Ching Valdes-Aran (also credited as Ching Valdes and Ching Valdes/Aran) is a Filipino-American actress of stage, television, and film, who was trained as a dancer and became a choreographer.
Early life and education Valdes-Aran was born in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, in the Philippines. At age 13, she joined the Filipinescas Dance Company in Manila. She moved to New York City in 1967, and became an Asst. Director of the Philippine Dance Company of New York (est. 1943, Bruna Pascua Seril). Her membership included the Reynaldo Alejandro Dance Theater, and the All Nations Dance Company. In the late '70s, her work moved into choreography and directing solo dance (e.g., Ilocana). Having seen shows and met actors at La MaMa, she began working towards becoming an actress. The Pan Asian Repertory was a La MaMa resident company, which enabled her to meet other Asian-American artists to hone her craft.
Career
Television Credited as Ching Valdes, her screen debut came in 1985 on the CBS series The Equalizer in the second episode "China Rain" in which she portrayed Tommy Li, an "Old Times" acquaintance of Robert McCall from the underworld of Hong Kong where heroin smuggling was prevalent, and lucrative. Forty years afterwards in 2025, she portrayed Lorna Bayani, Mel Bayani's mother, in season five of the 2021 re-imagined series in the episode, "Dirty Sexy Money."
In 1987, Valdes-Aran played Mama-San in the HBO anthology, Vietnam War Story in episode three, "The Pass" with Tony Becker, Merritt Butrick and Wendell Pierce.
Other television appearances include, Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2004), The Blacklist (2013), Elementary (2017), and Blindspot (2017), among others.
Film Valdes-Aran's film debut came in the experimental 1994 film, Fresh Kill, written by Jessica Hagedorn who also wrote Dogeaters (see Theatre below). This was followed by her role as Ms. Amador, the Marriage Broker, in Closer to Home (1995).
Other film appearances include, Across the Universe (2007), Sex and the City (2008), Kiss of the Damned (2012), From What Is Before (2014), Little Men (2016), and a voice role as Gamu in Missing Link (2019).
Theatre In 1996, Ching Valdes-Aran stage appearances included, Flipzoids by Ralph B. Peña, Theater for the New City, Ma-Yi Theatre Ensemble. In 1998 she portrayed Emelda Marcos, the First Lady of the Philippines (1965–1986) in Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn, for the La Jolla Playhouse, California.
In 2014, she played Mr. Wang in a Classic Stage Company production of A Man's A Man.
From 2017–2023, Valdes-Aran toured internationally in Geoff Sobelle's Home. In 2023, she appeared with an all-Asian cast in Sam Shepard's True West at People's Light and Theatre Company.
Her Broadway credits include Shakespeare on Broadway, New York Shakespeare Festival, Belasco Theatre, and Michael John LaChiusa's The Wild Party, directed by George C. Wolfe (at Virginia Theatre).
Off-Broadway appearances: Brooklyn Academy of Music, Classic Stage Company, Shakespeare in the Park, HERE Arts Center, La MaMa, Ma-Yi Theater, Mabou Mines, The National Asian American Theatre Co (NAATCO), New York Theatre Workshop, The Public Theater, and Women's Project Theater, among others.
Regional appearances: Atlantic Theater Company, Arena Stage, Bristol Riverside, Center Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Magic Theater, Syracuse Stage, Yale Repertory Theatre, and Wilma Theatre.
Awards and achievements In 1997, Valdes-Aran won an Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for her role as Aying in Flipzoids, Ma-Yi Theatre.
Ching Valdes-Aran has also received the following: 2021 Ruthie Award, Fox Foundation Fellow, New Dramatist's Charles Bowden Award, Asian Cultural Council Fellowship, Spencer Cherashore Award, Ma-Yi Theater Award for Artistic Excellence, MAP Grantee (Foundry), U.S. Congressional Award for Arts & Culture, Oniros Best Supporting Actor (Short Film Award, Final Polish).
As an actor, choreographer, and director, Valdes-Aran has been empaneled to advise the National Endowment for the Arts.
Personal life Ching Valdes-Aran resides in New York City.
Filmography Film
+ Year Title Role Notes Ref 1994 Fresh Kill Boss Man 1995 Closer to Home Ms. Amador aka Looking for America 2007 Across the Universe Luna Park 2008 Sex and the City Real Estate Agent 2012 Kiss of the Damned Irene Polo 2014 From What Is Before Babu Originally: Mula sa kung ano ang noonBest Picture, Gawad Uriah Award; Palm de Oro, Locarno International Festival 2016 Little Men Pilar 2019 Missing Link Gamu (voice)
Television
+ Year Title Role Notes Ref 1985 The Equalizer Tommy Li Episode: "China Rain" 1987 Vietnam War Story Mama-San Episode: "The Pass" 1988 The Equalizer Joy Tang Episode: "Video Games" 2004 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Mrs. Chan Episode: "F.P.S." 2013 The Blacklist Ruth Peasley 1 episode 2017 Elementary Shopkeep 1 episode 2017 Blindspot Elder Female Monk Episode: "Lepers Repel" 2025 The Equalizer Lorna Bayani Episode: "Dirty Sexy Money"
Stage roles Aying - Flipzoids, Ma-Yi Theatre - Obie Award Imelda Marcos - Dogeaters, Public Theatre - Lucille Lortel Awards nomination Lady Macbeth, Lady Capulet, Duke Senior - NYSF Shakespeare on Broadway, Belasco Theatre Mother Courage - Ma-yi Theatre Medea - Medea, Pan Asian Repertory Bernarda Alba - The House of Bernarda Alba, NAATCO Clytemnestra - Iphigenia in Aulis, Yale Rep Athena - Iphigenia in Taurus [sic], La Mama E.T.C. & Greek International Festival Empress Tzushi - Empress of China, Cincinnati Playhouse Philoktetes - Shatterhand Company, Berliner Fiespiele Mom - all-Asian cast production of Sam Shepard's True West at People's Light
References
External links
BroadwayWorld Credits