The Most Underrated Asian Actresses of the 21st Century
Many actresses across Asia have built outstanding bodies of work in film and television during the 21st century. They have led box office hits, anchored acclaimed dramas, and expanded the range of stories getting told in multiple languages and markets. Their careers often bridge national industries, with projects traveling from local theaters to global streaming platforms.
This list highlights twenty performers whose filmographies are packed with roles that reward a closer look. You will find leads from South Korea, China, India, Iran, Israel, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Malaysia, along with titles that are easy to track down on major streamers. Each entry notes career milestones, signature projects, awards, and collaborations that map where to start watching.
Bae Doona
A graduate of Korean television who moved easily into international projects, Doona Bae built a versatile career spanning Korean cinema and global streaming. Her early film credits include genre standouts like ‘The Host’ and ‘Air Doll’ followed by high profile series work in ‘Sense8’ and ‘Kingdom’. She added festival pedigree with roles in ‘A Girl at My Door’ and the ensemble drama ‘Broker’ which premiered at Cannes.
Fluent in Korean and English, she has collaborated with directors Bong Joon-ho, Kore-eda Hirokazu, and the Wachowskis. Her filmography blends period horror, sci fi, intimate character studies, and warm slice of life stories which makes it straightforward to sample different facets of her work across formats.
Tang Wei
Tang Wei’s breakthrough came with ‘Lust, Caution’ which introduced her to global audiences and set up a film career across China and South Korea. She returned to wide recognition with ‘Decision to Leave’ and has headlined Mandarin language dramas such as ‘Finding Mr. Right’ and ‘Late Autumn’.
Her career shows sustained cross border collaboration including projects with Ang Lee and Park Chan-wook. She works in both Mandarin and Korean and balances mainstream releases with auteur driven features, making her filmography a clear path for viewers exploring contemporary Chinese and Korean cinema.
Kim Min-hee
Kim Min-hee’s early years in Korean television shifted into a film career that includes ‘Helpless’ and ‘Very Ordinary Couple’. International attention expanded with ‘The Handmaiden’. She later formed a long running collaboration with director Hong Sang-soo appearing in titles such as ‘On the Beach at Night Alone’ and ‘The Woman Who Ran’.
Her body of work is concentrated in character driven films that travel through festival circuits and arthouse distribution. The repeated collaborations offer a way to track evolving themes across multiple productions where she leads ensembles or anchors intimate two handers.
Zhou Dongyu
Zhou Dongyu moved from debut success in youth dramas to a career that pairs commercial appeal with awards recognition. She led ‘Soul Mate’ and ‘Better Days’ which brought widespread attention in Mandarin speaking markets and abroad. Additional titles include ‘The Thousand Faces of Dunjia’ and ‘Us and Them’.
She works frequently with prominent directors and her projects cover romance, crime, fantasy, and contemporary social drama. Her recent roles demonstrate a steady presence in major mainland Chinese releases along with festival screened films that are widely available on streaming services.
Kim Tae-ri
Kim Tae-ri entered features with ‘The Handmaiden’ and then pivoted to television with ‘Mr. Sunshine’ before returning to films like ‘Little Forest’ and ‘Space Sweepers’. She extended her reach to youth drama in ‘Twenty Five Twenty One’ and followed with thriller and mystery projects.
Her roles often sit at the center of large scale productions that pair period settings with character focused storytelling. Viewers can trace her progression from cinematic debut to lead roles in high budget series and films that are easy to find on global platforms.
Jeon Jong-seo
Jeon Jong-seo drew international notice with ‘Burning’ and followed it with the thriller ‘The Call’. She later headlined the English language feature ‘Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon’ and joined action projects in both Korean and international markets.
Her career mixes festival premieres with streaming releases which makes her titles accessible to a wide audience. The projects often involve psychological tension and genre twists so they serve as strong entry points for viewers exploring recent Korean cinema.
Park So-dam
Park So-dam’s film career includes ‘The Priests’ and ‘The Silenced’ before her global breakthrough in ‘Parasite’. On television she has anchored ‘Cinderella with Four Knights’ and ‘Record of Youth’ and she continues to appear in films across thriller and drama categories.
She trained extensively in theater and maintains work across stage, film, and TV. Her credits make it easy to compare different performance modes from ensemble features to contemporary romance series that stream widely.
Radhika Apte
Radhika Apte has worked across multiple Indian languages including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali. Key credits include ‘Badlapur’, ‘Phobia’, and ‘Andhadhun’ along with global streaming series such as ‘Sacred Games’ and ‘Ghoul’.
Her filmography spans independent cinema and mainstream releases which provides a direct way to sample different strands of Indian filmmaking. She collaborates with a wide range of directors and frequently alternates between theatrical features and streaming originals.
Tabu
Tabu’s career covers Hindi cinema with standout roles in ‘Maqbool’, ‘Haider’, ‘Andhadhun’, and the ‘Drishyam’ films. She also appears in international productions including ‘The Namesake’ and ‘Life of Pi’ and continues to add high profile contemporary hits.
Her body of work offers a survey of literary adaptations, crime dramas, family sagas, and thrillers. Viewers can follow a clear line from milestones of earlier decades to current releases which remain widely accessible through television broadcasts and streaming libraries.
Sobhita Dhulipala
Sobhita Dhulipala transitioned from modeling to film with ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’ and grew her screen presence through ‘Kaalakaandi’, ‘Moothon’, and ‘Psycho’. She leads the series ‘Made in Heaven’ and appears in ‘The Night Manager’ in the Indian market.
Her cross industry work includes Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and English language projects. The filmography demonstrates a strong blend of theatrical releases and streaming titles which makes discovery straightforward for new viewers.
Yeo Yann Yann
Malaysian actress Yeo Yann Yann has been a key figure in Singaporean cinema through collaborations with Anthony Chen on ‘Ilo Ilo’ and ‘Wet Season’. Her work extends to television and regional co productions and includes supporting roles in international projects.
She often works in Mandarin and English and her films are prominent in Southeast Asian festival circuits. The titles above are available on several platforms and provide an accessible introduction to contemporary Singapore and Malaysia based storytelling.
Golshifteh Farahani
Golshifteh Farahani began her career in Iran with films such as ‘About Elly’ and later moved into international cinema with credits like ‘Paterson’ and the action franchise entry ‘Extraction’. She also appears in French productions and television series.
Her multilingual portfolio includes Persian, French, and English which has enabled steady work across Europe, the Middle East, and Hollywood. The combination of independent dramas and large scale action releases makes her catalog easy to explore.
Shira Haas
Israeli actress Shira Haas is known for the series ‘Shtisel’ and ‘Unorthodox’ alongside features such as ‘Foxtrot’ and ‘Asia’. She continues to work in Hebrew and English while adding new projects in international television.
Her roles have circulated widely on streaming which provides straightforward access for global audiences. The mix of intimate family stories and socially rooted dramas offers clear starting points for viewers interested in Israeli screen narratives.
Kathryn Bernardo
Kathryn Bernardo is a leading figure in Philippine cinema with films like ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’ and ‘The Hows of Us’ and television dramas that have long running fan bases. She continues to headline major domestic releases that reach overseas Filipino communities.
Her work is easy to find on regional streaming services and international catalogs that carry Filipino content. The titles above represent contemporary romantic drama and coming of age narratives that have driven significant box office in the Philippines.
Anne Curtis
Anne Curtis has led Philippine box office entries such as ‘No Other Woman’, ‘Baler’, and ‘Sid and Aya’ while also taking on action roles in ‘BuyBust’. She remains active on television and in live entertainment.
Her filmography spans romance, historical drama, and action which provides multiple entry points for new audiences. Many of these titles are available across regional platforms that feature Philippine cinema libraries.
Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying
Thai actress Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying made a striking debut in ‘Bad Genius’ which became a regional hit and showcased contemporary Thai youth storytelling. She has continued to add roles in Thai film and international projects.
Her credits are often available on global streamers that license Southeast Asian cinema. Starting with ‘Bad Genius’ gives a direct introduction to modern Thai filmmaking that travels well beyond domestic markets.
Tara Basro
Indonesian actress Tara Basro has been central to the revival of genre cinema in Indonesia with titles such as ‘Impetigore’, ‘Gundala’, and ‘Satan’s Slaves 2’. She also appears in dramas that tour festival circuits.
Her work with directors Joko Anwar and others has increased the international visibility of Indonesian films. These titles are commonly licensed to regional and global platforms, making them straightforward to watch outside Indonesia.
Mahira Khan
Pakistani actress Mahira Khan became widely known through the series ‘Humsafar’ and moved into films with projects such as ‘Bin Roye’, ‘Verna’, and ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’. She also briefly crossed into Hindi cinema.
Her television catalog is frequently syndicated and streamed across South Asia and diaspora markets. The feature films listed offer an overview of contemporary Pakistani cinema with strong theatrical footprints at home.
Ni Ni
Ni Ni entered the Chinese film industry with ‘The Flowers of War’ and has since worked in both film and television with titles including ‘Love and Destiny’, ‘Shock Wave 2’, and ‘Savage’. She is active in historical fantasy series and modern action thrillers.
Her projects offer a cross section of mainland Chinese commercial cinema and prestige TV. Many of these releases have international distribution, which makes exploration convenient for global viewers.
Jeon Do-yeon
Jeon Do-yeon’s filmography includes ‘Secret Sunshine’, ‘A Man and a Woman’, and ‘Untold Scandal’ along with recent streaming titles like ‘Kill Boksoon’ and the series ‘Crash Course in Romance’. She has long collaborated with leading Korean directors.
Her career provides a clear map of Korean cinema across melodrama, period pieces, and contemporary thrillers. The combination of award winning films and accessible streaming releases makes her catalog an easy recommendation for anyone building a watchlist.
Share the actresses you would add to this list in the comments.