Career
Stage
Tom established her theatrical credentials on Broadway before transitioning to screen work. Her Broadway credits include A Chorus Line, Hurlyburly, and Doonesbury. She also performed with the Chicago Goodman Theater in a production of 'Tis Pity She's a Whore.1 In 1988, her Off-Broadway performance in American Notes earned her an Obie Award, one of American theater's most prestigious honors for off-Broadway excellence.1
Film
Tom gained wide recognition for her role as Lena St. Clair in The Joy Luck Club (1993), the landmark ensemble drama based on Amy Tan's novel, which featured one of the most prominent Chinese-American casts assembled in Hollywood to that point.1 Her other film credits include Wall Street (1987), Cadillac Man (1990), and Bad Santa (2003).1
Television
On the live-action television side, Tom is best known for playing Julie, Ross Geller's post-Rachel girlfriend, in the NBC sitcom Friends during its second season (1995-96).1 She also had recurring roles in Grace Under Fire (ABC, 1997-98), Men in Trees (ABC, 2006-08), and Supernatural (The CW, 2012-14), and appeared in the Disney Channel series Andi Mack (2017-19).1
Voice Acting
Tom became one of the busiest voice actors in American animation, frequently cast in East Asian roles. Her most prominent recurring roles include:
- Amy Wong and Inez Wong in Futurama (Fox/Comedy Central, 1999-2013)
- Numbuh 3 (Kuki Sanban) in Codename: Kids Next Door (Cartoon Network, 2002-08)
- Dana Tan in Batman Beyond (The WB, 1999-2001)
- Jinx and Gizmo in Teen Titans (Cartoon Network, 2003-06)
She has voiced characters across numerous other animated series, video games, and direct-to-video films throughout her career.1
Extreme Ghostbusters
Tom contributed a guest voice performance on Extreme Ghostbusters, the 1997 revival series produced by Columbia Pictures Television. She appeared in the episode Eyes of a Dragon, voicing Jodi Chen, the shopkeeper's daughter.2 The episode centers on a Chinese dragon ghost, and Tom's casting reflected the show's practice of casting appropriate voice talent for culturally specific storylines.
Personal Life
Tom was previously married to Glenn Lau-Kee. She married actor Curt Kaplan in October 1999, and the couple have two sons together.1
References
Some content on this page was researched using the Ghostbusters Wiki on Fandom.
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"Lauren Tom," Wikipedia, accessed 2026-06-13, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauren_Tom. Source for birth date and place, family background, Broadway and off-Broadway credits (Obie Award 1988 for American Notes), film and television roles, voice acting credits, and personal life.
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Spook Central, "Extreme Ghostbusters: 'Eyes of a Dragon'" (episode guide), accessed 2026-06-13, https://www.spookcentral.us/sclib/extreme-ghostbusters-eyes-of-a-dragon. Episode 28, production no. 134, air date November 13, 1997 (syndication). Written by Joseph Kuhr, directed by Sam Liu. Lauren Tom credited as Jodi Chen (shopkeeper's daughter).
