Ruth Winona Tao

Who is Ruth Winona Tao?

Ruth Winona Tao, a.k.a. Nonie Tao and Kwun-Mei Tao 关美涛, was an American-born Chinese film actress, TV personality and MTV Asia and Channel V video jockey in the early 1990s. She hosted on BY Demand and Asian Top 20.

US-born Tao graduated from the University of Washington majoring in political science and drama. In Taiwan she appeared in TV series, variety shows, and a number of commercials. In Hong Kong she starred in the films Evil Black Magic, Finale in Blood, A Touch of Class, and The Bride with White Hair 2.

She was one of the first VJs for MTV Asia when it was launched in September 1991. Her popularity saw her in demand for commercial endorsements including the first international endorsement for Philippine clothing brand Bench After a stint as an MTV VJ, she joined STAR TV as a VJ where she also had a radio show and co-produced programming. As one of the early VJs in Asia, she developed a huge following in Taiwan, the Philippines, and India.