She received further recognition for starring in the action comedy film Charlie's Angels (2000) and its sequel Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), and the martial arts action film Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and its sequel Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004).

She also starred in the films Payback (1999), Shanghai Noon (2000), Chicago (2002), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), Watching the Detectives (2007), The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), Set It Up (2018), Shazam!

She also voiced Master Viper in the first three installments of the Kung Fu Panda franchise (2008–2016) and Silvermist in the Tinker Bell series (2008–2015).

[5] She is the youngest of three children born to Cecilia, who worked as a biochemist, and Tom Liu, a civil engineer who sold digital clock pens.

[19] As a member of the Basement Arts student-run theater group,[20] she auditioned in 1989 for the University of Michigan's production of Alice in Wonderland during her senior year of college.

While in line to audition for the musical Miss Saigon in 1990, she told The New York Times, "There aren't many Asian roles, and it's very difficult to get your foot in the door.

In 1992, she made her big-screen debut in the Hong Kong film Rhythm of Destiny, which starred Danny Lee and Aaron Kwok.

Liu originally auditioned for the role of Nelle Porter (played by Portia de Rossi), and the character Ling Woo was later created specifically for her.

In 2001, Liu was the spokeswoman for the Lee National Denim Day fundraiser, which raises money for breast cancer research and education.

Subsequently, Liu appeared on several episodes of Joey with Matt LeBlanc, who played her love interest in the Charlie's Angels films.

She also had minor roles as Kitty Baxter in the film Chicago and as a psychologist opposite Keira Knightley in the thriller Domino.

In 2008, she produced and narrated the short film The Road to Traffik, about the Cambodian author and human rights advocate Somaly Mam.

[38][39] In 2007, Liu appeared in Code Name: The Cleaner; Rise: Blood Hunter, a supernatural thriller co-starring Michael Chiklis in which Liu plays an undead reporter[15] (for which she was ranked number 41 on "Top 50 Sexiest Vampires");[40] and Watching the Detectives, an independent romantic comedy co-starring Cillian Murphy.

Liu played Nola Lyons, a powerful attorney who faced Nick George (Peter Krause).

[21] In March 2010, Liu made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award–winning play God of Carnage as Annette on the second replacement cast alongside Jeff Daniels, Janet McTeer, and Dylan Baker.

[44] She has teamed up with Heinz to combat the widespread global health threat of iron deficiency anemia and vitamin and mineral malnutrition among infants and children in the developing world.

Elementary is an American Sherlock Holmes adaptation, and the role Liu was offered is traditionally played by men.

[46] She has gained praise for her role as Watson, including three consecutive nominations for the People's Choice Awards for Favorite TV Crime Drama Actress.

She is also part of the cast in the post-apocalyptic thriller Future World, directed by James Franco and Bruce Thierry Cheung.

[59] In a 2024 interview, Lucy Liu discussed her role in an upcoming film where she will star as a mother diagnosed with a terminal illness who has a troubled child.