Ming-Na, who plays Dr. Deborah Chen on “ER,” emigrated from Hong Kong to New York at the age of 4. Her mother, who was a nurse, wanted Ming-Na to pursue a medical career, but the 38-year-old brunette beauty would have none of it.Instead, she chose to show business.Ming-Na, who grew up in Pittsburgh, earned a degree in theater at Carnegie-Mellon University and performed in several off-Broadway shows before getting her first TV break, on the soap “As the World Turns.” She was the first Asian actor to appear on the show.

A few years later, Ming-Na (which means “enlightenment”), was cast as June in “The Joy Luck Club,” which opened the door to many other acting opportunities, including “Streetfighter,” opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme; “One Night Stand,” with Wesley Snipes; and the voice of the princess in “Mulan” and of Dr. Aki Ross in “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.”

The petite, porcelain-skinned actress – who speaks both Mandarin and Cantonese – recently wrapped production on the movie “A Teddy Bear’s Picnic,” a comedy coming out next year with Morgan Fairchild, and will be supplying the lead voice in “Mulan II,” due in 2003.

The actress currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, actor/writer Eric Michael Zee (together they produce an Asian-American boy band called At Last), and their 1-year-old daughter, Michaela.

Q: How did it feel to play a female superhero in “Final Fantasy”?

A: I think it’s great that the women are coming forward as being these strong and yet sexy women. You can be both now. I have a daughter, and it’s going to be great for her if this trend keeps going.

Q: What’s your fantasy?

A: My fantasy right now would be to win the lottery and take a month off, including my whole family, my mother and brothers and my in-laws, and have a lusciously decadent vacation. I could use one.

Q: Describe your personal style.

A: Very simple, clean lines. Fun but comfortable clothes.

Q: Favorite designers?

A: Richard Tyler. I’m starting to get into Rena Lange – a German designer. Max Mara – they have nice stuff, too.

Q: Do you have a stylist?

A: Yes, Jessica Pastor. It’s great because with a career and family and baby now, it’s worth it for me to have somebody else who knows my style and can go pick stuff out for me. She knows the colors that work well on me and look good on me. She’s the one who pushed me to have more color. A little splash of color – I love it.

Q: What do you do to relax?

A: I veg, which isn’t a good thing. I just watch HGTV [Home & Garden Television] and watch women do arts and crafts. Total mindless television.

Q: What do you wear when relaxing?

A: This great pair of Donna Karan sweatpants and shirt. They’re soft as cotton and shrink like hell, but I love them.

Q: How do you stay in shape?

A: I don’t. I do yoga, basically. That’s about it. I just have a really fast metabolism. My girlfriends hate me. I’m really active with life, but not in sports.

Q: Do you follow a special diet?

A: I eat anything and everything I want.

Q: What are some of your favorite things?

A: My mother’s Chinese cooking. A good hamburger from In-N-Out [a popular L.A. burger chain].

Q: What do you use to accessorize?

A: I have a friend who designs jewelry for me. Yeung Designs – she sells at little boutiques out of L.A.

Q: What gives you substance?

A: Being honest with myself and then having my family being honest about me.

Q: What would you never wear?

A: Plastic go-go boots. Or false nails, any of those acrylic nails. I had to wear them once, for my character in “One Night Stand.” I almost burned myself because acrylic is flammable and I was lighting candles. It was like an “I Love Lucy” moment.

Q: How do you spoil yourself?

A: With a good massage. There’s a guy in New York City, Sam Cagnina, and he has a method of massaging you that is so healing and it’s amazing. You can sleep for days sometimes afterwards.

Q: What don’t you ever leave home without?

A: These days my cell phone. Baby toys. And my digital voice recorder that catalogs everything. Like if I see something that I like in a store, and I want to find out if I can get it cheaper someplace else, I can record the price. It’s awesome.