Ken Leung (born January 21, 1970) is an American actor best known for his roles in popular movies such as Shanghai Kiss, Rush Hour and X-Men: The Last Stand. Most recently Leung became known for his starring role as Miles Straume in the popular ABC drama television series Lost.
Ken Leung was raised in the Two Bridges section of the Lower East Side in New York City. His family moved to Midwood, Brooklyn where he grew up before finishing high school in Old Bridge, New Jersey. He attended NYU as a University Scholar and studied acting with Catherine Russell and Nan Smithner, then briefly with Anne Jackson at HB Studio.
He emerged from Manhattan’s downtown theater community in the 1990s. He flourished in non-traditional productions that included Jeff Weiss’ Hot Keys; Terrence McNally’s passion play Corpus Christi; and as Buckingham opposite Austin Pendleton’s Richard III.
His early career is defined by the relationships he established with theater groups like Ma-Yi, New Perspectives, and STAR, a traveling troupe of actors-educators based in Mount Sinai Hospital. In 2002, he made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie. He also appreared at the movie Falling for Grace, a 2007/2008 romantic comedy film directed by Fay Ann Lee, who also co-wrote the film with Karen Rousso, and stars alongside Gale Harold. Leung has gone on to establish himself in mainstream features including two films with Spike Lee and four with Brett Ratner. He played Carter Chong in the final season of The Sopranos and plays Miles Straume on ABC’s Lost.