Sophia Michaels
It’s fair to say that the world is ready to see more of Stephanie Hsu. Following her success with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (which earned her multiple accolades, including an Oscar nomination), the actor has taken on several new projects, including the Disney+ series “American Born Chinese” and the raunchy comedy “Joy Ride,” which she stars in alongside “Emily in Paris” star Ashley Park.
The film, which hit theaters on July 7, centers around a lawyer named Audrey (Park) who travels to China with a group of her closest friends in search of her birth mother. The unapologetic, hilarious nature of the flick gave Hsu a chance to do something outside her normal bubble, which was a thrill to experience, according to the actor. “It felt so exciting to get to do what we never get to do, which is to be completely unhinged, disgusting, grotesque, chaotic, wild, but still so full of heart,” she explained in a July 2023 interview with Elle. “I was like, ‘I’ve never seen that before.’ Once we got into set, it was just, how do we have the most fun humanly possible?”
If you loved watching Hsu in “Joy Ride,” be sure to check out Hsu’s other great performances in TV shows and movies.
1. “Everything Everywhere All At Once” (2022)
In the critically-acclaimed, Oscar-winning epic by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Hsu stars as Joy Wang, the daughter of Evelyn Quan Wang (Michelle Yeoh). As Evelyn struggles to manage her laundromat with her husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), she is audited by the IRS. Proving her tax payments turns out to be the least of her problems, however. After connecting with an alternate form of Waymond from the Alphaverse, Evelyn learns she is the key to defeating an all-powerful being — an alternate version of Joy named Jobu Tupaki, who threatens to destroy the multiverse.
2. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021)
Hsu has a small role in the Marvel superhero film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” She plays Soo, a friend of lead characters and married couple Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina). The film, based on the recurring Marvel comic character Shang-Chi, follows Kung Fu master/parking valet Shang-Chi, who is confronted with his past after his father Wenwu, the leader of the Ten Rings organization, attempts to use his power to dominate the world.
3. “Joy Ride” (2023)
Chinese American adoptee Audrey Sullivan (Ashley Park) has enjoyed life living in Seattle with her parents and childhood best friend and artist Lolo (Sherry Cola). In order to get a promotion by securing a deal with a prominent Chinese businessman, Audrey embarks on a trip to China with a group of friends, including Lolo, Lolo’s cousin (Sabrina Wu), and Kat (Hsu), Audrey’s college roommate turned Chinese soap actor. Though initially straightforward, the trip has several twists and turns that make the group’s bond even stronger.
4. “Asking for It” (2020)
In Hsu’s first film role as a lead actor, she plays the role of Jenny, a successful journalist whose life is turned upside down by a stalker that harasses her via email. As the harassment gets progressively worse and the stalker faces no legal consequences, Jenny takes matters into her own hands to get her life back.
5. “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (2019-2023)
In the 1950s, the only prospective “career” for women is being a housewife. For Miriam “Midge” Maisel, however, the life of a housewife is idyllic, until she discovers she has a passion for comedy. After her husband Joel leaves her for her secretary, she begins performing in various clubs in New York City and pursues a career in standup comedy, putting her role as a wealthy housewife on the back burner. In the Amazon Prime series, Hsu has a recurring role as Mei Lin, one of the women Joel dates seriously and who also has connections to a gambling ring.
6. “Girl Code” (2013-2015)
Though Hsu didn’t act in MTV’s “Girl Code,” her recurring role on the reality comedy series, alongside other stars like Awkwafina and Nicole Byer, arguably gave her the experience and exposure to continue a career on screen. The show, a spinoff of the popular “Guy Code,” featured various actors, musicians, hosts, comedians, and personalities reflecting on a number of topics, including relationships, sexuality, growing up, and more.
7. “The Path” (2016-2018)
The Hulu series “The Path” centers on Eddie Lane (Aaron Paul), a follower of a new-age religious movement called Meyerism. After a vision causes him to question his faith, Eddie pursues the truth, which leads to conflicts in his relationships, a loss of power and identity, and more. Hsu has a recurring role as Joy Armstrong, the niece of Eddie and his wife Sarah (Michelle Monaghan).
