You probably know her as the master of the "Death Stare" in Kill Bill or the sharp-tongued Joan Watson in Elementary. But there is a whole other side to the actress that has nothing to do with Hollywood blockbusters or red carpets. For years, a specific corner of the internet has been buzzing about Lucy Liu in the nude, though it’s not what the tabloid-hungry crowd usually expects.
We aren't talking about leaked photos or typical celebrity scandals. Not even close.
Honestly, the real story is much more interesting. It’s about a secret identity, huge canvases, and a decades-long career as a fine artist that she kept under wraps using a pseudonym. While the world was watching her kick butt in Charlie’s Angels, she was quietly establishing herself in the high-end art world as "Yu Ling."
Why Lucy Liu used a secret name for her art
Kinda makes sense when you think about it. If you’re one of the most famous women on the planet, how do you get people to look at your paintings without seeing "the girl from the movies"? She wanted a clear palette. She wanted the work to stand on its own feet.
For nearly thirty years, Liu showed her work—including her famous erotic paintings—under her Chinese name, Yu Ling. It wasn't just a hobby. She was winning grants to study in Beijing and selling pieces for tens of thousands of dollars before most people even knew she could hold a paintbrush.
The "nude" aspect of her work isn't just about shock value. It’s deeply personal. Her art often explores themes of vulnerability, security, and human connection. She once explained that using her Chinese name gave her a "mask" that felt liberating. It let her be "Yu Ling" the artist, separate from "Lucy Liu" the star.
✨ Don't miss: Whitney Houston Wedding Dress: Why This 1992 Look Still Matters
The viral discovery of her erotic paintings
Everything changed around 2019. Social media—specifically Twitter and Reddit—stumbled upon the fact that their favorite action star was also a prolific creator of "Shunga"-inspired erotic art.
"I have a series of portraits of so many people with and without clothes on, guys!" - Lucy Liu
Shunga is a type of Japanese erotic art from the 17th century, and Liu’s modern take on it is bold. These aren't tiny doodles. We are talking large-scale, vibrant paintings often depicting women in intimate, sapphic scenarios. When the internet found out, people lost it. It wasn't just the nudity; it was the raw, expressionistic energy of the pieces.
Beyond the canvas: Photography and found objects
If you think she just sticks to painting, you’ve got it wrong. Her first solo show back in 1993, called Unraveling, was actually a photographic exhibition. She has always been obsessed with "Lost and Found"—the title of one of her major series where she takes discarded objects like soda tabs or bits of string and gives them a home inside handmade books.
Basically, she’s a hoarder of memories. She finds beauty in the stuff the rest of us throw away.
🔗 Read more: Finding the Perfect Donny Osmond Birthday Card: What Fans Often Get Wrong
The "nude" element pops up in her photography, too. She has admitted to having a massive collection of portraits featuring people both with and without clothes. To her, the human body is just another medium. It’s about the "what stays" versus "what was."
Why does it still matter today?
In 2026, we’re seeing a massive shift in how we view celebrity "side hustles." It’s no longer just about launching a skincare brand. People want authenticity. Liu didn't start making art because it was trendy; she’s been doing it since she was fifteen at Stuyvesant High School.
She’s now fully embraced her name, exhibiting as "Lucy Liu" in major galleries from London to Singapore. She realized that whether she uses a pseudonym or not, people are going to criticize. So, she decided to just "go for it."
The shift from Yu Ling to Lucy Liu
The transition was gradual. Her book Seventy Two, which features 72 ink and acrylic paintings inspired by the "72 Names of God," was one of the first times she really stepped out into the light with her real name attached to her art. It featured essays by people like Deepak Chopra, proving she had moved way beyond the "celebrity who paints" trope into the "artist who happens to be a celebrity" territory.
Her work is now part of serious private and corporate collections.
💡 You might also like: Martha Stewart Young Modeling: What Most People Get Wrong
What most people get wrong about her work
The biggest misconception is that her erotic art is meant to be provocative for the sake of it. If you look at her 2023 exhibition what was at the New York Studio School, you see a much deeper layer. She explores her relationship with her mother, her identity as a woman of color, and the "ghostly forms" of memory.
The nudity in her work is usually about shedding layers. It’s about what’s left when the Hollywood makeup and the costumes are gone.
If you're looking to explore her work yourself, here's how to dive in:
- Visit her official site: lucyliu.net is basically her digital portfolio. It’s way better than any fan site.
- Look for the books: If you can find a copy of Seventy Two or Unhomed Belongings, grab it. They aren't just coffee table books; they’re insight into her brain.
- Follow the galleries: Keep an eye on the New York Studio School or Chambers Fine Art. She still shows her work regularly.
The most actionable thing you can do if you're a fan is to stop looking for her in the context of her movies and start looking at her as a visual communicator. Her art isn't a "secret" anymore—it's a massive part of her legacy.
The next time you hear someone talking about Lucy Liu’s "nudes," you can be the one to tell them they’re actually talking about some of the most compelling contemporary art of the last thirty years.
To see her most recent evolution as an artist, check out the digital archives of her Lost & Found series, which features over 200 volumes of intricate, hand-bound art that bridges the gap between her past as a "latchkey kid" in New York and her present as a global icon.