Vic Chao grew up short, smart, and scrawny. A childhood of getting bullied developed in him a deep sense of empathy and a desire to prove himself. Vic is still grateful to Stan Lee and Spider-Man for showing him that a brainy nerd could be something special.

Vic became a gymnast and martial artist and graduated from Stanford University in Mechanical Engineering . After developing medical devices for 2 years, Vic quit to become an actor and has appeared in numerous films, television shows, and plays. He has used his athletic talents as a Stanford University cheerleader, the Chicago Bulls Mascot, an American Gladiators contender, and an LA Clippers crowd-entertainer/slam-dunker.

Vic cites The Jeffersons as an important factor that shaped his perception of race, and to this day, it influences his work as an actor and Asian American role model.  “As a child, by watching The Jeffersons, I learned that black people could be noble and strong like Louise Jefferson; they could marry other races like Tom and Helen; they could be hot-tempered like George Jefferson. In other words, The Jeffersons taught me that black people were just like everybody else.  This is the power that television has over our perception; in my acting, I want to be a positive Asian American role model in my work, not just for other Asian Americans, but also to show non-AA’s that we’re not so different after all.”