James Chen
Biography
James Chen is an American actor. He is classically trained at the Yale School of Drama and is bi-lingual in English and Mandarin. Chen has appeared in several television series, including The Walking Dead, where he portrayed the character Kal, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he played the recurring character Adrian Sung. He also played Samuel Chung on the Netflix series Iron Fist. Chen has co-starred in the LGBT drama Front Cover opposite Jake Choi. In addition to his television work, Chen has appeared in other projects, including FBI. He is known for his acting credits, with a total of 34 known credits.
Career overview
James C. Chen is an American actor who was born in New York, New York, United States. He is classically trained at the Yale School of Drama and is bilingual in English and Mandarin.
Chen is best known for portraying Kal on The Walking Dead, having appeared on the show since its sixth season. His television work also includes playing Samuel Chung on the Netflix series Iron Fist and landing a supporting role on the television series FBI in 2018. In 2011, he played the recurring character Adrian Sung in the crime series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Additionally, he has credits associated with Mandalorian, Broad City, and the 2015 LGBT drama Front Cover, in which he co-starred opposite Jake Choi.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
34 titles- CIA (2026) as Ian Lim
- Rosemead (2025) as Dr. Hsu
- One Stupid Thing (2025) as Larry
- FBI: International (2021) as Ian Lim
- Run the World (2021) as Brian
- The Mandalorian (2019) as Amnesty Officer G27
- Fluidity (2019) as Eric
- Unintended (2019) as Danny
- FBI (2018) as Ian Lim
- FBI (2018) as FBI Analyst Ian Lim
- 9-1-1 (2018) as Kevin Lee
- The Last O.G. (2018) as Devont'e Jackson
- Seven Seconds (2018) as Franklin Lee
- A Bread Factory, Part Two: Walk With Me A While (2018) as Ray Prime
- Marvel's Iron Fist (2017) as Sam
- Fatal Crossing (2017) as Hayden
- Front Cover (2016) as Qi Xiao Ning
- Broad City (2014) as Bobby
- Amira & Sam (2014) as Donnie
- The Blacklist (2013) as Lee Chung
- Sleepy Hollow (2013) as Lorenzo Chang
- Labor Day (2013) as Paramedic
- Elementary (2012) as Lt. Morrison
- The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) as Police Officer
- Person of Interest (2011) as James Ko
- We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) as Dr. Foulkes
- Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011) as Fish & Game Officer
- Watching TV with the Red Chinese (2011) as Tzu
- The Walking Dead (2010) as Kal
- Blue Bloods (2010) as Nelson Chiu
- Running Wilde (2010) as Pathologist
- NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) as Cadeo Hoang
- Murder Below the Line (2004) as Pete Richards
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Adrian Sung
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is James Chen best known for?
James Chen is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including CIA (2026), FBI: International (2021), The Mandalorian (2019), FBI (2018).
When and where was James Chen born?
James Chen was born in New York, New York, USA.
How many credits does James Chen have?
James Chen has accumulated over 34 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1999 to 2026.
What is James Chen's background in cinema and television?
James Chen is an American actor. He is classically trained at the Yale School of Drama and is bi-lingual in English and Mandarin. Chen has appeared in several television series, including The Walking Dead, where he portrayed the character Kal, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he played the recurring charact...