# Levy Tran
**Levy Tran** (Vy Le Tran, born 1983) is an American actress and model of Vietnamese descent, known for the role of Desiree "Desi" Nguyen on CBS's *MacGyver*, for playing the race starter in *Furious 7* (2015), and for the character Roenick in *The First Purge* (2018).[1](https://macgyver.fandom.com/wiki/Levy_Tran) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983; sources give San Jose, California (TV Guide, Artemis Festival) or Santa Clara, California (IMDb)[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/levy-tran/bio/3000351333/) • [4](https://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/2019-honorees/levy-tran/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/) |
| Screen debut | Race starter in *Furious 7* (2015), appearing at the start of the film[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/) • [5](https://vnexpress.net/my-nhan-goc-viet-xuat-hien-trong-phim-fast-amp-furious-7-3176029.html) |
| Breakout television role | Desiree "Desi" Nguyen on *MacGyver*, 36 episodes from 2019 to 2021, promoted to series regular for Season 4[6](https://www.tvline.com/casting-news/macgyver-levy-tran-promoted-series-regular-season-4-1058875/) • [7](https://www.fernsehserien.de/levy-tran/filmografie) |
| Other recurring roles | Trish Park in *The Haunting of Hill House* (2018, 4 episodes); Eddie in *Shameless* (2017–2018, 8 episodes)[8](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/180092/levy-tran) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/) |
| Film work | Roenick in *The First Purge* (2018); Lash in *Expend4bles* (2023); Virginia in *Secret Headquarters* (2022); Wolf in *Bad Boys: Ride or Die* (2024)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/) |
| Before acting | Kindergarten teacher, then study and work in embalming; began modeling around 2011 and moved to Los Angeles in 2012[9](https://www.womeninstunts.com/levy-tran/) • [1](https://macgyver.fandom.com/wiki/Levy_Tran) |
| Recognition | Artemis Action Next Wave Award from the Artemis Women In Action Film Festival[4](https://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/2019-honorees/levy-tran/) |
## Early life and work before acting
Tran was born in 1983, to Vietnamese parents and grew up in [San Jose, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-jose-california).[4](https://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/2019-honorees/levy-tran/) • [3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/levy-tran/bio/3000351333/) Her path into entertainment was indirect. She earned a bachelor's degree in child and adolescent development, worked as a kindergarten teacher, and then studied mortuary science, beginning work as an embalmer at a funeral home in 2011.[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/levy-tran/bio/3000351333/) • [10](https://biographytribune.com/actress-levy-trans-wiki-bio-age-boyfriend-height-nationality-parents-net-worth/) Her embalming supervisor encouraged her to leave, telling her to go out and live life.[4](https://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/2019-honorees/levy-tran/)
**Modeling career.** In 2011 Tran pursued modeling, and after appearing in commercials she moved to Los Angeles in 2012.[1](https://macgyver.fandom.com/wiki/Levy_Tran) She became known as a tattooed model, with extensive tattooing across her body, and posed for magazines specializing in tattoo culture such as *Inked* and *Tattoo Life*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/) • [5](https://vnexpress.net/my-nhan-goc-viet-xuat-hien-trong-phim-fast-amp-furious-7-3176029.html) She also appeared on television as a guest hostess on MTV2's *Guy Code*.[1](https://macgyver.fandom.com/wiki/Levy_Tran) • [3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/levy-tran/bio/3000351333/) She speaks Vietnamese.[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/levy-tran/bio/3000351333/)
## Acting career
Her screen debut came in the Fast and Furious franchise: in *Furious 7* (2015) she played the race starter who waves the flag at the opening street race.[9](https://www.womeninstunts.com/levy-tran/) • [5](https://vnexpress.net/my-nhan-goc-viet-xuat-hien-trong-phim-fast-amp-furious-7-3176029.html) Vietnamese-language coverage of the film noted her as a Vietnamese-American actor appearing at the very start of the summer blockbuster.[5](https://vnexpress.net/my-nhan-goc-viet-xuat-hien-trong-phim-fast-amp-furious-7-3176029.html)
Recurring television work followed. She played Eddie on Showtime's *[Shameless](https://www.edgepedia.org/shameless-american-tv-series)* across the 2017 and 2018 seasons, appearing in eight episodes, and Trish Park, the girlfriend of Theo, in Netflix's *The Haunting of Hill House* (2018), in four episodes.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/) • [8](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/180092/levy-tran) • [11](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-728346/filmographie/) Her film roles in this period included Thiri in *Gemini* (2017) and Roenick in *The First Purge* (2018).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/)
## MacGyver
In February 2019, following the departure of co-star George Eads, CBS cast Tran on *MacGyver* as Desiree "Desi" Nguyen, a new character designed to help fill the void left by Eads.[12](https://www.thewrap.com/macgyver-cbs-levy-tran-george-eads-exit/) She debuted in the episode "K9 + Smugglers + New Recruit," in which Desi, hand-picked by her predecessor Jack Dalton, joins Mac's team.[6](https://www.tvline.com/casting-news/macgyver-levy-tran-promoted-series-regular-season-4-1058875/) Four weeks after the show was renewed for the 2019–20 season, she was promoted from recurring guest to series regular for Season 4.[6](https://www.tvline.com/casting-news/macgyver-levy-tran-promoted-series-regular-season-4-1058875/) She remained with the series through its cancellation in 2021, totaling 36 episodes as Desi Nguyen from 2019 to 2021.[7](https://www.fernsehserien.de/levy-tran/filmografie)
Desi is a former military operative, and Tran said she was proud to represent the Vietnamese community in the role.[4](https://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/2019-honorees/levy-tran/) The part's physicality drew on her martial arts training in eskrima, muay thai boxing, and jiu jitsu.[4](https://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/2019-honorees/levy-tran/)
## Later film and television work
After *MacGyver*, Tran appeared in a string of action productions. She played Virginia in *Secret Headquarters* (2022) and Lash in *Expend4bles* (2023), the fourth Expendables film.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/) In 2024 she appeared as Wolf in *Bad Boys: Ride or Die* and as the Coroner in *Retribution for Cory*, and in 2025 she guest-starred as Maya in an episode of *S.W.A.T.* and played Yuen Song in *Trouble Man*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/) • [13](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/levy-tran/) A single-episode guest role as Tia Min on *Magnum P.I.* aired in 2022.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/)
## Recognition
The Artemis Women In Action Film Festival honored Tran with its Artemis Action Next Wave Award, citing her move from modeling into action roles and her work on *The Fast and the Furious*, *The Haunting of Hill House*, and *Shameless*.[4](https://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/2019-honorees/levy-tran/)
## References
1. [Levy Tran, MacGyver Wiki (Fandom)](https://macgyver.fandom.com/wiki/Levy_Tran)
2. [Levy Tran, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6136319/)
3. [Levy Tran Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/levy-tran/bio/3000351333/)
4. [Levy Tran, Artemis Women In Action Film Festival honoree page](https://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/2019-honorees/levy-tran/)
5. [Mỹ nhân gốc Việt xuất hiện trong phim 'Fast & Furious 7', VnExpress (April 1, 2015)](https://vnexpress.net/my-nhan-goc-viet-xuat-hien-trong-phim-fast-amp-furious-7-3176029.html)
6. [MacGyver's Levy Tran Promoted To Series Regular For Season 4, TVLine (June 7, 2019)](https://www.tvline.com/casting-news/macgyver-levy-tran-promoted-series-regular-season-4-1058875/)
7. [Filmografie Levy Tran, fernsehserien.de](https://www.fernsehserien.de/levy-tran/filmografie)
8. [Levy Tran, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/180092/levy-tran)
9. [Levy Tran, Women In Stunts (February 1, 2019)](https://www.womeninstunts.com/levy-tran/)
10. [Actress Levy Tran's Wiki: Bio, Age, Boyfriend, Height, Nationality, Parents, Biography Tribune](https://biographytribune.com/actress-levy-trans-wiki-bio-age-boyfriend-height-nationality-parents-net-worth/)
11. [Levy Tran : Filmographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-728346/filmographie/)
12. ['MacGyver' Casts Levy Tran After George Eads' Exit, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/macgyver-cbs-levy-tran-george-eads-exit/)
13. [Levy Tran, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/levy-tran/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license