MeeWha Alana Lee (born December 31, 1958) is an American actress and visual artist. She is best known for her roles in The Chair (2021 TV series) and Umma (2022 film).
Early life Lee was born in Masan, South Korea. She received her BFA degree from Seoul National University. She moved to the United States in 1982, receiving her MFA degree in Design and Drawing from the University of Iowa.
Art and design Lee was a college graphic design professor and a brand design strategy executive for three global corporations. Her background in industrial and graphic design allowed her to participate in product and packaging development, which led to many US and global patents.
During and after her time in these careers, she has exhibited her design and studio art internationally. She curated an exhibition of Korean poster design that brought the works of 19 of Korea's leading graphic designers to a global audience and also exhibited and lectured on her own work in brand design. Her paintings have been shown in solo and group exhibitions around the United States and abroad. In 2021, she won the Butler Institute of American Art Award for her oil painting.
Acting career Lee came to acting late, as a way to honor the memory of her younger son, Alan, a film student who died in 2014.
She gained attention in movies such as Five Stars and on the stage. Her performance as a loving but stern grandmother in Parked in America garnered praise for her portrayal of a "wise advisor" to the main character.
In 2021, she appeared in the Netflix series, The Chair with Sandra Oh, harkening back to her academic career. According to Lee, she was cast in part because Oh wanted her to help "tell the story of academia, immigrants, women and especially women of color."
In 2022, she played the title role in the Sam Raimi film, Umma opposite Sandra Oh and Fivel Stewart. While her performance was lauded, the film was met with mixed reviews, many of which criticized the use of Korean imagery as "other".
Her performance in the 2025 film, G20 (film), garnered praise, being called the "unexpected" or "lowkey" MVP by several critics, while others praised her chemistry with lead Viola Davis or suggested that her character should be given a "sidequel".
Personal life Having lived in Iowa and Wisconsin for many years, she now resides in New York with her husband, Richard Masters, a coin designer for the US Mint.
Theater +YearTitleRoleNotes2017Twelve Angry WomenJuror #8/LeadOff-Broadway2018Casual CarpoolGrace/Lead2018 Take Ten Short Play Festival NYC (world premiere)2020Shared Ignorance Sign Changer Bill2021Miguk SaramHeeWon Kang2025Comfort WomenStaged reading
Filmography
Television
+YearTitleRoleNotes2018QueeringAngelaEpisode 2x03: Long Night2019TipsSusanTelevision pilot2019Awkwafina is Nora from QueensKorean Grandma #1Episode 1x02: Atlantic City2019The BlessingAuntie RubyEpisode 2: "The Aunties"2020RamyNew citizen #2Episode 2x05: "They"2020Parked in AmericaHalmoniTelevision film2021The ChairGrandma 1Episode 5: "The Last Bus in Town"2023A Murder at the End of the WorldEthelEpisode 1x02: "The Silver Doe"
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes2017NettlesHannahLead2018Don't Kill My Babies!Acting class patron2018Equal StandardOfficer Lee2018The ButcherLandlady2018Five StarsThe Korean WomanLead2019MirrorMrs. Cho2020Project Pay DayRestaurant owneras MeeWha Lee2021Good EggCard dealer #22022All I Want Is EverythingMrs. Kim2022UmmaUmmaTitle character2021Good EggCard dealer #22023A Great DivideGrandma Shim (Halmoni)2024JukGrandmother2025G20First Lady Han Min-Seo2025Meet Cute in ManhattanShirley Lin
Music videos
+YearTitleRoleArtist2017 Got DamnMeeWhaYyou2019Old MamaOld MamaMorgane Rondot2024Please, Please, PleaseArcade BossSabrina Carpenter
References
External links