'Pitch Perfect' Star Hana Mae Lee on the Joys of Making a Women-Led Film

Since joining forces in the first movie and winning the a cappella world championship in the second, the fictional all-women's group the Bellas have gone through a lot, but in the third film, they face their biggest adversary yet: post-graduation life. Faced with meager job prospects after graduating college, the Bellas decide to reunite one last time for an overseas USO tour.

Broadly spoke to actress, model, comedian, and fashion designer Hana Mae Lee, who plays the quietly hilarious Lilly. Mae, who has had bangs before everyone else jumped on the bandwagon, opened up about the making of the women-led and directed film and what it’s like being an Asian-American actress in Hollywood.

BROADLY: This is the third Pitch Perfect , how was reuniting with the cast?
HANA MAE LEE: It was great, we all had a familiarity coming back to set. I think it has been almost six years since the first rehearsal and it has been really fun because we have the same choreographer, vocal arrangers. It feels like going back to summer camp when you’re a kid.

What was it like learning all new choreography?
Awful. Well not awful but as you get older, it gets harder. When I was younger, the more crazy the moves, the more interesting they are. Now that I’m older, I’m asking AJ, our choreographer: Is this going to be ok for our back later on? Or our necks? It’s funny how that has changed a lot. There are crazy dances and I was like, "Oh shit, am I going to be able to do that? Am I going to look weird and uncool now that I’m much older?" Thoughts like that never even occurred to me until recently.

Your character Lilly saved the day in the second movie, what can we look out for in the third movie?
Oh my goodness. It’s going to be really fun this third time. I don’t want to give it away because it’s a nice surprise. But let me say this, we are always surprised by Lilly.

You have a background in design. Is it fun seeing and working with costume designer Salvatore Perez?
Everyone has their own style in the movie. It’s great because every character is so different, everyone is a singular person and Sal’s great. With Lilly, since the beginning he just got her really well, we have the patterns and the fit of not showing too much skin. It’s always really fun working with him on Lilly because we get to take her to the extremes. Most people wouldn’t wear checks and prints together, but with Lilly it’s a mismatch of all of that—but it works.

Do you feel a certain responsibility as a visible Asian-American actor in America?
Well it’s weird, I grew up in America, so I never thought, "I’m Korean, I’m Asian, I only have Asian friends." All of my friends growing up were very diverse so before coming into this industry, I forgot. I looked up to actresses like Drew Barrymore, people who are funny and charming. But once I entered the film industry, people started asking me: Can you do ninja skills? Can you do karate? Can you do an accent? And I answered, "Yeah I can do an English accent!" Then they were like, "No, that’s not the right one" and I was like, "That’s right, I’m Asian."

I always want to make people laugh and I’m happy when I make that happen. I love representing my yellow.

You’re a stand-up comedian, too. Do you think you bring those skills to Pitch Perfect ?
A lot of improv happens in the Pitch Perfect movies. With Lilly’s character, it’s a little hard because she’s so quiet and it’s kind of chaotic for me to get an improv in there except for facial expressions. What’s so great with improv is that you immediately know what works.

I keep it fresh, if the directors are ok with it. Some are sticklers for the script but for Pitch Perfect, Elizabeth Banks was very open to improv. It’s been a fun ride with everything, singing, dancing, everything else.

Bangs are the first thing I think of when I think of Lily. Do you still have bangs?
Girl, I will always have bangs. I tried to grow them out and I felt like my forehead was so naked. I love bangs.

2017 was a year for many things but it also seems to be the year where everyone got bangs.
To anyone who just got them: Welcome to the banging life.

I’m really into short bangs these days. Almost like Herman Munster bangs. I used to have super long bangs, they were very shapely. Now, they need to be super short. It’s more high fashion, it’s more edgy. I’m so glad bangs have caught on, they’re the perfect accessory.

Pitch Perfect is executive produced by Elizabeth Banks and directed by Trish Sie. What is it like having a role in a women-led film? Does having women in charge bring something different to set?
Now it’s kind of changing, but most roles that women get are like, you’re the best friend of the lead and she doesn’t really have many lines because she supports her husband. This movie is great because women always have goals, women are constantly making moves. This movie shows all sides of many women’s personalities and its shown through the vision of a woman.

I think people will gravitate to this not only because it's rare but it’s also fun to experience.