| Dustin Nguyen | |
|---|---|
Nguyen at the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival. |
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| Born | Nguyen Xuan Tri September 17, 1962 Saigon, South Vietnam |
| Occupation | Actor Director Writer Martial artist |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Spouse | Angela Rockwood-Nguyen |
| Website | |
| http://dustintringuyen.com/ | |
Dustin Nguyen (born September 17, 1962) is a Vietnamese-American actor, director, writer and martial artist. He is best known for his roles as Harry Truman Ioki on 21 Jump Street and as Johnny Loh on V.I.P.[1]
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Born as Nguyễn Xuân Trí in Saigon, Vietnam, his mother My Le was an actress and dancer and his father, Xuan Phat, was an actor, writer and producer in South Vietnam. The family left Vietnam in April 1975 as it fell to Communist Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army forces.
They arrived in Guam, then the family was moved to a refugee camp in Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, and finally with the assistance of a Methodist church they relocated to Des Peres, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. After Nguyen graduated from Garden Grove High School in Garden Grove, CA, he attended Orange Coast College and majored in communications. Nguyen practices several martial arts including Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, Eskrima, and Jeet Kune Do.[2]
After a car accident on September 3, 2001 that left his wife, Angela Rockwood-Nguyen, a paraplegic, Nguyen and his wife have been active in The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center. That accident also claimed the life of Vietnamese-American actress Thuy Trang, a member of the original cast of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
He made his acting debut on Magnum, P.I., portraying a Cambodian freedom fighter in the episode "Crouching." He was a cast member on both 21 Jump Street and V.I.P., and has guest-starred on a number of other series, including General Hospital, Highlander, and most notably seaQuest DSV, playing the role of Chief William Shan. Moreover, he played a cameo role in Charlie's Angels. Nguyen also auditioned for the role of Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat, but lost out to Robin Shou. In 1993 he played a Vietnamese man sent off to fight with the Viet Cong, in the film Heaven & Earth. In 2005, Nguyen starred as a former heroin addict opposite Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchett in the critically acclaimed Little Fish.[3] He most recently starred in the 2007 films The Rebel and Saigon Eclipse. In 2008 he starred in the Vietnamese martial art film Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (The Legend Is Alive, The Immortal Legend)[4] where he plays a mentally disabled martial artist. Nguyen screened in 2009 the Thriller The Gauntlet under the Direction from Matt Eskandari and stars alongside Chinese actress star Bai Ling.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | Popular Dysfunctions | Comandante Chitt | pre-production |
| 2011 | The Gauntlet | Jin-Soo | post-production |
| 2010 | Floating Lives | Vo | |
| 2010 | De Mai Tinh | Dung | |
| 2009 | The Legend Is Alive | ||
| 2007 | The Rebel | Sy | |
| 2007 | Saigon Eclipse | Kim | |
| 2007 | Finishing the Game: The Search for a New Bruce Lee | Troy Poon | |
| 2005 | Little Fish | Jonny | |
| 2003 | The Break | ||
| 1998 | Hundred Percent | Isaac | |
| 1995 | The Doom Generation | Quickiemart Clerk | |
| 1995 | Virtuosity | Suburban Reporter | |
| 1994 | Vanishing Son IV | Hung | |
| 1994 | Vanishing Son II | Hung | |
| 1994 | 3 Ninjas Kick Back | Glam | |
| 1993 | Heaven & Earth | Sau | |
| 1993 | No Escape, No Return | Tommy Cuff | |
| 1992 | Rapid Fire | Paul Yang | |
| 1991 | Earth Angel | Peter | |
| 1985 | Sunset Strip | Chinese Youth |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | The Unit | Transit Officer | |
| 2003 | JAG | Lt. Bao Hien | |
| 1998 - 2002 | V.I.P. | Johnny Loh | |
| 1997 | Die Gang | Marc Wiessner | |
| 1995 | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | Lo Gee | |
| 1995 | VR.5 | Ky Buchanan | |
| 1995 | Vanishing Son | Hung | |
| 1994–96 | Phantom 2040 | Tranh | |
| 1993 | SeaQuest DSV | Chief William Shan | |
| 1993 | Highlander | Jimmy Sang | |
| 1993 | Murder, She Wrote | David Kuan | |
| 1992 | Highlander | Chou Lin | |
| 1992 | Street Justice | ||
| 1992 | The Commish | ||
| 1987–90 | 21 Jump Street | Officer Harry Truman Ioki | |
| 1989 | Danger Bay | Duk Chin | |
| 1987 | Shell Game | Doug | |
| 1986 | The A-Team | Bobby | |
| 1985 | Magnum, P.I. | Joe | |
| General Hospital | Suki |
In March 2009 he won the Vietnamese Cánh Diều Vàng (Golden Kite Award) for Best Actor, for his starring role in the Phuoc Sang Films starring vehicle, Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (The Legend Is Alive).[5][6]