The TV Star (Encore)

From Wondery, I'm Isabella Way and Amazing life. You've heard of people who changed the course of history, but before they made their mark on the world, they were people like you and me, still figuring out what they wanted to do with their lives. On this episode, you will be that person everyone knows. You might be a musician. Or an app Scientist or a painter?

You may know what the person accomplished later in life, but now you can experience everything they faced along the way, from challenges and heartbreak to triumphs and excitement. All the moments that built this person into someone who would change the world, there will be clues. But only at the end will you find out who you are. Amazing life as

Imagine you're five years old and you, your mom, and your older sister are waiting patiently near the entrance of a fancy restaurant. As you scan the tables, you notice what other people are wearing. Crisp, clean clothes. You look down at your own outfit, an old t-shirt that you wore to dance class earlier today. You hope nobody will notice. But your worry quickly passes because there, on the opposite side of the restaurant, is someone who would never judge you. Your dad.

He's sitting at a table across from an older gentleman in a black suit. You wave from all the way across the restaurant. Hi Dad Uh hey, honey. Your dad waves to you. But just as you're about to race across the restaurant and sit next to him, someone steps in front of you, blocking your dad. Cut. Quiet on set, please. Your dad looks at you and quietly mouths. Sorry. But it's okay. You get what's going on. The man who just yelled?

He's a director. And this isn't a real restaurant. It's just a set, a fake place that's been built on a soundstage. Your dad is an actor on a popular soap opera, which is a type of TV show that goes on for years and years. Today, you and your family are on set to watch him film a scene. The camera's prepared to roll. The director takes a seat behind a small monitor and yells to the room once again.

Your dad stands up from the table. He glares at the man sitting across from him. I can't believe you've kept the secret from me for so long. How could you do this? Because I was indebted to you. Even though you're supposed to be quiet while the cameras are rolling, you gasp. You can't help it. So you know you're looking at your dad. Right now he seems like a totally different person.

smiley guy you see every day at home has suddenly turned dramatic and emotional right before your eyes. It's like magic. Your dad shakes hands with the other actor, then rushes over to you on the other side of the set and wraps you in a hug. Well, what did you think? That was so cool. Were you really mad at that guy? Your dad laughs. Of course not. That was just acting. But it's a lot of fun to watch is

You nod. Acting was a lot of fun to watch, but you wonder if it would be even more fun if you could do it yourself. You look back up at your dad, determined. I want to be an actor, just like you. But I don't want to wait until I'm grown up. I want to get started now. You expect your mom and dad to break into big grins at this announcement. But instead, they just look at each other.

Your dad takes a breath, then motions for you to follow him into his dressing room. Did you say something wrong? Your dad only ever has this look on his face when he means business. So, you wanna be an actor, huh? Yes. It looks so fun. Your dad takes a seat on the couch. Well, being an actor can be really fun, and it feels great to be part of making art. But for some types of jobs, there are trade-offs.

You know how you love school, playing with your friends at recess and hanging out with teachers and doing science experiments in class? Yeah, like when we made volcanoes. Well, if you were an actress right now, you might have to miss months and months of stuff like that. You'd still go to school on set, but it's not the same as being with your friends in regular school. To be a professional actor as a kid, it sometimes means choosing between your job and other things you love.

You try to accept what your dad is trying to tell you. That if you want to be an actor, you'd have to give up some really important parts of your life. It's almost like he's saying you'd have to give up being a kid. But on the other hand, being an actor sounds awesome. I can be on TV and be a kid. Your dad opens his mouth to respond, but you both hear a knock on the door. It's time for him to film his next scene. We'll continue this conversation later.

As you stand with your mom and watch your dad work, you cross your arms feeling determined. You want to prove to him and to yourself that you can do both. Be an actor and be a regular kid. How hard could it be? You already have the whole being a kid thing down. Now, you just have to figure out how to be an actor.

To be a professional actor, you know from your dad that the first step is doing auditions, trying out for different roles. You audition for every play and musical that your elementary school puts on. In middle school, you even audition for a well-known dance academy and are selected to Touring group of dancers that performs a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little

TV. When you're 10 years old, you move with your family from New York City to Manhattan Beach, California. There, you make lots of friends in your new town and school, all while continuing to audition. This time for money. Much bigger opportunities. Before you know it, you get an audition for a TV show and Take the lead role. But in order to act in the show, a lot about your life has to change.

The show doesn't film in California, which means that you have to say goodbye to all the friends you've made and move from sunny California to snowy Utah. Your new schedule makes it almost impossible to see your friends anymore. And just like your dad told you years ago, you get an onset teacher instead of going to a normal school. But you're acting in a TV show. What else could you want?

After your first show wraps, you only briefly return to high school before booking your next big project. But something's beginning to feel different. While your friends are getting their driver's licenses, having sleepovers, and deciding what to wear to school dances, you're on set thousands of miles away.

Your dad was right. The acting life is hard. You were so sure all those years ago when you told your dad you could find a way to act and be a kid. But now you're starting to worry that you might have been wrong. You're 17 years old, on the set of your second movie. In this scene, you're on the dance floor of a ballroom, surrounded by adults in fancy suits and ties.

You're playing a high school senior who'll do anything to get into her dream college. Facing you is another actor. When the director yells action, you're supposed to slow dance with him. For a moment, you catch yourself thinking not about what the script tells you to do, but instead, about what your friends might be doing right this second. You wish they were here. Or maybe that you were there.

But you can't think about them right now. The scene is about to start. The cinematographer, the person who's responsible for how the film looks on screen, sets the camera just a few feet from your face. You wait for the director's cue. Action! You start slow dancing with your scene partner, who plays the star athlete at your high school. He looks straight into your eyes and then delivers his line. When you look back on high school, What do you think your biggest regret will be?

For a moment, it feels like you can't breathe. You knew this line was in the script, but it still catches you off guard when you hear it out loud. You try to stay in character, but all you can think about is what your biggest regret would be.

And if you're really being honest with yourself, as you look around the stuffy room at all of the actors playing stuffy adults, you know what your biggest regret would be. Because it's happening right now. Your friends are going to prom and preparing for college. Well you're here on set, pretending to go to prom and prepare for college.

You shut your eyes, imagining just for a moment that all of your friends are here in this ballroom with you, dancing the night away as if there's no tomorrow. Then you hear the director. You snap back to the moment and open your eyes. Oops! You were so caught up in your thoughts, you forgot to say your line. The other actor stares at you, looking baffled. Uh are you okay? Everyone is staring at you, wondering why you weren't in character. You feel a little embarrassed, so you force a smile.

Oh, I'm good. Just got a little distracted. Sorry everyone. You shove your thoughts away and finish the scene. You don't have a choice. This is your job. You think back to when you were little, visiting your dad on set. He warned you about this, that acting might mean leaving your friends behind and missing out on normal teenage life. You thought you could balance it all, but right now has to change.

You love acting, but even after you finish filming the movie, that one line still echoes in your head: the one about regret. Your friends are all accepting offers to college, and you realize that deep down, you don't want to miss out on yet another part of being a kid. You want to go to college. You get accepted into Columbia University in New York City, not too far from where you were born.

You love the idea of living in a city full of museums and theater and art, all things you love, but haven't had much time to explore since you've been so busy acting. Going to college means you'll be taking classes. Every day and living on campus in the dorms and meeting tons of new people. It's time to prepare for your hardest role yet: a college free.

It's a hot sunny August day and you're at Columbia University. Today is your first day of class and your family is here to help send you off into your new chapter. You take a breath, feeling nervous. Your dad catches your eye. You're gonna do great. How can you be so sure? He and your mom both shrug, in a way that says, We just know. Your mom gives you a hug. We don't know anybody who fights as hard as you do for what they want. What do you mean?

Your dad motions to the sprawling campus before you. Well You're starting college and you don't want to miss a thing, but you also don't want to give up on acting. That's a tough problem for anyone to figure out. A kid or an adult. So what did you do? You got a role on an animated TV show, so you can record your lines from here at college instead of traveling to a set. You really figure things out. You smile at your parents because you know they're right. After all these years, you finally

Wide, beautiful world. It's all about balance, and you're thrilled to have figured out how to find it. You spot your roommate in the crowd, and she waves. You hug your family, then you take a deep breath and walk off into campus.

Your future. As a student at Columbia, you have a blast during this new chapter of your life, and you're so glad you didn't skip it. While having fun at school, you're also studying hard as you work towards your new biggest goal. Graduating college. At the same time, you continue pursuing your career, acting in movies and TV shows when you can make time in your busy schedule.

You're nominated for Favorite Female TV Star at the Kids' Choice Awards and Best Actress in a Superhero Movie at the Critics Choice Super Awards. You win Best Young Ensemble in a TV series at the Young Entertainer Awards. And they are named to both Variety's Youth Impact Report and the Hollywood Reporter's top stars under 18.

As someone who is half Chinese, you explore what being of Asian descent means to you. You travel with your family to China and document your journey in collaboration with Disney, and always make sure to highlight the incredible Asian Have paved the way before you in your career. By demonstrating your pride in who you are, you quickly become an important role model to other mixed-race kids.

They look up to you as someone who has achieved their dreams by working hard while also staying true to their family heritage. At 19 years old, you've already captured the hearts.

all around the world. You are Peyton Elizabeth Lee. From Wondery, this is Who's Amazing Life. This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details. While we can't know exactly what was said, we use many sources when researching our stories. Some that were particularly helpful include.

Peyton's interview on the Quitters podcast with Julie Bowen and Chad Sanders, and her interview with the Center for Asian American Media. Special thank you to Peyton's parents, Andy and Jenny Lee. I'm your host, Isabella Way. This episode was written by Jonathan

Sound design by Lucas Siegel. Additional audio assistance is by Sergio Enriquez. Deszi Blaylock and Matt Gantt are our managing producers. Megan Bagala, Jenny Bloom, and Jennifer Klein Walker are our senior producers. Executive producers are Lauren D., Marcia Lewey, and Aaron O'Flarity for Wonder.