Honestly, looking at the sheer volume of Margaret Cho movies and tv shows is a bit like tracing the history of Asian American visibility in Hollywood. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s often deeply frustrating, but it’s never, ever boring.
If you grew up in the 90s, you probably remember the seismic shift that was All-American Girl. If you’re younger, maybe you know her as the chaotic "house mother" in the 2022 hit Fire Island. Either way, Cho has been a permanent fixture on our screens for over three decades, usually breaking a glass ceiling or two while she’s at it.
The Sitcom That Nearly Broke Her
We have to talk about All-American Girl because it’s basically the origin story for everything Margaret Cho did next.
In 1994, ABC gave Cho her own sitcom. It was the first time a network had centered a show on an Asian American family. On paper? A massive win. In reality? A total nightmare for Cho. The network didn't know how to write for a Korean American family, so they hired white writers who relied on tired stereotypes. Then, they told Cho she was "too fat" to play herself.
She ended up in the hospital because of the crash dieting. The show lasted only 19 episodes before being axed in 1995. But here’s the thing: while the show struggled with its identity—often feeling more like a generic sitcom with Asian faces rather than a real reflection of her life—it paved the way for shows like Fresh Off the Boat and Beef.
Cho didn't just disappear after that failure. She turned the trauma of that experience into I'm The One That I Want, an off-Broadway show and later a film that basically reinvented her as a raw, unfiltered comedic powerhouse. It’s one of the most important pieces of stand-up ever recorded.
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Beyond Stand-up: The "Teri Lee" Era
For many, the definitive Margaret Cho TV role isn't her sitcom, but her six-season run on Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva.
Playing Teri Lee, the sharp-tongued, no-nonsense assistant to Jane Bingum, Cho got to do something rare for her: play a character that wasn't primarily defined by her ethnicity or her "otherness." Teri was just a person. A funny, loyal, occasionally mean person.
The show ran from 2009 to 2014 and gave Cho a steady platform to show off her acting chops. She even got to sing and dance in some episodes. It was a massive departure from the "shock comic" persona people expected. Honestly, it proved she could carry a mainstream series without losing her edge.
Margaret Cho's Most Iconic Guest Roles
You’ve probably spotted her in a dozen different things without even realizing it. She has this knack for showing up in cult classics and prestige TV.
- 30 Rock: Who could forget her Emmy-nominated turn as Kim Jong-il (and later Kim Jong-un)? It was absurd, slightly terrifying, and perfectly Margaret.
- The Flight Attendant: She played Utada in Season 2, bringing a grounded, subtle energy that surprised a lot of people.
- Hacks: She showed up as herself in Season 2, a fitting nod to her status as a legendary stand-up mentor.
- The Masked Singer: In 2019, she was the Poodle. Because why not?
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians: More recently, she stepped into the Disney+ world as Wasp, one of the Gray Sisters, alongside Sandra Bernhard.
The Fire Island Renaissance
If you haven't seen the 2022 film Fire Island, stop reading and go watch it.
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Cho plays Erin, the "lesbian housemother" who hosts a group of gay friends at her beach house. The character was actually written for a man, but the creators (Joel Kim Booster and Andrew Ahn) realized Cho was the perfect fit.
It feels like a full-circle moment. In All-American Girl, she was struggling to be seen. In Fire Island, she is the elder statesman—the "queer crone," as she jokingly calls it—passing the torch to a new generation of Asian American performers like Bowen Yang.
She’s also been busy with indie films like The Sixth Reel (2021) and the upcoming horror-comedy Queens of the Dead. She’s not just "still working"; she's more prolific now than she was twenty years ago.
Why Her Filmography Matters
Most people think of Margaret Cho as a stand-up comedian first. And she is. Her specials—Notorious C.H.O., Revolution, Assassin, and PsyCHO—are essential viewing. They tackled body image, racism, and queer identity long before those were "safe" topics for a mainstream audience.
But her work in movies and TV shows is where you see the evolution of an artist who refused to be told "no." She survived the soul-crushing experience of 90s network TV and came out the other side as an independent producer and a sought-after character actress.
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She basically built the door that everyone else is now walking through.
What to Watch First
If you're looking to dive into the Margaret Cho cinematic universe, don't just start with the old stuff.
- Fire Island (2022): For the heart and the modern queer perspective.
- I'm The One That I Want (2000): To understand the fire she used to burn down the old Hollywood standards.
- Drop Dead Diva: If you want to see her just being great in an ensemble cast.
- Over the Moon (2020): She voices Auntie Ling in this gorgeous Netflix animation, which shows a softer, more family-oriented side of her work.
Margaret Cho's career isn't a straight line. It’s a zigzag. It’s a series of experiments, some of which failed loudly and some of which changed the industry forever. But when you look at the landscape of 2026, it’s impossible to imagine it without the groundwork she laid.
Next Steps for Fans
If you want to keep up with what's coming next, Cho is currently touring her "Choligarchy" show through 2026. You can also catch her in the second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. For a deeper look at her impact on the comedy world, check out the Netflix documentary Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution, where she discusses her role in the LGBTQ+ comedy movement.