Chau was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, of Chinese and Vietnamese descent.[2] When he was roughly 6 years old, he and his family moved to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). At the age of 7, Chau moved from Saigon to France due to the Vietnam War and after a year moved to Washington, D.C., United States. Chau and his family settled there, and he was also schooled there.
After he graduated from college, Chau moved out to Los Angeles where he has remained since[3] and now lives with his wife and daughter.[4]
Career
Chau has had a number of diverse roles, playing Chinese, Japanese and even Hmong characters, most notably as Dr. Martin Ng in the American sci-fi series Gemini Division, and as Dr. Pierre Chang in 17 episodes of ABC's Lost.[5]
His latest projects have included a Syfy production, The Expanse, starring as recurring character Jules-Pierre Mao, father of main character Julie Mao, and a recurring role as Arthur's step-father Walter on The Tick. He has also appeared in the Disney Channel spy-action comedy, K.C. Undercover, where he plays Zane, an evil villain who kidnaps K.C. and threatens to kill her family, due to a checkered history with them.
Chau appeared on The George Lucas Talk Show during a fundraiser where various guests appeared for a marathon of the entirety of the seventh season of the HBO series Arli$$. In 2019 he starred in the science fiction horror film The Honeymoon Phase.[8]
2011 Ovation Awards: Nominated for Featured Actor in a Play for the role of Dr. Heng in the Geffen Playhouse production of "Extraordinary Chambers"[13]