Sandra Oh plays Cristina Yang

Sandra Oh was born July 20, 1971, in Nepean, Ontario, a suburb of Ottawa. She is of Korean descent. Her interest in performing began at an early age as a ballet dancer, then later an actor, while attending Sir Robert Borden High School in her hometown. She acted in school plays and was a member of the drama club before moving on to study drama at the National Theatre School in Montreal, Quebec.

In her native Canada, Oh is best know for her lead performance in the Canadian film Double Happiness — she won the Genie Award (Canada’s Oscar equivalent) for Best Actress. She also appeared in the Canadian films Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity, and Last Night. The latter garnered her a second Best Actress Genie for. Oh also won an award for Best Actress at Cannes Film Festival for her role in The Diary of Evelyn Lau.

In the United States, Sandra is best known for Grey’s Anatomy, but gained recognition for two recent film roles. In Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), she played a lesbian whose girlfriend was none other than Grey’s co-star Kate Walsh. In 2004’s critically-acclaimed Sideways, she played the scorned lover of soon-to-be-married Jack.

Her now ex-husband, Alexander Payne, directed the film. The two had a five year relationship (including two years of marriage), but divorced early in 2005. An upcoming film of Oh’s is The Night Listener, where she will star along with Robin Williams and Toni Collette. But luckily for us, Grey’s Anatomy remains her primary occupation.

She also starred as Rita Wu on the HBO series Arli$$, a personal favorite of some of our staff members.