Lauren Tom is an Obie Award-winning actress, known for her roles as a dutiful daughter in the film "The Joy Luck Club" (1993), and a recurring role as Ross's girlfriend on NBC's "Friends" (1994). 

Lauren plays the role of "Mai Washington" on the new ABC series "Men in Trees" (2006). She recently appeared in a recurring role on the Showtime series "Barbershop" (2005), and in the film "In Good Company" (2004) with Scarlett Johansson and Dennis Quaid.

 She has also appeared in the films "Bad Santa" (2003), "When a Man Loves a Woman" (1994), "Mr. Jones" (1993), "With Friends Like These..." (1998), "Catfish in Black Bean Sauce" (1999) and "Manhood" (2003).

 On television, Lauren was a series regular in NBC's "DAG" (2000) as Delta Burke's secretary, "Ginger Chin," and on ABC's "Grace Under Fire" (1993) with Brett Butler.

 On Broadway, she has appeared in "A Chorus Line," "Hurlyburly" and "Doonesbury,"  and has worked with directors such as Peter Sellars and Joanne Akalaitis at the Goodman and Guthrie Theaters, the La Jolla Playhouse and the Kennedy Center.

 Her one-woman show, "25 Psychics," an engaging, humorous look at her quest for inner peace premiered at HBO'S U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. The show received Dramalogue Awards for Best Performance and Best Direction. 

Lauren's voice work can be heard in the animated series, "Futurama" (1999), "King of the Hill" (1997), "Codename: Kids Next Door" (2002), "Teacher's Pet" (2004), "Rocket Power" (1999), "Max Steel" (2001), "Batman Beyond" (1999), "Superman" (1996), "Kim Possible" (2002), Baby Clifford, "American Dragon: Jake Long" (2005) and the recently released animated DVD, Mulan II (2004).

 She has also published personal essays in Brain, Child Magazine, East West Woman, Strut, Freshyarn.com, and is currently writing a book based on these essays.