Having range as an actor in the film industry is key to having a long-lasting career. From dramas and comedies to science fiction and even indie films, John Cho’s filmography checks off all the boxes. Cho began his acting career starring in the indie drama Shopping For Fangs in 1997. And even to this day, Cho continues to prove himself as a fantastic actor and a great pillar for Asian representation in film. Cho’s acting career has really taken off since his debut, and he has quickly become a recognizable face in entertainment.

Throughout his career, Cho has yet to show any signs of fatigue, being featured in many projects. Since his film debut in 1997, Cho has been a part of the iconic Star Trek franchise, voiced characters in animated movies, and became a leading face in his own thriller in Searching. A blessing and a curse of having so many projects under your movie belt are that people definitely recognize your face, but may have forgotten the projects you have been a part of. Luckily, we have put together a ranking of John Cho’s best movies in his career so far.

9 Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)

Directed by Justin Lin, Better Luck Tomorrow has all the action and drama you could ask for. This movie displays a classic plot of what it is like being young and a little dumb. For Ben, a high-performing high school student, making an unlikely friend while also trying to win over his crush Stephanie is a recipe for disaster. In this 2002 film, John Cho plays Steve, the handsome and wealthy partner of Stephanie as she too becomes involved in the illegal antics.

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8 Total Recall (2012)

Total Recall is a sci-fi action film that came out in 2012. Cho plays Bob McClane, someone working at Rekall that presents Quaid with a life-altering opportunity. In such a star-studded movie including the likes of Colin Ferrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, and Bill Nighy, it is easy to fall behind the curtain. However, Cho's performance in this movie is definitely a nice staple in his acting career.

7 Love, Antosha (2019)

Anton Yelchin was an actor that emigrated to the US in 1989 and when he was still young, his acting career took off. Sadly at the early age of 27, Yelchin passed away in a tragic car accident. John Cho appears in Love, Antosha, a documentary film that pieces together journal entries and other notes and writings by Yelchin on his life. This documentary film has an incredible 97% on Rotten Tomatoes so, if you are interested in checking this one out, it is available on Peacock and Amazon Prime.

6 Big Fat Liar (2002)

The early 2000s was a golden time for family comedies and Big Fat Liar is no exception. Big Fat Liar is a perfect movie for the entire family to have a quick laugh as it follows Jason Shepherd's crazy plan to take down a big-name Hollywood producer for stealing his school paper and turning it into a blockbuster hit. John Cho's role as Dustin "Dusty" Wong, although minimal, is short and most definitely sweet. He is the one and only director of the "Big Fat Liar" movie being made in this film.

5 Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

Cho's acting chops in the comedy genre are perfectly displayed in the 2004 comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. This film has a pretty simple kickstart for the plot. An accountant named Harold (Cho) and his friend Kumar, played by Kal Penn, get pretty stoned and are mystified by a White Castle commercial on TV. Venturing into the depths of New Jersey in the search for a White Castle, Harold and Kumar get into all kinds of shenanigans. You can check this hilarious movie out for yourself on Netflix.

Related: Best Comedy Movie Trilogies of All Time

4 Mirai (2018)

Animated movies elevate coming-of-age stories in ways that transcend the limits of time. Mirai is a Japanese animated film that came out in 2018. In the film, a young Kun runs away from home, only to find himself in a magical garden that grants him the ability to travel through time. Coming face to face with his mother as a young child as well as his younger sister all grown up, this experience changes Kun's entire outlook on his life and family. Cho is the voice of the father in the English dubbed version of Mirai.

3 Yellow (1998)

In one of the earlier projects in Cho's career, the romance indie film Yellow was a huge step for the young actor. This film follows a group of some newly-graduated high school students as they get involved in a whirlwind graduation night. One of the friends loses a lot of their dad's money and the group dedicates the night to raise the money they lost. Cho plays one of the friends in this group named Joey.

2 Searching (2018)

As an actor, being the main star in your own films huge. And with how good Searching was, it just adds extra points to our book. In 2018, John Cho gave an amazing performance as David Kim in the absolutely enthralling mystery thriller Searching. This film follows a father's heartbreaking and desperate search for his daughter when she turns up missing. When David feels as if the police aren't doing enough, he takes it upon himself to find answers. You cannot go wrong with checking this movie out if you haven't already.

1 Star Trek (2009)

Of course, being a part of one of the most iconic franchises of all time makes this the brightest highlight in Cho's acting career so far. The reboot of Star Trek as a film series has Cho playing Hikaru Sulu, a crew member from the original series. To say Cho had big shoes to fill for this role is an understatement. In the original series, Hikaru Sulu is played by the incredible George Takei. Cho, however, does an incredible job and this vital member of the crew became a regular presence throughout the franchise. Currently, per Digital Spy, there are talks of a Star Trek 4. However, while Cho remains hopeful, nothing concrete has been decided or revealed.