July 13, 2026, 9:25 AM EDT
By Rebecca Cohen and Austin Mullen
Wai Ching Ho, the actor known for her work in Marvel projects including “Daredevil,” has died, her family said
She was 82
Ho’s family confirmed her death in a statement
“Her family are deeply grateful for the incredible outpouring of love and support and the many beautiful messages and memories people have shared about our beloved Wai,” the family wrote. “Reading how much she meant to so many is comforting to us during this difficult time.”
Ho’s cause of death was not immediately revealed
Ho, from Hong Kong, got her first U.S. acting credit in 1983 with a role in the soap opera “One Life to Live,” according to her IMDb page
She was best known for her role as Madame Gao in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, first in “Daredevil” in 2015, followed by “Iron Fist” and “The Defenders,” both of which were released in 2017
Ho had a number of other roles over the course of her decadeslong career, including in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “New Amsterdam” and “Only Murders in the Building.”
In 2022, she voiced Grandma Wu in Pixar’s “Turning Red.”
Some of Ho’s co-stars took to social media to celebrate her life
“I won’t ever forget you. I learned every minute from you when we were together on and off set,” Peter Shinkoda wrote on Instagram. “I know wisdom — I’d hang on your every word. We will meet again, my friend. You were beautiful.”
Judy Lei recalled working with Ho on her first movie in 2019, writing that the seasoned actor had “grace” toward Lei’s lack of on-set experience
“I’m so sad to hear of her passing,” Lei wrote on Instagram
Perry Yung, who played Ho’s husband in “High Resolution,” wrote on Instagram that she “was a kind, compassionate human being whose work as an artist lifted every production to a higher standard, and we are better for it.”
“Rest in power dear friend,” Yung wrote
