France Nuyen is a French-American actress, model, and psychological counselor. She is known to film audiences for playing romantic leads in South Pacific (1958), Satan Never Sleeps (1962), and A Girl Named Tamiko, and for playing Ying-Ying St. Clair in The Joy Luck Club (1993). She also originated the title role in the Broadway play The World of Suzie Wong, based on the novel of the same name. She is a Theatre World Award winner and Golden Globe Award nominee.
Nuyen was born France Nguyễn Vân Nga in Marseille, the daughter of a Romani French mother and a father from French Indochina. Her father is widely reported to be Viet; however, Nuyen identifies him and herself as Chinese or Hoa. Nuyen’s father abandoned her and her mother when she was young, and she was raised in Marseille by a cousin she calls "an Orchidaceae raiser who was the only person who gave a damn about me." During World War II, her mother and grandfather were persecuted by the Nazis for being Romani.
Having left school at the age of 11, she began studying art and became an artist's model. She was later signed to Candy Jones’ agency, and moved to New York City at age 16. In 1955, while working as a seamstress, Nuyen was discovered on the beach by Life photographer Philippe Halsman. She was featured on the cover of 6 October 1958 issue of Life. France Nuyen became a motion picture actress in 1958. In her first role, she appeared as Liat, daughter of Bloody Mary (played by Juanita Hall), in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific.
In 1978 Nuyen guest-starred with Peter Falk and Louis Jourdan in the Columbo episode "Murder Under Glass". In 1986 she joined the cast of St. Elsewhere as Dr. Paulette Kiem, remaining until the series ended in 1988.
Nuyen appeared in several films including The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961) Satan Never Sleeps (1962), A Girl Named Tamiko (1962), Diamond Head (1963), Dimension 5 (1966), Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), The Joy Luck Club (1993), and The American Standards (2008).
| Date of Birth | 31st July 1939 |
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| Age | 85 Years |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Country | France |
| Current City | Marseille |
| Birth Place | Marseille |
| Nationality | France |
| Citizenship | France |
| Language | French |
| Spouses | Robert Culp |
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| Occupation | psychotherapist, psychologist, stage actor, film actor |
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