Michelle Ang

Michelle Ang is a New Zealand actress, director and producer whose career spans over two decades, beginning in 1997 with the family series Young Entertainers. Born on 17 October 1983 in Christchurch and raised in Wellington, she is of Malaysian Chinese descent and displayed early talent as a dancer, performing with the Royal New Zealand Ballet in productions such as The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet. After completing a double degree in accounting with commercial law and chemistry at Victoria University of Wellington, Ang returned to the screen, securing a core role as Tai‑San in the cult post‑apocalyptic drama The Tribe (1999‑2001) and a memorable guest spot on Xena: Warrior Princess. Her breakout television success came with the Australian soap Neighbours (2002‑2003, 2004), where she portrayed Lori Lee and earned a Logie nomination for Most Popular New Female Talent. Ang continued to build a diverse portfolio, appearing in New Zealand series Outrageous Fortune, American drama South of Nowhere, and the MTV series Underemployed. In 2015 she starred as Alex in the web series Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462, a performance that garnered an Emmy nomination, and she later reprised the role in the main series. Since 2021 she has voiced Omega, the enigmatic female clone, in Disney+’s acclaimed animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch, retaining her native accent as a tribute to fellow New Zealander Temuera Morrison. Ang’s film work includes lead roles such as the nerdy Chinese‑New Zealander in My Wedding and Other Secrets (winning Best Lead Actress at the NZ Aotearoa Film & Television Awards), as well as supporting parts alongside Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet, and Gal Gadot in Hollywood productions. Beyond acting, she is a member of DEGANZ, mentors emerging talent through the Day One project, and runs the production company A Grain Of Rice, reflecting her commitment to storytelling across mediums.