Hana Mae Lee on her Breakout Role in Pitch Perfect
Photo of Hana (middle row, on the right) in Pitch Perfect courtesy of Universal1/5Female comedians are having a big moment. How does it feel to be part of movie led by almost all women?
"Bridesmaids really pushed the boundary for all of us. From Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 to New Girl, female comics are taking the lead. In Pitch Perfect, we have such strong female voices and comedy skills. It's such a pivotal thing that we needed, and all I can say is, 'it's about time!'"
Photo courtesy of Troy Jensen at Current Studio2/5Can you tell us about your character in Pitch Perfect?
"I play Lilly, a very quiet and shy new member of the a cappella group, The Barden Bellas. When she does speak, she's very fierce with what she says. She doesn't care what people think. As new members join the Bellas, it becomes a group of misfits. Lily makes the group different, and she also learned how to beat-box, which turns the group around."
What did you perform at your audition?
"I didn't know that I had to sing for my audition! I performed an original Korean folk song because that type of music has all these different levels of octaves. I also sang Bryan Adams' '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You,' just to be a little funny."
Photo courtesy of Troy Jensen at Current Studio3/5Do you have any tips for girls who want to pursue stand-up comedy?
"Stand-up is interesting because you'll do the same set for one crowd and they'll go crazy, and then you'll do the same set for another crowd, and it's quiet. It seems very intimidating because it's just you up there. But if you say a joke and it doesn't work, you can make fun of it and the crowd will laugh. Then, rewrite it and try it again two or three times afterwards. I think that everyone, especially if they want to do comedy, should try stand-up. With a live audience, you know what works right away. As a stand-up comedian, you get to shape the way you present yourself to your audience. It's a great way to market yourself."
Did you improvise while filming Pitch Perfect?
"This script was written by Kay Cannon, the writer and producer of 30 Rock, and it was so funny. The director, Jason Moore, gave us time to improv too. When you're on a riff, it takes the scene someplace that you didn't expect it to go to."
Photo courtesy of Troy Jensen at Current Studio4/5What music are you currently listening to?
"I’m really into Fun’s ’We Are Young’ and Gotye. Mike Tompkins is a major YouTube a cappella guy and he actually takes songs like ’We Are Young’ and ’Starship’ and makes his own beats and does his own vocals. His renditions like the original songs, but he uses no instruments! We just did a music video with him for Pitch Perfect with ’Starship.’ Fans submitted videos of them performing the song, and he incorporated everybody’s submissions along with the cast."
Are you working on any other projects?
"I perform my stand-up all over Los Angeles, and I’m working on selling a few television pilots. This is my first really big movie!"
Photo courtesy of Troy Jensen at Current Studio5/5You also have a fashion line. What has inspired your collections?
"My line is called Hanamahn, which means 'just one' in Korean. A lot of my pieces are one-of-a-kind, and I use specific stones in my jewelry that are very unique, I don't make the same one twice. I like to use silks, wool, and leather in my clothes– the best quality of fabrics. This season, my collection's about humor—making light of a situation, but still looking fabulous. I'm very happy that they put two of my vests in , and one's on the movie poster. There's one vest that's inspired by my character called Knit Perfect, and it's in one of the last scenes of the movie."
