By Tiffany Feng
Staff Writer
Stepping up in front of the camera, Manhattan Beach Middle School 7th grader Peyton Lee takes the spotlight as she obtains an acting opportunity for Disney’s new show Andi Mack.
After playing roles on television shows such as Shameless and Scandal, Lee landed a spot in the new Disney show, Andi Mack, which premiered on Disney Channel on April 7. Lee plays the lead role of Andi Mack, an 8th grader that battles the hardships of middle school and crushes and later discovers an unexpected truth about her family.
Photos: Peyton Lee acts for Disney show Andi Mack
“When I auditioned for the show the biggest thing that drew me to the script was the character I played, I felt like I could relate a lot to her,” Lee said. “I think that helped me really become the character in a way and that made it easier to get the role.”
In October of 2015, Lee auditioned for the leading role of Andi through a long process that took place over a span of 2 and a half months. The auditions took place at either a casting studio in Hollywood or at the Disney Headquarters located in Burbank, California. Each round of auditions narrowed down a number of young actors but at the end Lee was able to get the job due to her resemblance in personality to the character she plays.
“Peyton’s real personality definitely shows through the character in the show,” Lee’s sister and Mira Costa freshman Ella Lee said. “I would say the major thing that the both of them share is compassion. Her character Andi is nice to everyone and my sister is very much like that.”
The series was filmed in Salt Lake City, Utah from September of 2016 to December 2016, producing one full season with 13 episodes. On set Lee had to learn to manage school and her social life in addition to acting which she also says was a very difficult task. To keep up with the same schooling her friends were receiving back home Lee was enrolled in an online program called Oak Park Independent Study that has a curriculum similar to that of MBMS.
Learn more about Oak Park Independent Study
“It was definitely difficult balancing acting and school while also staying in touch with my friends back at home,” Lee said. “Because of this I have learned how to be better at juggling multiple things. Oak Park was an amazing program but transitioning back for the second semester of school after was quite tricky and required a lot of work.”
Lee says that she has always aspired to become an actress. When she was younger, she had participated in school musical theater at Grand View Elementary School in Manhattan Beach. Her father, actor Andrew Lee, exposed her to the world of acting. Lee says he introduced her to the entertainment industry, helping guide her along as she became older and began taking acting classes and auditioning for films and shows.
Visit article about Lee’s acting journey
“My dad was really my inspiration to pursue acting,” Lee said. “He is an actor himself so when I saw him on TV I knew I really wanted it for myself and took any opportunity I could get to make that dream come true. Eventually I fell in love with being on stage and building a fictional world in my imagination for others to be inspired and impacted by.”
At the moment, Lee says she is taking a break from the cameras and spotlight and focusing more on her studies and spending more time with friends and family. She is open to any acting opportunities that may come her way in the future and hopes to someday act in a feature film Lee says.
“I think acting has definitely shaped me and my life in many ways,” Lee said. “Working on set amongst mostly adults really forced me to grow up extremely quickly. “It taught me responsibility and that hard work always pays off.”
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