Ralph Ahn, the actor best known for his recurring role as Tran on Fox’s New Girl, has died. He was 95.
Ahn’s death was confirmed Monday by the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles and by New Girl star Jake Johnson, who wrote on Instagram: “RIP. So much fun to work with. He gave so much with literally no lines. I loved when he was on set. I was always expecting to somehow work with him again. Condolences to his family/friends.”
Ahn was known for playing Tran — an expressive character of very few words — on the Fox sitcom for multiple episodes. He made his first appearance during the show’s second season, when Johnson’s Nick Miller befriends Tran at the park and seeks guidance from him. Johnson’s Miller soon refers to him as his “magical best friend.”
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In response to Johnson’s tribute shared on social media, New Girl star Zooey Deschanel commented with a crying emoji face, writing, “Noooooo.” Lamorne Morris also posted on Instagram about Ahn, writing, in part, that he was “Always the funniest scenes in the episode.” Morris added: “This man lived a lot of life, keep his friends and family in yall thoughts and prayers.”
In a 2014 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, New Girl showrunners Liz Meriwether and Brett Baer discussed Ahn’s recurring role on the series.
“He’s really easy to write for. It was Jake Johnson’s idea, originally. He texted me about it. We all thought it was so funny. Going into this year, I think one of the writers in the retreat pitched his granddaughter being a love interest. But Jake also wanted to do something like that,” Meriwether said.
Baer added of Johnson and Ahn’s onscreen dynamic at the time: “Johnson is so funny with that guy. And they get along so well off-camera.”
Ahn’s other credits included Gilmore Girls, The Shield, The Division, ER, Suddenly Susan and The Good Life.
On the big screen, Ahn appeared as a Red Guard in Prisoner of War (1954), starring Ronald Reagan; as a printer in the drama Come the Morning (1993); as a liquor store clerk in Robert Harmon’s Eyes of an Angel (1991); and as a cook in Mel Brooks’ Life Stinks (1991).
Ahn was born in Los Angeles in 1926. His late brothers, Philip and Philson, were actors as well.
Lexy Perez contributed to this report.
