Brenda Song has stepped into the spotlight once again, this time as a lead in ‘s uproarious new sports sitcom, Running Point.
The 10-episode series pairs her with Kate Hudson, who plays Isla Gordon, the contentious new female owner of NBA team, the Los Angeles Waves.
Throughout the series, Song embodies Ali Lee, Isla’s assistant, who pulls out all the stops to steer the basketball team towards victory amidst a family scandal.
With a career that spans from her early days as a child actress, let’s delve into Brenda Song’s journey so far.
Inside Brenda Song’s life including Disney fame and iconic romance (Image: NETFLIX)
Supportive Parents
Born in Sacramento, California, Song is the daughter of a Hmong father from Bangkok and a Thai mother from Chiang Mai. Her father is a school teacher, while her mother, a homemaker, played a pivotal role in kick-starting her career.
At the tender age of six, Song and her mother relocated to Los Angeles to chase her acting dreams, with the rest of the family joining them two years later.
Song also boasts a black belt in taekwondo. Despite her initial interest in ballet, she ended up following her brother into martial arts because, as she puts it, “my mum only wanted to take us to one place”.
A young Song in a Barbie toy commercial (Image: BARBIE)
Early Career
Song’s first taste of show business came as a child model in San Francisco, followed by appearances in commercials for Little Caesar and Barbie when she was around five or six. She then transitioned to short films before securing roles in Thunder Alley, Fudge, and 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd.
From a young age, she graced the small screen with roles in The Bernie Mac Show, 7th Heaven, For the People, and ER. But it was her Disney breakthrough that catapulted her to stardom.
Disney Fame
In 2002, Song inked a deal with Disney, landing a lead role alongside Lindsay Lohan in the Disney Channel film Get A Clue. She continued to charm viewers with appearances on That’s So Raven and One on One, secured a recurring spot on Phil of the Future, and shared the spotlight with Danielle Panabaker in Stuck in the Suburbs.
Song portrayed London Tipton in the Disney Channel sitcom The Suite Life of Zack and Cody (Image: DISNEY)
Her most iconic role emerged in 2005 as London Tipton, the wealthy heiress inspired by Paris Hilton, in the hit series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, which she later reprised in The Suite Life on Deck.
Despite her fame, Song has spoken candidly about the “anxiety” that came with early success and being recognised in public, telling Glamour, “I wasn’t Miley Cyrus, but I was getting recognised at the mall. It made me feel like I couldn’t be myself because they were expecting London Tipton.”
Relationship with Christmas Movie Legend
Song’s personal life has also been in the spotlight due to her relationship with Christmas movie legend Macaulay Culkin. The pair met on the set of Changeland in 2017 and after four years together, they got engaged in January 2022, though they haven’t walked down the aisle just yet.
The Disney star with Home Alone legend Macaulay Culkin (Image: GETTY)
During her delightful chat on Live With Kelly and Mark, Brenda Song gushed about her partner Culkin, calling him her “best friend” and sharing: “We’re big kids. We’re very communicative. We tend to spend our evenings chatting, going over our day. He’s my best friend. We love playing Mario Kart.”
She admitted their gaming sessions can get intense due to her competitive nature: “Sometimes it’s not as relaxing as it should be because I’m so competitive. I feel so fortunate that I have someone like that to spend my days with.”
Two Children
The couple has two children, three year old Dakota and two year old Carson, with Dakota’s name being a touching tribute to Culkin’s late sister who passed away in 2008. Song recounted the birth of Carson during her interview, saying: “I always say, my second son, he really wanted to be here,” and “No doubt about it.”
Song and Culkin with their son Carson (Image: GETTY)
She described the ease of his birth: “He made that choice and I was very fortunate. I didn’t even push him out, he came out on a contraction. I was like, ‘Oh, he’s ready to be here’.”
Song also opened up about how motherhood has transformed her life and priorities, telling People: “Becoming a mom, finding such fulfilment in my personal life has changed me so much,” and “I feel like for the first time it’s truly that next phase in my life. And with that being said, my priorities changed. That was the big difference.
“I think that’s what I was struggling with is our society really tells us as women to follow your dreams, do what you got to do, go out there, do your thing, girl, but also be a full-time mom, make sure you’re at home and making dinner.”
Running Point will be released Thursday, 27th February on .