UNICEF USA Ambassador Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu

UNICEF Ambassador since 2004

Lucy Liu is an award winning actress as well as a producer, director and artist who has had great critical and commercial success in film, television and theater. Lucy recently completed a season starring on the critically acclaimed TNT original series, "Southland." Lucy first gained prominence for playing the unforgettable Ling Woo on the hit Fox series, "Ally McBeal," and has appeared in the hit Hollywood films "Charlie's Angels," "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," "Chicago" and "Kill Bill," and loaned her voice to "Kung Fu Panda." Lucy also co-starred as part of a stellar cast in Tribeca Films' "Detachment."  Audiences can also see Lucy in "Man with the Iron Fists" and the CBS series "Elementary," a Sherlock Holmes/Dr. Watson reimagining with Lucy staring as Dr. Joan Watson.

UNICEF USA Ambassador Lucy Liu

Appointed a UNICEF Ambassador in 2004, Lucy has involved herself in almost all aspects of UNICEF's various campaigns and initiatives and has been influential in supporting its mission of saving and improving children’s lives worldwide. In recognition of her ongoing dedication and service on behalf of the world's most vulnerable children, Lucy was awarded the Danny Kaye Humanitarian award at the 2008 UNICEF Snowflake Ball.

 

UNICEF USA Lucy Lui in Peru

See Lucy Liu in action with UNICEF.

UNICEF Field Visits

As a UNICEF Ambassador, she has traveled to Peru, Russia, Pakistan, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, and Lesotho to interact with children and witness firsthand UNICEF's work providing vulnerable children with vital necessities, including clean water, therapeutic foods, education, and health care.

"I truly believe there is hope," said Lucy. "I believe this because of devoted workers and individuals around the world in organizations like UNICEF and USAID."

During her visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lucy visited a UNICEF-supported hospital for women and children and showed residents of a camp for internally displaced people that a UNICEF-supplied water source is safe for drinking.

12 Days of UNICEF Holiday Campaign

In December 2011, Lucy participated in the "12 Days of UNICEF" — a festive annual holiday campaign encouraging individuals to give a gift that gives back by purchasing UNICEF's Inspired Gifts and holiday gift items from UNICEF's Holiday Catalog.

Learn more about Lucy's UNICEF Card and Inspired Gift selections for the "12 Days of UNICEF" on the U.S. Fund for UNICEF's Field Notes blog.

Lucy's Art & Photography for UNICEF

Adding accomplished artist and photographer to her resume, Lucy has often used her talent to benefit UNICEF — from hosting an exhibit of her original artwork in 2006 (which raised over $267,000) to submitting photographs for UNICEF's Next Generation Photo Exhibit in 2011. In October 2011, Lucy published her first book of art, "Seventy-Two," and donated a portion of the profits from the book launch to UNICEF USA. 

USAID

Since being appointed a UNICEF Ambassador, Lucy has become a strong advocate for victims of child trafficking and in 2009 she produced and narrated the powerful documentary, "Redlight", which focuses on the plight of women and children sold into sexual slavery. At a USAID Human Trafficking Symposium in September 2009, Lucy delivered a passionate speech to raise awareness about the estimated 1.2 million children who are trafficked worldwide every year. In March 2011, Lucy wrote a USAID blog post about her anti-trafficking work and the successes and challenges that women still face today, in recognition of the organization's 50th anniversary.

UNICEF USA Campaigns

Lucy has been extremely involved in many of the UNICEF USA’s campaigns, serving as the National Spokesperson for the UNICEF Tap Project in March 2008 and lighting the UNICEF Snowflake in New York City during the 2005 and 2009 holiday season.