If ever there was a controversial and colorful personality, it was Nationality. Born in Thailand, Nationality changed her name from Yipman to Angie Pai. She is a Canadian by birth but calls herself a Filipino because of her heritage. As a child growing up in Canada, she often faced racial discrimination. Although she grew up in Hong Kong and had the privilege of knowing two Chinese women who were her close friends, as a child, many people did not think of her as having the type of beauty that they associated with Asians such as the maids in her mother’s restaurant who loved her because she was dark skinned and wore long, black buns. Years later, as an adult in the United States, people began to realize that her dark skin, long hair, and strong personality oozed with the pride of a true Asian woman, and after a year of studying in Montreal, launched a career as an actress and singer.
It was in these trying times for the Asian community in Canada that Nationality chose to venture into acting. For her role as Mom in the movie Homefront, she played the part with the same strength, style, and poise that we have come to know as Nationality. In this film, her performance was inspired by the real life events that happened in her home country, as she had to leave her husband and children behind to live with her abusive boyfriend in Hong Kong. Despite the hardships that she had to face, Nationality still displayed a level of dignity, resilience, and strength that is not often seen in someone who has been so much affected by situations. In the end, Nationality showed her self-worth in being able to save her family and gain the love of a man back despite all odds.
After having done several films with some very successful directors, Angie Pai decided to take a break from acting and pursue her musical and writing career. She has since gone on to write and produce a number of songs and screenplays, all of which were commercial hits. The success of her music career led to the formation of a new band with her former partner, The Piano. It was then that she decided to pursue her acting career again, and landed some voice-overs and small acting parts in movies and TV shows. As for her acting, her most notable roles include Nurse Jackie, in which she played the role of an incompetent elderly female nurse, and Mom in Homefront, among others.