The Emerging 'Past Lives' Actor Greta Lee And Who Is She?

For Greta Lee, a 40 year old actor who devoted 20 years to the film industry, it raises many thoughts in our minds as to why it is only now that her work is being acknowledged. In a conversation with Vogue Greta Lee tells her perspective on this journey and finally getting the due credit. Before her poignant portrayal in Past Lives, Greta Lee had built her career on a wide range of supporting roles – as the rollicking birthday party host Maxine in Russian Doll; as the entitled gallerista Soojin in Girls; as Stella Bak, a millennial and very fashion-forward boss uncowed by her anchors, in The Morning Show.

It is a well known fact that any industry and film industry for the matter of fact is incredibly tough to break through yet the one thing that matters outside of one's acting and the right connections is luck. For Greta, it was her time to shine this year and bedazzle us with her perfect and poignant portrayal of her character in the movie Past Lives, a movie which got her Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards. 

Past Lives introduces global audiences to the Korean Buddhist concept of In-Yun – the connection, fate or destiny of two people. Audiences meet Nora and Hae Sung when they are 12-year-olds in Korea. Just as their young love is blossoming, however, Nora emigrates with her family to Canada. They reunite 22 years later when Hae Sung visits Nora in New York, where she now lives with her American husband.

Not just Greta's performance as Nora but the totality of the movie along with direction and screenplay were huge tipping points for audience as well as critics to admire this movie. 

How Greta started believing in possibilities for herself 

When asked by Vogue how she felt getting the recognition she deserved years ago? Was it revenge or a sense of justice? She said, "Revenge! Rage! It’s complicated. I can’t pretend that it’s not. I’m a 40-year-old woman, and I have kids now. I can’t pretend that there aren’t elements to this moment for me that aren’t tricky, because it’s like being wide awake for your dream coming true. There’s no pretending that I’m naive or not understanding of the struggle and the absolute miracle it is to get here."

She further added, "I really had done so much work, and was so proud of my own  self-acceptance  and measuring my worth based on totally different metrics. After a certain point, there was no way for me not to feel like if I wanted to live a life of joy, which I think I deserve, then I had to let go. I really made peace with accepting there was no place for me there. Now that I’ve gotten this chance through Past Lives, which was absolutely the opportunity of my life, it’s fascinating. I know now what’s possible. For myself and other Asian American women. I don’t want to accept my previous reality. I can’t."

Greta Lee's Mentors and Inspiration

This not only brings out the racism issue to the surface level once again but also tells us as the audience what goes behind making a character. For Greta to feel she never deserved all of this and for women who looked like her (Asian women) and to now believe that everything is possible is quite a trajectory. 

When asked if she has any mentors or people who have helped her navigate through this she mentions notable names, "Stephanie Hsu has been incredible—when you are so underrepresented, your mentors can be people who are younger than you. She’s been a real beacon of light for me. Talking to Sandra Oh has been invaluable. Billy Crudup gave me advice about preserving and protecting your own artistry; that has been so invaluable to me."

Greta has also revealed how she discovered certain nuances while portraying Nora as a character. A role that was of a regular woman but equally complex and dynamic while kept to "unravel and ravel itself" to her at all points. She explained that the kind of strength and genuinity needed for the role was difficult to find out and took quite some time and effort to perfect. Her performance is worth watching and something that has been critically acclaimed too.