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Brenda Song (born March 27, 1988 ) is an American actress. She is best known for starring in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior which is currently the eighth highest viewed Disney Channel Original Movie, with over 5.7 million viewers on the night of its premiere. Song helped co-produce the film, and she and Shin Koyamada will star in the Wendy Wu sequel.

She is also well-known for starring in the Disney Channel Original Series, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody as the spoiled heiress London Tipton, and has appeared in other Disney Channel original series and movies. She has guest appearances in many other television series, and she won a Young Artist Award for her work in The Ultimate Christmas Present. She was voted one of Teen People's 25 hottest stars under 25.

Family
Brenda Song's grandparent's were part of the Xiong clan, but changed their last name to Song when the family immigrated to America. Song was born in Carmichael, California (a suburb of Sacramento) to a Hmong father, and a Thai American mother. Her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, is a homemaker, and her father works as a second-grade teacher. Song has two younger brothers, Timmy and Nathan.

Song currently resides in Los Angeles, California, and is an avid L.A. Lakers fan. She is managed by The Curtis Talent Management.

Education
Song was home schooled, and earned a high school diploma at age 16. Song holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and was named an All-American Scholar in ninth grade.

Career
Song started in show business as a child fashion model in San Francisco.

Actress
Song began acting with a Little Caesars commercial at age five, which led to other commercials including a Barbie commercial.

Song's first film appearance was the 1995 short film Requiem, an AFI student film by actress Elizabeth Sung. Song was discovered at 7 years old to play a young version of "Fong," who is played as an adult in the film by Tamlyn Tomita. Song then had a small role in the television program Thunder Alley, where she appeared in two episodes.

Song's first role in a theatrical motion picture was with Santa with Muscles, a 1996 independent film starring professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. Song next film appearance was in Leave It to Beaver (1998) as Susan Acustis.

Song's first major television role came in 1999 with Nickelodeon's 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd, where she played Sariffa Chung. After this she had numerous minor television roles in 7th Heaven, Once and Again, Popular, Judging Amy, and The Nightmare Room, and appeared in Bette with close friend Ashley Tisdale in 2001.

Song starred in the 2000 Disney movie The Ultimate Christmas Present, which won her a Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a TV Movie Comedy, Supporting Young Actress". She co-starred in other Disney movies, including Get a Clue and Stuck in the Suburbs.

Her 2002 appearance on The Bernie Mac Show led to a Young Artist Award nomination for the category "Best Performance in a Television Comedy Series, Guest Starring Young Actress". Her first major role in a feature film occurred the same year in the family film Like Mike, which starred rapper Bow Wow. Song portrayed the character Reg Stevens; the film received positive reviews and was successful enough to spawn a sequel, although Song did not participate.

After 2002, Song continued to make guest appearances in Disney Channel shows like That's So Raven, and had minor roles in many American sitcoms, She had a recurring role as Tia in the Disney Channel's Phil of the Future, appearing in seven episodes in 2004 and 2005.

Song won the role of the selfish heiress London Tipton on Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The series eventually earned a 2007 Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Children's Program". As the series became popular, Song became a featured performer on the Disney Channel, and acquired a voice role in Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long series.

Song appeared in Get a Clue with actress Lindsay Lohan, and in 2004, she appeared in Warner Brothers's A Cinderella Story with Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray. The film was given mixed reviews by most critics, but the film was a box office success garnering $66 million worldwide.

In 2006, Song had a voice-over role in Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen, which also featured the voices of fellow Disney Channel stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse and Emily Osment.

She appeared in the Disney Channel Games 2006 as captain of the Blue Team, and in the second rendition of the Disney Channel Games as captain of the Red Team.

In 2006, Song had her breakthrough role, starring in and co-producing the Disney Channel Original Movies Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, which received 5.7 million viewers making Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior the eighth highest viewed Disney Channel Original Movie. To promote the film, Song traveled to Malaysia, Singapore, and Costa Rica.

That year, She was voted one of Teen People's 25 hottest stars under 25. Song ranked ninth in Netscape's "Top 10 Pretty Petites in Entertainment". In December 2006, CosmoGIRL! and Popstar! Magazine named her The Queen of Disney, and the readers of Askmen.com named her "Actress of the Year".

Song is currently hosting a new Disney Channel short series called "Pass the Plate", which is a multicultural series produced in ten countries in association with Disney Channel.

Song and Shin Koyamada will star in a sequel to Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior. Shooting begins in early 2008.

Song has been mentioned in regard to various future projects: Disney's College Road Trip with Raven-Symoné and Martin Lawrence; American Darlings, a feature film with Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lopez; and Special Delivery, a Lifetime Movie Network telefilm.

Singer
Song was part of the Disney Channel Circle of Stars, a group of performers from several different Disney Channel television series. She took part in the recording and music video of a version of "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes". The recording appeared on both the special edition Cinderella DVD and on the DisneyMania 4 CD. The album CD was released in April 2005 under the Walt Disney Records label and peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200, and number 2 on the Top Kids Audio chart. Song recorded a song titled "I'm Not That Girl" for Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior.

Ian Scott has written and produced songs for her. Asked if she plans to break into the music scene, Brenda replied, “Well if the opportunity were to come about, I'd be stupid to say no.”

Charity work and activism
In 2006, Song was hostess for the "A World Of Change" annual charity fashion show fundraiser to benefit Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services. Song also participated in The 10th Annual L.A. Cancer Challenge. In addition as part of the Disney Channel Games 2007, Song's team supported the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

In 2007, Song started hosting a Disney special daily segment called Pass the Plate, where she helps kids and their families learn more about healthy food. She was also involved with the YMCA Healthy Kids Day, where she showed teens in Chicago Tae Kwon Do moves.

In November 2007, Brenda supported the Writers Guild of America West solidarity march in Hollywood Los Angeles, California on November 13. The strike started on November 5, 2007.

Awards and nominations

 * 2001


 * Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a TV Movie Comedy, Supporting Young Actress", for The Ultimate Christmas Present (Won).


 * 2003


 * Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a Television Comedy Series, Guest Starring Young Actress", for The Bernie Mac Show (Nominated).


 * 2004
 * "Poptastic's rising star" award for Popstar! Magazine's 3rd Annual Poptastic Awards! (Won).


 * 2006


 * "Poptastic's Favourite TV actress" award for Popstar! Magazine's 5th Annual Poptastic Awards! (Won).
 * Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards UK: "Best TV Actress (Won)
 * "Black Reel:Television Best Actress" (Nominated).


 * 2007


 * "Poptastic's Favourite beauty" award for Popstar! Magazine's 6th Annual Poptastic Awards! (Nominated).
 * Emmy Awards: "Outstanding Children's Program - with Suite Life Of Zack and Cody Cast" (Nominated).
 * "Image Award:Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program" (Won)
 * Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Italy: "Best TV Show" by The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (Nominated).
 * Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Italy: "Best Movie" by Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (Nominated).

Discography

 * 2005: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (for Cinderella Special Edition DVD)

Films

 * 2008: College Road Trip
 * 2006: Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior
 * 2006: Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen
 * 2004: Stuck in the Suburbs
 * 2004: A Cinderella Story
 * 2002: Like Mike
 * 2002: Get a Clue
 * 2000: The Ultimate Christmas Present
 * 1997: Leave It to Beaver
 * 1996: Santa with Muscles
 * 1995: Requiem

Documentary

 * 2007: There's Something About Ashley: The Story of Headstrong

Television

 * (2005-2008) The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
 * (2004-2005) Phil of the Future
 * (1999-2002) 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd