Lucy Liu's big break came shortly after playing lawyer Ling Woo in Ally McBeal. Surprisingly, Liu almost decided to appear in a play rather than accept the life-changing role. As Liu told Metro in January 2014, "I had auditioned for a more regular role on Ally McBeal and I didn't get it, but then they came back a few weeks later with this guest star role, and at the same time I was being offered a play. The TV role was only eight days' work; the play was running for three months and I wanted to do the play because it was more artistic."
Luckily, her manager insisted she take the part of Ling Woo. "She told me I was going to pass on the play that time and I was going to do this show, and that was that," Liu added. "Then, of course, it became such a part of the zeitgeist and changed my career."