 16, he was awarded Greensboro's Youth of the Month and went on to attend Duke University. He later obtained a medical degree from the University of North Carolina and completed his residency in internal medicine at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans.
Acting Career
While still a student, Jeong participated in open mic nights as a stand-up comedian and won the Big Easy Laff-Off in 1995. This led to an invitation to move to Los Angeles by the founders of a comedy club network. In California, Jeong initially juggled his medical practice at Kaiser Permanente with his comedy career before transitioning to become a professional actor. He made his film debut as Dr. Kuni in Judd Apatow's comedy "Knocked Up," alongside Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, and Jonah Hill. Jeong excelled in comedic roles and also found success in voice acting for animated films. He appeared in all three films of "The Hangover" trilogy, with his portrayal of Mr. Leslie Chow in the final film earning him the MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Villain. Jeong's experience as a physician also came in handy when he created and starred in the sitcom "Dr. Ken," where he served as a writer, co-producer, and lead actor.
Recent Projects
In 2018, Jeong starred in the feature film "Crazy Rich Asians," directed by Jon M. Chu and featuring Constance Wu and Henry Golding. He portrayed the character of Jake's boss in Joe Carnahan's 2021 film "Boss Level," which blended the genres of science fiction action and black comedy. In 2022, Jeong played the lead role of Kyle in the comedy film "Senior Year" directed by Paul Liberstein and portrayed Feng in the comedy-detective series "Afterparty."
Personal Life
Comparing recent photos of Jeong with those taken in his youth, it is evident that the actor has slimmed down significantly, weighing 64 kg at a height of 165 cm, but he has maintained his distinctive chubby cheeks. Jeong found happiness in his personal life with his wife Tran Ho, an American of Vietnamese descent who works as a family physician. In 2007, his wife gave birth to twin daughters, Zoe and Alexa. Tran later battled breast cancer.
Jeong is a passionate basketball fan, and his favorite book is "Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success" by renowned basketball coach Phil Jackson, which details the biographies of eleven basketball players. He admires the artistic talent of Winona Ryder and appreciates the music of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Jeong's favorite dish is chicken Parmesan.
Current Projects
On July 20, 2023, the comedy film "Fool's Paradise" was released in Russia, where Jeong portrayed the character of Lenny, a writer. In the film, Jeong's character adapts a script for a stand-in of a temperamental movie star. The film was directed by Charlie Day, who also played the central role, and featured celebrities such as Adrian Brody and Jason Sudeikis. "Fool's Paradise" became one of the late additions to Ray Liotta's filmography.
