Michelle Ang

Michelle Ang (born 17 October 1983) is an actress, director and producer from New Zealand. Working mainly in film and television, she has won various professional accolades, including Best Actress at the New Zealand Film & Television Awards and Best Director at Show Me Shorts. Ang's acting work has also been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in the US and a Logie in Australia.

On television, her notable roles include Omega in Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Lori Lee in Australian soap opera Neighbours, and Alex in Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462.

On film, Ang has had leading and supporting roles in a range of dramas and comedies. As a supporting cast member in Hollywood movies, she has performed alongside actors such as Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet, Martin Lawrence, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Gal Gadot, Mark Wahlberg and Aaron Paul. She has also worked for directors such as Steven Soderbergh, Jodie Foster, Shane Black and Jane Campion.

In recent years, Ang's work has widened into directing and producing. She is a member of the Directors and Editors Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand (DEGANZ). She nurtures young talent in her industry, as a guest mentor for the charitable filmmaking project Day One, based in Auckland. Ang also runs her own media production company called A Grain Of Rice.

Early life and education Ang was born in Christchurch and is of Malaysian Chinese descent.

As a child, she was a dancer and performed with the Royal New Zealand Ballet in productions of The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet.

As a university student, she completed studies at Victoria University of Wellington for a double degree: a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (B.C.A.) in Accounting with Commercial Law and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.

Career

Television Ang got her start in television at a young age through the family series Young Entertainers. Here, she got to show her skills at singing and dancing, much like The Mickey Mouse Club show on US television. She played Tai-San in the New Zealand post-apocalyptic drama The Tribe as part of the core cast from 1999 to 2001, and featured in the final episodes of the 2002 series. Ang also guest starred in the final 2 episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess as Akemi.

Ang played Lori Lee in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, in which she was a major character from 2002 to 2003. Ang left Neighbours to finish her university studies but returned briefly in 2004. She appeared in 80 episodes in total. Ang was nominated for a Logie Award for Most Popular New Female Talent for this role.

In 2015, Ang starred in the web series Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462 as Alex, a passenger caught on a flight at the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, and went on to appear in the main series Fear the Walking Dead. Ang received an Emmy nomination for her work on Flight 462.

In 2020, she had a recurring role in The New Legends of Monkey. She also guest starred in the rebooted series of The Twilight Zone screened on CBS All Access.

In 2021 to 2024, Ang voiced a lead role in the Disney+ original animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch as Omega, a mysterious female clone of Jango Fett. She was invited to keep her native New Zealand accent for the role in homage to fellow New Zealander Temuera Morrison, who portrayed Jango Fett in the franchise.

In 2023, Ang starred as Melissa Wu in the comedy series Homebound 3.0. It was initially screened in New Zealand on the Warner Bros. Discovery channel Three, which commissioned it. It has also been made available internationally via the BBC. In 2024, the series was renewed for a second season, which was broadcast in 2025.

Also in 2025, Ang started work as a Series Producer for Be With Zee, an animated pre-school series to be broadcast in 2026. The series is a co-production between companies and broadcasters in New Zealand and Canada.

Film Ang made her feature film debut in 2004's Futile Attraction. Ang had also appeared in a series of low-budget New Zealand short films including Forbidden Fury and Take 3. In 2006 she appeared in No.2, directed by Toa Fraser.

In 2011 Ang portrayed a nerdy Chinese New Zealander in the romantic comedy My Wedding and Other Secrets, her first lead role in a feature. It won her the Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film Award at the 2011 New Zealand Aotearoa Film & Television Awards.

Her other film credits include Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son and Triple 9.

Prior to her role in The Bad Batch, Ang had auditioned for Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Personal life Ang has a son.

Ang has named The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle as a book that influenced her.

Filmography Film (as actor)

Television (as actor) Year Title Role Notes 1997–1998 Young Entertainers Super Trooper Regular cast 1999 William Shatner's A Twist in the Tale Meesha Season 1, Episode 14 1999–2002 The Tribe Tai-San Main role (seasons 1–3), 143 episodes 2001 Xena: Warrior Princess Akemi 2 episodes 2002 Being Eve Masako Season 2, Episode 7 2002–2004 Neighbours Lori Lee 88 episodes 2005The MarketVictoria ChenRecurring role 2005–2006 Outrageous Fortune Tracy Hong 16 episodes 2007–2008 South of Nowhere Lily Zee 4 episodes 2012–2013 Underemployed Sophia Swanson 12 episodes 2013 Top of the Lake Kimmie 2 episodes; Mini-series Grey's Anatomy Cherise Season 9, Episode 22 Drop Dead Diva Lanfen Season 5, Episode 7 Perception Former National Guardwoman Season 2, Episode 10 2014 Rizzoli & Isles Lucy Chen Season 5, Episode 11 2015 NCIS: Los Angeles Taman Budiano Season 6, Episode 19 "Blazing Glory" 2015–2016 Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462 Alex Main role, web series, 16 episodes 2016 Fear the Walking Dead Alex Season 2, 2 episodes 2017 Best Thing You'll Ever Do Sena 2020 The New Legends of Monkey General Khan Season 2, 7 Episodes The Twilight Zone Ling Season 2, Episode 6 2021 Vegas Miranda Lau 6 episodes My Life is Murder Kathleen Boyce Season 2, Episode 3 Destination Love Lisa TV movie 2021–2023 Good Grief Michelle Seasons 1 & 2 2021–2024 Star Wars: The Bad Batch Omega Main role, Seasons 1-3, 47 episodes 2023–2025 Homebound 3.0 Melissa Wu Lead role, Seasons 1 & 2, 16 episodes

Video Games Year Title Role Notes 2023 Starfield Sati Chandra Voice

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2003 Logie Award Most Popular New Female Talent Neighbours 2011 New Zealand Film & Television Award Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film My Wedding and Other Secrets 2016 Emmy Award Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462 2024 Show Me Shorts Film Festival Best Actor Nai/Milk 2024 Show Me Shorts Film Festival Best Director Nai/Milk 2025 Barbados International Film Festival Best Actor POP!