VANESSA KAI  is an actor, collaborator, and a native New Yorker. Vanessa was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as 'Ruby' in the sold out, extended world premiere of KPOP - an Off Broadway, immersive, musical event produced by ARS NOVA (Broadway's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) in association with Ma-Yi Theater + Woodshed Collective. 

 

Other Off Broadway productions include the world premiere of THE PAIN OF MY BELLIGERENCE at Playwrights Horizons along with Halley Feiffer & Hamish Linklater. Written by Halley Feiffer (Netflix's 'Kidding', Amazon's 'Mozart in the Jungle', 'I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard' at Atlantic Theater Company). Directed by Trip Cullman (Broadway's The Rose Tatoo, Choir Boy (Tony Nominated for Best Play); HENRY VI: Shakespeare's Trilogy in Two Parts (2019 Drama Desk Nominated for Outstanding Revival of a Play) with award winning theater company, the National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO); SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER by Chisa Hutchinson (world premiere) at Second Stage Theater; and THE ARCHITECTURE OF BECOMING (world premiere) Women’s Project Theater at New York City Center.

 

Regional theater productions include the world premiere of RICHARD, JANE, DICK & SALLY, written by Noah Diaz and directed by Taylor Reynolds, at Baltimore Center Stage, co-produced with The Playwrights Realm and The Sol Project; TOP GIRLS, written by Caryl Churchill and directed by Liesl Tommy (Tony Award Nominated for Best Director, Eclipsed; RESPECT; Jessica Jones), at Huntington Theatre Company. Other regional credits include Seattle Repertory Theater and Stamford Theaterworks where she received a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Debut by the Connecticut Critics Circle. 

 

Vanessa has also helped develop new works at New York Stage and Film, Roundabout Theatre Company, Playwrights Realm, Two River Theater, The New Group, The Lark, Play On Shakespeare in association with Oregon Shakespeare Festival, New Dramatists, and others. 

 

Vanessa is a series regular opposite Olivia Liang in KUNG FU, the CW's reimagining with a female lead of the 1970s David Carradine-starring TV series. Created by Christina M. Kim. Co-showrunner, Robert Berens. Executive produced by Martin Gero, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Warner Bros TV. Vanessa is currently filming Season 2.

 

Vanessa has also appeared in a recurring role as Dr. Izuka on NBC's hit show, "New Amsterdam." Other select television credits include “Orange Is The New Black,” “Gotham,” “The Mysteries of Laura.”

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Vanessa lives in Brooklyn, NY.