Actress Wai Ching Ho, known for her roles in Marvel and Pixar projects, died today, July 12, at the age of 82.

Wai Ching Ho

Born on November 16, 1943, in Hong Kong, Ho’s stage and screen work ran the gamut. She is best known for her role as the villainous Madame Gao in the Marvel Cinematic Universe from Daredevil, Iron Fist, and The Defenders. She also played Grandma Wu in Turning Red.

Ho was also widely known as a stage actor, having performed at venues such as the Goodman Theatre, NY Theatre Workshop, and the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre. She also appeared in roles in television shows like Fresh Off the Boat and Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens.

Some of Ho’s costars have posted tributes to her today, including Peter Shinkoda, who played Nobu in Daredevil:

“I won’t ever forget you. I learned every minute from you when we were together on and off set. I know wisdom – I’d hang on your every word. We will meet again, my friend. You were beautiful. 🙏😣”

See Shinkoda’s tribute below:

Mahira Kakkar, who performed with Ho in Henry VI at the National Asian American Theatre Company, also posted a touching tribute to her colleague and friend. On Instagram, she wrote:

I had the enormous good fortune to work with Wai Ching Ho and to share a dressing room with her. She was incredible- warm, funny, caring, joyful, positive and a truly wonderful actor. At the age of 82? 83? she played a lead role -basically a female King Lear, and was riveting She would say to us- Eat two slices of raw ginger every day and you won’t get sick! For those of us who did not have a lot of role models and mentors in the industry Wai was a pillar. I am deeply grateful I got to know her and I am very sad she is gone. She also utterly refused to speak ill of anyone. My dear Wai you deserve all the standing ovations- what a stellar human and a stellar artist. What an example of how to live.

Alan Muraoka from Sesame Street also posted to Instagram this morning about the passing of his friend and colleague:

The AANHPI acting community has lost one of its greats. @waichinghohknyc Wai Ching Ho was a glorious actress and such a kind and loving soul that she brought an instant smile to your face when you saw her. If you watched the Daredevil series she played the head of a crime syndicate and she was terrifying. (But so sweet in real life. Now that’s acting!) She graciously agreed to film some video for my production of Zac Efron in Chicago. We had some great laughs as we Zoomed and taped her content. She was also a fan of Sesame Street and she got to share that with me. I am so grateful to have known her. #waichingho

What appears to be Ho’s final project, a short called Here and Again in which she played Ama, is currently in post-production.

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