Greta Lee has come a long way in the industry and with 2023’s Past Lives, she finally got the opportunity to be the lead of her own film. Previously, the actress was only known for being cast in supporting roles in TV shows such as Girls, Russian Doll, and The Morning Show.
The film has received several accolades and widespread love from audiences since its release. Despite being one of the highest-rated films of 2023, the film did not win any awards at recent major award ceremonies. Despite that, Lee is brimming with pride and is not slowing down in promoting the film.
Despite Oscar Snub, Greta Lee Continues to Make The Best Out of Her ‘Moment’
Celine Song’s Past Lives was one of the pleasant surprises of 2023 when it premiered on Sundance. The film starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro further found more overwhelming love from critics and audiences following its theatrical release in June 2023, The film told the heartbreaking story about childhood love, cultural identity, along with the importance of acceptance and closure.
The film is one of the highest-rated films of 2023 and it was nominated for several awards in various major award ceremonies. However, Lee and Song were not even nominated for Best Actress and Best Director at the upcoming Oscars. Fans have been calling it a big snub and have criticized the academy for not recognizing their contribution to the film.
Lee is not fazed by this as she has dealt with being ignored and undermined her whole life as an actress. After so many years in the industry, Past Lives was her first lead role and so she is making the most of it and trying her best to create more awareness about the film to people. She told Vanity Fair that she has been promoting the film for a year and wants to change her previous reality. She said,
“For myself and for other Asian American women, I don’t want to accept my previous reality—I can’t. I have to make up for lost time.”
Despite being criminally snubbed in the mentioned categories, the film is still nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture at the Oscars. Although the chances of winning either look slim, there is a slight hope of winning for Best Original Screenplay.
Greta Lee is Overwhelmed Hearing Heartwarming Reactions from Fans
Greta Lee‘s Past Lives has proven to be the ultimate tearjerker of 2023 and many people online have talked about its beautiful yet bittersweet story. Lee herself has experienced fans telling her how they felt after watching the film and the actress is extremely happy about how the film has been received universally.
Lee told various accounts of people’s experiences when they saw her in person to The Guardian. The actress stated that the film hits differently for different people who are at various stages in their lives. She said,
“I have really enjoyed the power of making people cry on sight. Once in a while, someone will say: ‘Sorry, I wasn’t expecting to see your face here at this coffee shop,’ with tears starting to well. Younger people will say something along the lines of: ‘I just started dating this guy, but I feel like I should break up with him because there’s just this other person I can’t forget about.’
I remember this one older couple who said they went on a walk after they saw the movie and just held hands and cried, talking about reconsidering their lives and renewing their vows for each other. I think depending on where you are in your life, it hits you differently.”
The huge success of the film has reinvigorated Lee’s career and she has currently become a big center of attention in Hollywood. She has already landed a role in Disney’s Tron: Ares opposite Jared Leto and Evan Peters. Fans can watch/rent Past Lives on Paramount+ or Prime Video.
