Leah Lewis
{{short description|American actress (born 1996)}}
{{distinguish|Lia Lewis}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Leah Lewis
| image = Leah Lewis 2023 02.jpg
| caption = Lewis in July 2023
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|12|9}}
| birth_place = Shanghai, China
| education =
| nationality = American
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 2005–present
}}
Leah Lewis (born December 9, 1996{{Cite web|title='The Half Of It' Star Leah Lewis Really Wanted to Cry During That Dumpling Scene|url=https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a32335137/the-half-of-it-leah-lewis-interview-netflix/|last=Feller|first=Madison|date=May 2, 2020|website=ELLE|language=en-US|access-date=May 3, 2020|archive-date=May 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505014742/https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a32335137/the-half-of-it-leah-lewis-interview-netflix/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Turning 22 means CHAAANGGGE. This is the year. Low key, last year was the year too. 21 brought so much love into my life. The growth is worth a smile and a half. The experiences exceeded what I'd ever expect the year to have had, and the people have made my last year feel like the best most entertaining rom-com. I am so happy and so grateful to experience life. Thank you. Here's a ridiculous video of me ripping off my 21 year old skin.|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BrLfwWoAdGy/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/leahmlewis/1930776527528645042 |archive-date=December 25, 2021 |url-access=registration|last=leahmlewis|date=December 9, 2018|website=Instagram|access-date=}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|title=Payson Lewis on Instagram: "the absolute happiest of birthdays goes out to this spectacular cosmic ray of star shine; the one that keeps this big goofy smile glued to…"|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B53FQ7SDLiO/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/paysonlewis/2195246496764180622 |archive-date=December 25, 2021 |url-access=registration|website=Instagram|language=en|access-date=May 4, 2020}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|title=Leah Lewis - Rotten Tomatoes|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/leah_lewis|website=www.rottentomatoes.com|language=en|access-date=May 3, 2020|archive-date=December 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212023635/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/leah_lewis|url-status=live}}) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Georgia "George" Fan in The CW series adaptation of Nancy Drew (2019–2023) and Ellie Chu in the Netflix comedy-drama film The Half of It (2020). She also has starred in her voice lead role as Ember Lumen in the Pixar animated film Elemental (2023).
Early life and education
Lewis was adopted from an orphanage in Shanghai when she was six months old and raised in Windermere, Florida.{{Cite web|title=The Voice 2013|url=https://www.imdb.com/video/vi435988505|website=IMDb|access-date=May 3, 2020|archive-date=September 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904135251/https://www.imdb.com/video/vi435988505|url-status=live}} Her younger, non-biologically related sister, Lydia, was later adopted from the same orphanage. Their parents, Frederick and Lorraine Lewis, are both realtors.{{cite journal|url=https://www.tvovermind.com/leah-lewis/|title=10 Things You Didn't Know about Leah Lewis|journal=TVOvermind|first=Aiden|last=Mason|date=October 13, 2019|accessdate=April 9, 2020|archive-date=April 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411212414/https://www.tvovermind.com/leah-lewis/|url-status=live}}
Leah discovered performing arts at Crenshaw School in Orlando, Florida. She attended Thornebrooke Elementary School in Ocoee, Florida and Southwest Middle School in Orlando. She and her mother moved back and forth between Los Angeles and Orlando during her teen years. At 17, she went back to Orlando to finish high school at Olympia High School and then moved back to Los Angeles by herself at 20 in 2016.{{cite journal|url=https://www.orangeobserver.com/article/actress-leah-lewis-discovered-her-passion-while-growing-up-in-gotha|title=Actress Leah Lewis discovered her passion while growing up in Windermere|journal=Orange Observer|first=Tim|last=Freed|date=January 2, 2020|accessdate=April 9, 2020|archive-date=April 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411212429/https://www.orangeobserver.com/article/actress-leah-lewis-discovered-her-passion-while-growing-up-in-gotha|url-status=live}}
Career
At a young age, Lewis started acting in commercials. Once her family moved to Los Angeles, she acted in the 2012 Nickelodeon film, Fred 3: Camp Fred as the character Spoon.
In 2013, she auditioned for the fourth season of The Voice, singing "Blown Away" by Carrie Underwood. None of the coaches turned their chairs, meaning that she did not make it onto the show.{{Cite web|title=Leah Lewis Auditioned For The Voice|url=https://www.popsugar.com/node/47396364|last=Phillips|first=Hedy|date=April 27, 2020|website=POPSUGAR Celebrity|language=en-US|access-date=May 4, 2020}}
In 2015 and 2016, she was featured in the Disney shows Best Friends Whenever and Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything. She also was a main character on season 2 of the Michelle Trachtenberg-produced Go90 web series, Guidance.{{Cite web|title=Guidance - TV Review|url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/guidance|date=December 16, 2018|website=www.commonsensemedia.org|language=en|access-date=May 4, 2020|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517164450/https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/guidance|url-status=live}} Once she moved back to Los Angeles after graduating from high school, she began booking roles in TV shows like Station 19 and The Good Doctor. She had a recurring role in The CW series Charmed. She then later joined the main cast of another The CW show, a 2019 TV adaptation of Nancy Drew on which she plays Georgia "George" Fan, based on the original character George Fayne.
Her first major film role was as the lead character, Ellie Chu, in the 2020 Netflix film, The Half of It.{{cite journal|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/leah-lewis-alexxis-lemire-star-netflix-teen-romance-it-1203642|title=Leah Lewis, Alexxis Lemire to Star in Alice Wu's 'The Half of It' Teen Romance for Netflix|journal=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Etan|last=Vlessing|date=April 22, 2019|accessdate=April 9, 2020|archive-date=May 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501161711/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/leah-lewis-alexxis-lemire-star-netflix-teen-romance-it-1203642|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/the-half-of-it-netflix-leah-lewis-ellie-chu-interview|title=Netflix's "The Half of It" Star Leah Lewis Explains Why Ellie Chu's Story Is Vital to the Coming-of-Age Canon|website=Teen Vogue|date=May 2020|accessdate=May 2, 2020|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101034911/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/the-half-of-it-netflix-leah-lewis-ellie-chu-interview|url-status=live}} She starred alongside Mamoudou Athie in the 2023 Pixar animated film Elemental directed by Peter Sohn, which she voiced the character Ember Lumen in her main role of the film.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/17/23464614/pixar-elemental-teaser-trailer|last=Webster|first=Andrew|website=TheVerge|title=Elemental's first teaser trailer is a steamy meet-cute from Pixar|date=November 17, 2022|access-date=November 17, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/23724121/elemental-voice-cast-director-pixar-peter-sohn-interview|title=How The Good Dinosaur's director found his perfect Elemental cast|website=Polygon|first=Petrana|last=Radulovic|access-date=May 16, 2023|date=May 16, 2023|archive-date=May 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517062245/https://www.polygon.com/23724121/elemental-voice-cast-director-pixar-peter-sohn-interview|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/elemental-trailer-pixar-1235356099/|title= 'Elemental' Trailer: Pixar Unveils an Eye-Popping New World Where Fire, Earth, Water and Air Co-Exist|work=Variety|date= November 17, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/elemental-disney-pixar-teaser-trailer/|title='Elemental' Teaser Trailer Introduces Disney-Pixar Audiences to Element City's Fire, Water, Land and Air Residents (Video)|website=TheWrap|date=November 17, 2022 }} In 2024 she was cast as Räv in Paramount's animated film The Tiger's Apprentice.{{Cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mercedes |date=2023-12-07 |title=Teaser: 'The Tiger's Apprentice' Brings Mythical Martial Arts Tale to Paramount+ on Feb. 2 |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/12/teaser-the-tigers-apprentice-brings-mythical-martial-arts-tale-to-paramount-on-feb-2/ |access-date=2023-12-07 |website=Animation Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=2020-11-10 |title='Half of It' Star Leah Lewis Joins Henry Golding in Paramount Animation's 'The Tiger's Apprentice' (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/half-of-it-star-leah-lewis-joins-henry-golding-in-paramount-animations-the-tigers-apprentice-exclusive-4090719/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Beyond acting, Lewis sings, plays guitar, and does photography.{{Cite web|title=Leah Lewis Is a Budding Photographer|url=https://www.popsugar.com/node/47396360|last=Phillips|first=Hedy|date=April 27, 2020|website=POPSUGAR Celebrity|language=en-US|access-date=May 4, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Ellie Chu in 'The Half of It' Is Leah Lewis' Breakout Role|url=https://www.distractify.com/p/ellie-chu-the-half-of-it|website=Distractify|date=April 10, 2020|language=en|access-date=May 4, 2020|archive-date=May 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200516203329/https://www.distractify.com/p/ellie-chu-the-half-of-it|url-status=live}} In May 2016, she began dating singer and actor Payson Lewis.{{Cite web|title=Leah Lewis on Instagram: "1 year down, forever to go. @paysonlewis"|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BUCWvEqjrjh/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/leahmlewis/1513872416597522657 |archive-date=December 25, 2021 |url-access=registration|website=Instagram|language=en|access-date=May 4, 2020}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|title=Leah Lewis Has Been With Her Boyfriend For Years|url=https://www.popsugar.com/node/47396363|last=Phillips|first=Hedy|date=April 27, 2020|website=POPSUGAR Celebrity|language=en-US|access-date=May 4, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=5 things to know about Leah Lewis, star of Netflix's The Half of It|url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3083401/5-things-know-about-leah-lewis-chinese-american-star|date=May 8, 2020|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|access-date=May 9, 2020|archive-date=May 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509075139/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3083401/5-things-know-about-leah-lewis-chinese-american-star|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Who is Leah Lewis dating? Is Payson Lewis her boyfriend?|url=https://www.popbuzz.com/tv-film/features/leah-lewis/payson-lewis-boyfriend-dating/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920042205/https://www.popbuzz.com/tv-film/features/leah-lewis/payson-lewis-boyfriend-dating/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 20, 2020|website=PopBuzz|language=en|access-date=May 9, 2020}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Nanking | Banner Girl | |
| rowspan=2|2020 | The Half of It | Ellie Chu | |
| How to Deter a Robber | Heather Williams | ||
| 2023 | Elemental | Ember Lumen (voice) | |
| 2024 | The Tiger's Apprentice | Räv (voice) |
=Television=
=Web=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=3|2016 | Sing It! | Sophie Chu | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
| Teens React | Herself | 2 episodes | |
| Guidance | Liddy | Main role (season 2) | |
| 2018 | My Dead Ex | Amber | Episode: "The Z Word" |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Song
! Year ! Artist ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| "Love Generation"
| 2005 | Bob Sinclar featuring Gary Pine |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result !Ref. |
|---|
| 2013
| rowspan=2|Young Artist Awards | Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, Special or Pilot - Leading Actress | {{nom}} |
| rowspan=2|2016
| Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Actress | Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything | {{nom}} |
| Young Entertainer Awards
| Best Guest Starring Young Actress - Television Series | {{nom}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|2301427}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Leah}}
Category:Actresses from Florida
Category:Actresses from Shanghai
Category:American film actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:American web series actresses
Category:Chinese emigrants to the United States
Category:People from Orange County, Florida