Marvel actress Wai Ching Ho dies at 82

Pop Culture NewsMarvel actress Wai Ching Ho dies at 82She 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.” Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Wai Ching Ho attends Marvel's "Iron Fist" New York screening in New York City in 2017. Rob Kim / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 13, 2026, 9:25 AM EDTBy Rebecca Cohen and Austin MullenWai Ching Ho, the actress known for her work in Marvel projects including “Daredevil,” has died, her family said. Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.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 aired in 2017. Ho had a number of other roles over the course of her decades-long career, including in “Law and 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 fir...