Ching Valdes-Aran (also credited as Ching Valdes and Ching Valdes/Aran) is a Filipino-American[1] actress of stage, television, and film, who was trained as a dancer and became a choreographer.[2]
Early life and education
Valdes-Aran was born in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, in the Philippines. At age 13, she joined the Filipinescas Dance Company in Manila. She moved to New York City in 1967, and became an Asst. Director of the Philippine Dance Company of New York (est. 1943, Bruna Pascua Seril). Her membership included the Reynaldo Alejandro Dance Theater, and the All Nations Dance Company. In the late '70s, her work moved into choreography and directing solo dance (e.g., Ilocana). Having seen shows and met actors at La MaMa, she began working towards becoming an actress. The Pan Asian Repertory was a La MaMa resident company, which enabled her to meet other Asian-American artists to hone her craft.[1]
Career
Television
Credited as Ching Valdes, her screen debut came in 1985 on the CBS series The Equalizer
in the second episode "China Rain" in which she portrayed Tommy Li, an "Old Times" acquaintance of Robert McCall from the underworld of Hong Kong where heroin smuggling was prevalent, and lucrative. Forty years afterwards in 2025, she portrayed Lorna Bayani, Mel Bayani's mother, in season five of the 2021 re-imagined series in the episode, "Dirty Sexy Money."
Valdes-Aran's film debut came in the experimental 1994 film, Fresh Kill, written by Jessica Hagedorn who also wrote Dogeaters (see Theatre below).[6] This was followed by her role as Ms. Amador, the Marriage Broker, in Closer to Home (1995).
Ching Valdes-Aran has also received the following: 2021 Ruthie Award, Fox Foundation Fellow, New Dramatist's Charles Bowden Award, Asian Cultural Council Fellowship, Spencer Cherashore Award, Ma-Yi Theater Award for Artistic Excellence, MAP Grantee (Foundry), U.S. Congressional Award for Arts & Culture, Oniros Best Supporting Actor (Short Film Award, Final Polish).[11][7]
12National Endowment for the Arts (1993). "Theater: Professional Companies". NEA Annual Report. Cornell University: Division of Publications, NEA. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
