She came to Southern California during the 1920s to act in Hollywood films and usually portrayed ethnic Asian female characters in supporting roles.

[1] She also starred alongside Keye Luke in Phantom of Chinatown as Win Len, Dr. Benton's secretary.

She was uncredited in the movie The Real Glory (1939), starring Gary Cooper and David Niven.

[3] Long had a writing and producing credit for the film The Tahitian (1956)[4] made with her husband James Knott.

In Timothy Tau's short-film bio-pic Keye Luke, Lotus Long is portrayed by Mei Melancon.