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Yao (actor)

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yao
Born
Thomas Pang

1989 or 1990 (age 36–37)
Australia
Education
Known forBo Chow in Sinners

Thomas Pang (born 1989 or 1990), known by the stage name Yao, is a Malaysian-Filipino[1] actor based in the United States. He is known for playing Bo Chow in Ryan Coogler's film Sinners (2025).[2]

Early life and education

[edit]

Yao was born Thomas Pang in Australia[3] to a Filipino mother and Malaysian Chinese father.[2][4] His stage name, Yao, "is derived from his Chinese name" and is used to pay homage to his great-grandfather.[1]

Yao holds Malaysian citizenship, though he has constantly moved between countries since childhood.[3] He relocated to the Philippines when he was two, subsequently moving between Malaysia and Singapore before settling briefly in London at five, and later in the United States at nine, where he attended high school.[3] He returned to Malaysia at 19 and spent three years in Kuala Lumpur.[3]

He is a graduate of the Lasalle College of the Arts at University of the Arts Singapore in Singapore, and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University in 2023.[1]

Career

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Yao was active in Singaporean theatre and television, winning a Straits Times Life Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in Hand to God at the Singapore Repertory Theatre.[1][5] He starred on the Singaporean television series Scrum Tigers[6] and The Last Bout.[7]

Yao has appeared in Singaporean movies like Tiong Bahru Social Club and #LookAtMe.[1][8] For his doubling role in the latter, he was awarded Best Performance by the 2022 New York Asian Film Festival.[2]

In 2025, Yao made his Hollywood debut in Ryan Coogler's Sinners as Bo Chow, a Chinese American grocery store owner and husband of Grace Chow, acted by Li Jun Li.[9][10] Yao had auditioned, via tape, while living in Labrador Park, Singapore; after landing the role, he and Li researched more about Chinese Americans in the Mississippi Delta.[1][11] For the film's juke joint dance sequence wherein various cultural personages are represented, Yao was asked by the film crew to propose the Asian diaspora's iconic figures, after which he suggested that Sun Wukong make an appearance.[12]

Personal life

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Yao is now based in Brooklyn, New York City.[1]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Director Notes
2020 Tiong Bahru Social Club Ah Bee Tan Bee Thiam Credited as 'Thomas Pang'
2022 #LookAtMe Sean Marzuki / Ricky Marzuki Ken Kwek
2025 Sinners Bo Chow Ryan Coogler
2027 John Rambo † Jalmari Helander Post-production
TBA Better Life † Jessica Liu Post-production[13][14]
Rooster † Mills McQueen Post-production[15]
Gold Mountain † Ang Lee Filming

Short films

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Year Title Role Director Notes
2014 Kill the Rabbit Frank Phil Giordano
2017 Marathon Interior Ministry Soldier We Jun Cho

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2019 Scrum Tigers Terry 15 episodes
2023–2024 The Last Bout Tommy Law 11 episodes

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Yao brings the Southeast Asian experience to Ryan Coogler's horror movie Sinners". The Straits Times. 2025-04-16. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2025-05-12. Malaysian actor Yao, who plays grocer Bo Chow in his Hollywood movie debut...
  2. 1 2 3 Evangelista, Jessica Ann (2025-04-16). "Fil-Malay actor Yao on working with Hailee Steinfeld, Michael B. Jordan in 'Sinners'". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Patrick, Ian Jeremiah (2026-03-27). "'I didn't expect it': Malaysian-Filipino actor Yao's quiet rise from self-tape audition to award-winning 'Sinners' role". Malay Mail. Retrieved 2026-05-23.
  4. ↑ Wong, Silvia. "Singapore film festival stands by banned film '#LookAtMe' (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  5. ↑ "Ken Kwek's #LookAtMe to premiere at New York Asian Film Festival". The Straits Times. 2022-07-11. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  6. ↑ Scrum Tigers - mewatch. Retrieved 2025-06-12 – via www.mewatch.sg.
  7. ↑ "The Last Bout". Content Distribution. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
  8. ↑ Adlakha, Siddhant (2022-08-01). "Singaporean Indie Flick '#LookAtMe' Is More Than Just Social Media Satire". JoySauce. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  9. ↑ Gularte, Alejandra (2025-04-22). "Sinners Consultant Dolly Li Explains Inclusion of Chinese Delta Community". Vulture. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  10. ↑ Grobar, Matt (2024-05-01). "Newcomers Yao, Miles Caton & Peter Dreimanis To Round Out Cast Of Coogler-Jordan Thriller". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  11. ↑ Bui, Neil (2025-04-11). "Sinners: Meet Li Jun Li and Yao (Grace and Bo Chow)". Dorkaholics. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  12. ↑ Xiao, Jessica (2025-04-25). "Chinese Americans in Jim Crow South represented in 'Sinners'". AsAmNews. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  13. ↑ Grobar, Matt (August 12, 2025). "Randall Park, Ming-Na Wen, Joel Kim Booster, Margaret Cho, Anirudh Pisharody & Yao Set For Father-Daughter Dark Comedy 'Better Life'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  14. ↑ Grobar, Matt (October 20, 2025). "Jessica Liu's Dark Comedy 'Better Life' Adds 14 To Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  15. ↑ Grobar, Matt (December 12, 2025). "Grant Gustin, Tom Pelphrey, Paul Sparks & More Set For Dark Comedy 'Rooster' From First-Time Feature Director Mills McQueen". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
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