Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Jarry Lee

NYC-based model, actress, musician, and influencer Jarry Lee has been making headlines throughout her career. She’s been featured in publications that include Elite Daily, PopSugar, and Thrive Global as well as in the Netflix docuseries Dating Around. She’s also using her platform to bring awareness to mental health and anxiety and fighting for greater representation in the industry. Pop Culturalist caught up with Jarry to learn more about her and her exciting career.

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Jarry: I feel privileged to have had an upbringing that encouraged a passion for my creativity and the arts. My parents wanted me to have a very well-rounded skill set, so I studied classical piano, violin, and painting/drawing with private tutors. I also spent a lot of time reading and writing poetry. My childhood dream was to become a screenwriter, poet, or CIA field agent. The latter would probably be a bit less artistic, but I’m still obsessed with spies!

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Jarry: My partner has supported and encouraged me throughout my career, which gave me a greater foundation of self-belief and confidence. His firm belief in my abilities has been deeply motivating and uplifting. Plus, he’s always happy to help me prepare for auditions, even if he has to read some pretty silly lines out loud! [laughs] We’ve also auditioned for and been cast in a few shoots as a couple, which has been fun. On a larger scale, my parents instilled in me their values of hard work, perseverance, and the importance of education, so that is an influence I’ve carried throughout every part of my life.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Jarry: I was offered the opportunity to appear on Netflix’s first dating docuseries, Dating Around, in 2018. I agreed to participate because the producers encouraged me to speak openly about my bisexuality and the stigmas around it. Season 1 was released in February 2019, and I still frequently get messages on social media and run-ins with people in NYC who recognize me from it.

PC: You started your career off in journalism. How have those experiences prepared you for this chapter in your career?
Jarry: Having a background in writing and storytelling has helped me with many aspects of my career, especially when it comes to acting or even social media. My journalistic experience has improved my ability to imagine the inner lives and motivations of my characters as well as to create narratives that resonate with my audience.

PC: Having had all the success, what’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
Jarry: That it’s totally fine to turn things down, whether that’s a gig, role, or audition, etc. I used to try to do everything I was offered, but I quickly realized that my time is the most valuable. Overextending yourself because you don’t want to say no to anything might actually make you miss out on other better opportunities that ultimately may be a better fit for you.

PC: With so many different facets to your career, is it ever a challenge to manage it all?
Jarry: It can certainly be a challenge to juggle everything and maintain a work-life balance because I don’t have formal workday hours, so I’ll find myself working all day and night if I don’t set breaks for myself. Establishing a consistent hard stop to the workday helps. I also set aside time each week to visualize my current goals, and writing down a to-do list of small next steps I can take to make progress helps me stay motivated and narrows down my focus.

PC: Have you always known you wanted to use your platform to bring awareness to Asian representation in entertainment, bisexual/LGBTQ+ representation, and anxiety/mental health? Why are you so passionate about these topics?
Jarry: I’m passionate about increasing awareness to these topics because representation really matters. I never saw Asian models or people who looked like me in TV/film when I was growing up, for example, so I didn’t even consider it as a career possibility. Perhaps I could have gotten started earlier or taken more classes early on had that been different. Or had there been more publicly out bisexual role models, I might have felt comfortable to come out sooner. And I’ve opened up about my past personal struggles with anxiety and panic attacks in the hopes that sharing those experiences might help someone else feel a little less alone.

Many young Asian women—and men—have reached out to me and expressed that they feel inspired to see someone who looks like them working in entertainment and succeeding. The industry has begun to change and has become more accepting of diversity in recent times, but we still have a long way to go, and I want to be a part of fighting for that change. I hope my path inspires others to pursue their own passions and to know that they are not limited to only traditional careers.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Jarry: Gossip Girl No guilt though. I shamelessly love it!

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Jarry: The Devil Wears Prada.

PC: Favorite book?
Jarry: I can’t narrow it down to one all-time favorite, but I’m obsessed with Ocean Vuong’s collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Jarry: Last year, I loved seeing The Wrong Man, Jagged Little Pill, and Grand Horizons.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Jarry: I listen to mostly indie rock, so probably Kamini.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Jarry: Hopefully, I get to play myself.

To keep up with Jarry, follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Photo Credit: Nadia Tarra