Brenda Song
Brenda Song |
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Brenda Song (born March 27, 1988[1]) is an American actress, and singer. She currently co-stars in the Disney Channel Original Series, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody as the not-so-intelligent heiress London Tipton. She has made appearances in other Disney Channel original series and films, she became known to older audiences for starring in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior[2] which is currently the eighth highest viewed Disney Channel Original Movie with over 5.7 million viewers on the night of its premiere.
Early life
Brenda Song was born in Carmichael, California[1] (a suburb of Sacramento) to a Hmong American father and a Thai American mother.[3] Her father is a second-grade teacher and her mother is a homemaker.[4] Her family immigrated to America from Laos in 1976. Song lives in Greater Los Angeles with her parents and her two younger brothers, Timmy (three years younger) and Nathan (eight years younger). Song holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do[1] and was named an All-American Scholar in ninth grade. She began acting at the age of six. Her first television appearance was in a Little Caesars commercial.
Television career
Disney Channel era
One of Song's more notable acting roles is her portrayal of London Tipton the air-headed heiress on the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. She played a recurring role as Tia in the Disney Channel Original Series Phil of the Future. She had a small role in That's So Raven as Amber.
In 2006, Song starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior,[5] which received 5.7 million viewers[6][7][8][9] making Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior the eighth highest viewed Disney Channel Original Movie.[2] This is the first movie where Song does not play a sidekick character.
Song appeared in the Disney Channel Games 2006 as captain of the Blue Team. Song had appeared in the second rendition of the Disney Channel Games this year as captain of the Red Team.
Other projects
Song has Guest starred in Strong Medicine,Will and Grace,One Tree Hill,George Lopez,George Lopez,Once and Again,Judging Amy,7th Heaven,Grounded for Life,Gilmore Girls,Popular,Bette,100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd and ER.
Film career
Song had roles in three feature films. Song's first feature film was in 1996, when she appeared with Hulk Hogan in Santa with Muscles. She played Susan Acustus in the 1997 film Leave it To Beaver; and in 2002, she played Reg in Like Mike. Song's first film appearance was the 1995 short film Requiem, an AFI student film by actress Elizabeth Sung. Song was discovered at 7 years old to play a young version of "Fong," who is played as an adult in the film by Tamlyn Tomita. Song also had a voice over role to a movie called Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen, which also features the voices of fellow Disney Channel stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse and Emily Osment.[10][11] Brenda is set to star alongside Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman in American Darlings.[12]
Discography
Song was part of the Disney Channel Group of Stars, a group of performers from several different Disney Channel television series, in a version of "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes". The recording appears on both the special edition Cinderella DVD and on the DisneyMania 4 CD. The album CD was released in April 2005 under the Walt Disney Records label and peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200, and number 2 on the Top Kids Audio chart,[13] with sales reported at 417,000 copies U.S. and 600,000 copies worldwide.
Soundtracks
| Year | Song | Film |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" | "DisneyMania 4" |
Personal life
Song is close friends with fellow Disney stars Ashley Tisdale,Vanessa Anne Hudgens,Emily Osment,Lindsay Lohan,Kyle Massey,Zac Efron,Dylan and Cole Sprouse and Ricky Ullman, it has been speculated that Ullman and Song are dating because they have been seen together is many events.
Song is also good friends with Zoey 101 star Kristin Herrera and Lindsay Lohan's little sister Ali Lohan.
Awards and nominations
- Won: 2001 Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a TV Movie Comedy, Supporting Young Actress", for The Ultimate Christmas Present.[14]
- Nominated: 2003 Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a Television Comedy Series, Guest Starring Young Actress", for The Bernie Mac Show.[15]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | American Darlings | Unknown Yet | |
| 2006 | Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior | Wendy Wu | Disney Channel Original Movie |
| 2004 | Stuck in the Suburbs | Natasha Kwon-Schwartz | Disney Channel Original Movie |
| 2002 | Like Mike | Reg Stevens | |
| 2002 | Get a Clue | Jennifer | Disney Channel Original Movie |
| 2000 | The Ultimate Christmas Present | Samantha Kwan | Disney Channel Original Movie |
| 1998 | Blade | School Girl | short cameo |
| 1997 | Leave It to Beaver | Susan Acustis | |
| 1996 | Santa with Muscles | Susan |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-present | The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | London Tipton | |
| 2007 | Disney Channel Games 2007 | Herself | Red Team Captain |
| Good Morning America | Herself | Aired on February 6 | |
| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Herself | ||
| Punk'd | Herself | (never aired) | |
| Live with Regis and Kelly | Herself | Aired on May 28 | |
| American Darlings | Unknown yet | Filming | |
| 2006 | American Dragon: Jake Long | Cheerleader Tracey | 1 episode |
| Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior | Wendy Wu | Television movie | |
| Late Night With Conan O'Brien | Herself | Aired on February 8; Guest | |
| Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen | Treat | voice over | |
| Total Request Live | Herself | Aired on February 7 | |
| Disney Channel Games 2006 | Herself | Blue Team Captain | |
| That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana | London Tipton | which was part of the That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana special. | |
| 2004 | Stuck in the Suburbs | Natasha Kwon-Schwartz | |
| Costume Party Capers: The Incredibles | voice over | ||
| A Cinderella Story | Kelly Anderson | ||
| Phil of the Future | Tia | 7 episodes | |
| Will and Grace | Cady | Guest Appearance | |
| 2003 | That's So Raven | Amber | Guest Appearance |
| Strong Medicine | Britney | Guest Appearance | |
| One on One | Asanti | 1 episode | |
| One Tree Hill | Lindsey | Guest Appearance | |
| 2002 | Get a Clue | Jennifer | |
| Gilmore Girls | cheerleader captain | Guest Appearance | |
| Grounded for Life | Popular girl | Guest Appearance | |
| Lizzie McGuire | Hannah | Guest Appearance | |
| Like Mike | Reg Stevens | ||
| The Nightmare Room | unknown | ||
| The Bernie Mac Show | Shannon | 1 episode | |
| George Lopez | Popular Girl #2 | 1 episode | |
| 2001 | ER | Lynda | 1 episode |
| Judging Amy | Vanessa Pran | ||
| Bette | Stacey | 1 episode | |
| Popular | Mandy Shepherd | 1 episode | |
| 2000 | Charmed | Haunted girl | |
| The Ultimate Christmas Present | Samantha Kwan | ||
| Once and Again | Chrissy | 1 episode | |
| 7th Heaven | Cynthia | 2 episodes | |
| 1999 | 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd | Sariffa Chung | |
| 1997 | Leave It to Beaver | Susan Acustis | |
| 1996 | Santa with Muscles | Susan | |
| Small Talk | Panelist | 1 episode | |
| 1995 | Requiem | Young Fong | |
| 1994-1995 | Thunder Alley | Kathy | 2 episodes |
References
- ^ a b c About Brenda. BrendaSongSite.com. Accessed 2007-05-19.
- ^ a b R. Thomas Umstead (January 22, 2007). "Disney Movie Skips to Another Record". Retrieved 2007-09-22.
- ^ "Meet Brenda Song, Actress and Athlete". Time for kids. May 8, 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
- ^ Jacques Steinberg (June 15, 2006). "Brenda Song Turns Warrior in Disney's 'Wendy Wu'". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
- ^ Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior UltimateDisney.com. Accessed 2007-08-25
- ^ Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior - Free Screening AsianAmericanFilmFestival.org. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
- ^ Brenda Song is Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior AsianceMagazine.com. Retrieved 2007-08-08
- ^ Wu: Homecoming Warrior Review. RevolutionSF.com. Accessed 2007-08-08.
- ^ Caroline Baker. Brenda Song hits the big screen -- Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior. BellaOnline.com Accessed 2007-08-08.
- ^ ""Holidaze" Trailer". Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse a Brenda Song and Emily Osment “Holidaze” Trailer. Retrieved November 30.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Holidaze: The Christmas that Almost Didn't Happen". Retrieved 2007-09-22.
- ^ "Brenda Song Biography". Biggeststars.com. Retrieved 2007-09-22.
- ^ Disneymania, vol 4. Allmusic.com. Accessed 2007-06-18.
- ^ 22nd Annual Young Artist Awards. YoungArtistAwards.org. Accessed 2007-06-20.
- ^ 24th Annual Young Artist Awards. YoungArtistAwards.org. Accessed 2007-06-20.
External links
- 1988 births
- American actor-singers
- American child actors
- American child singers
- American film actors
- American models
- American television actors
- American voice actors
- Asian American actors
- Asian Americans
- California actors
- Hmong Americans
- Laotian Americans
- Living people
- People from Sacramento, California
- Thai Americans