Top 10 Moments That Made Us Love Sandra Oh

It was her live-action role as Dr. Cristina Yang, in over 200 episodes of “Grey's Anatomy,” that made her a star. But her voice-acting work is nothing if not memorable. You might not know just how much animated work Oh does, so allow us to give you a few examples. She voiced Sarah Connor and Kate Winslet in a 2009 episode of “Robot Chicken.” She was also the woman behind Hiko Yoshida, Mrs. Yoshida, and Katie in various episodes of “American Dad.” These days, she’s the voice of central character Debbie Grayson on “Invincible.” And that only covers a fraction of her cartoon credits! How could anyone feel anything but love for such a talented star?

Owen and Christina didn’t exactly have the fairy tale ending many were hoping for. Still, their relationship is one that most “Grey’s Anatomy” fans hold near and dear. And they aren’t alone! Sandra Oh also has a special place in her heart for her character’s fictional relationship with Dr. Hunt. It meant so much to her that when she left the show, the actress snagged one very special piece of memorabilia. We’re talking about the rug from the couple’s apartment! We think fans who are wondering where it ended up will be rather pleased with the answer [It’s in my living room”].

It’s a symbolic gesture, but there’s no doubt that being awarded the key to a city is pretty darn cool. And in 2013, the Mayor of Ottawa bestowed that honor upon Oh. So now, she can metaphorically unlock the doors to Canada’s capital whenever she sees fit! But the actress’ ties to her native country don’t stop there. After all, she absolutely crushed Jimmy Kimmel’s game of “Is It Canadian?”. And the love with which she describes poutine will have your stomach rumbling for the squeaky cheese, gravy & fries delicacy. You know what they say, you can take the girl out of Canada, but you can’t take Canada out of the girl!

In 2019, Sandra Oh made history when she co-hosted the Golden Globe Awards with Andy Samberg. The Canadian-born daughter of South Korean immigrants became the first Asian person - male or female - to ever do so, which is no small feat. And sure, she joked around in the monologue and introduced various celebrities. But it was also crystal clear that she truly understood the importance of what she was doing up there on that stage. She knew how much it meant to have someone that looked like her hosting, representing minority communities that are so often overlooked. It goes without saying, but Oh made the 76th edition of the Globes one of the most memorable yet.

Sandra Oh was on “Grey’s Anatomy” for nearly a decade, and is entering her fourth season as one of the stars of “Killing Eve”. Yet her supporting role as Vice-Principal Gupta in “The Princess Diaries” remains a fan favorite, and for good reason. There’s one line in particular that none of us have ever forgotten. A line that Oh was more than happy to re-enact on an episode of “The Graham Norton Show” back in 2020! Being the true performer that she is, the actress absolutely nailed it, details and all. Needless to say, we’re obsessed.

When fans watch “Saturday Night Live”, they only get to see the handful of sketches that make it to the live show. But there are countless others that get written and even performed during the dress rehearsal. Yet for one reason or another, they get “cut for time.” One such sketch from the time Sandra Oh hosted the program was “College Admissions.” Why it ultimately got axed, we’ll never know. But what we know for certain is that it was a hilarious, timely piece, and Sandra Oh gave an amazing performance - as she always does!

If you aren’t already watching “Killing Eve”, you definitely should be! Dark, dramatic, and funny, the show quickly became a favorite among audiences and critics alike when it premiered in 2018. That’s thanks in no small part to Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh’s amazing acting. The season one “face-off” between their two characters is a stellar example of this. You don’t need a big set-up or story recap to appreciate the scene, because that’s just how powerful it is. So sit back, relax, and watch these stars - who are both at the top of their game - show everyone else how it’s done!

Given her success, you might think that Sandra Oh would prefer to go about her business and avoid publicly talking about racism. But that’s far from true, as evidenced by a 2018 Vulture interview. She explained that she’s “felt it deeply” throughout her career, and that it's impacted her in more ways than one. Per Oh’s own admission, she actually found herself inadvertently internalizing harmful beliefs. In fact, when she first read the script for “Killing Eve”, she didn’t even consider that they may want her for the titular role. There’s no doubt that her willingness to discuss her personal experience will help others feel seen. And while it wasn’t easy for the actress to get where she is, we’re so glad she made it.

We already know that Sandra Oh broke barriers at the Globes in 2019 by hosting, but that wasn’t the only way she made history that night. When the award for “Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama” was announced, her name was on the card. She’d won for supporting actress years prior, and this trophy made her the first Asian woman to win multiple Golden Globes. And let’s not forget about the Emmys, where her nominations have made waves more than once. Their sheer number is historic for actors of Asian descent. Plus, she’s the first Asian woman to be considered in the Lead Actress in a Drama Series category! We hope she never stops doing what she does best.

Sandra Oh is proud to be Asian, and she’s not afraid to scream it through a bullhorn. That’s exactly what she did back in March of 2021, following the tragic Atlanta spa murders. Eight people lost their lives during the attack, including six Asian women. Speaking at a “Stop Asian Hate” rally in Pittsburgh, Oh acknowledged the fear the community was feeling, encouraging people to reach out and come together. What’s more, the actress powerfully embraced her Asian identity [I am proud to be Asian! I belong here!]. There’s a lot that could be said about how important her words were, but we think Ellen Pompeo’s tweet summed it up pretty nicely.