Lilan Bowden
Alice Lilan Bowden (born September 1, 1985) is an American actress, filmmaker, and comedian known for her role as Rebecca "Bex" Mack in Andi Mack.
Lilan Bowden | |
|---|---|
| Born | Alice Lilan Bowden[1] September 1, 1985[2] Castro Valley, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of California, Irvine |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2007–present |
Life and career
Lilan Bowden was born to a Taiwanese mother and American father. She attended Castro Valley High School where she had joined an improv club and graduated in 2002.[3] Bowden attended University of California, Irvine where she continued to perform in comedy. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles and joined the Upright Citizens Brigade. She also began writing videos with her writing partner Wilder Smith, featured on Funny or Die during this time.[4]
Bowden began auditioning for roles which was made difficult due to her mixed race heritage. "The roles you get as a minority usually cluster in certain category...I felt like every year I was going out and testing for at least one pilot where I was the sassy, ethnic best friend...I still think that we have a lot of work to do as far as entertaining someone who’s not white for the lead role of TV shows."[5] She suddenly auditioned for the show Andi Mack and got the role of Bex, the single young mother of the title. "I feel like I hit the jackpot!...It’s so exciting to be a part of a female dominant cast that is an Asian American family and doesn’t fit the model minority." She added that she finds the positive message of the show enticing and feels that she earned the role through perseverance.[4]
Bowden is set to direct upcoming film Becoming Eddie.[6]
Filmography
Directing
- Becoming Eddie (TBA)
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sex and the USA | Risa Reagan | |
| 2010 | Life After LOST: Ethan Adopts | Betty | Short film; also writer |
| 2010 | Interactive Lower Back Tattoos | Short film | |
| 2010 | The Year That I Was Born | Anna | Short film |
| 2010 | Running South | Dream Girl #3 | Short film |
| 2011 | Princess and the Pony | Chinese News Reporter | Direct-to-Video |
| 2011 | Kate Plus 8: College Years | Leah Gosselin | Short film |
| 2011 | Toddlers and Tiaras: Where Are They Now? | Pageant Mother | Short film |
| 2012 | Nazis at the Center of the Earth | May Yun | Direct-to-Video |
| 2012 | I Survived: Celebrity Massages | Short film | |
| 2012 | Robby's Birthday | Darlene | Short film |
| 2012 | Rise of the Zombies | Jun Nagase | Direct-to-Video |
| 2012 | Happy Place | Short film | |
| 2013 | Sexy Single Solutions | Sexy Hotline Single | Short film |
| 2013 | The Gravity Gun | Alyx Vance | Short film |
| 2013 | A Leading Man | Andrea | |
| 2013 | Lilan and Wilder Get Up Early | Lilan | Short film; also writer |
| 2014 | The Liarist | Short film | |
| 2014 | Malaysia Airlines Is Super Sorry | Short film | |
| 2014 | Normal Best Friends Say Bye | Lilan | Short film; also writer |
| 2014 | OkCupid's Human Experiments | Short film | |
| 2014 | Super Heroes vs. Game Heroes | Alyx | Short film |
| 2015 | The Worst Year of My Life | Bakery Worker | |
| 2015 | Til It Happens to You | Lilan | Short film |
| 2016 | Wake Up America! | Sandrea | |
| 2016 | Rumble in the Valley | Bone | Short film |
| 2016 | Dicky Sledgehammer: The Case of Sunday Stone | Detective Yew | |
| 2017 | Mr. Roosevelt | Sunni | |
| 2017 | Cavemansplaining | Ava | Short film |
| 2017 | The Mad Ones | 'Slacksters' Monika | |
| 2017 | The Vomit Solution to Thirsty Men | Gal on Street / Dance Club Girl | Short film; also writer and director |
| 2017 | Linds | Lindsey | Short film |
| 2018 | Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss By Passing Through the Gateway Chosen By the Holy Storsh |
Anthea | |
| 2018 | The Odd Essay | Athena | |
| 2018 | Good Deed | Susan | |
| 2019 | The Roommate | Shreya | Short film |
| 2020 | Come Find Me | Allison | Short film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Gullible Gil | Jane | 4 episodes |
| 2009-2015 | UCB Comedy Originals | Various | 5 episodes |
| 2011 | Zombie Apocalypse | Myra | TV Movie |
| 2012 | The Silicon Assassin Project | Karina | Episode: "The Wall" |
| 2012 | Let It Go | Trisha | TV Pilot |
| 2013 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Penny | Episode: "The Great Train Stoppery" |
| 2013 | Days of Our Lives | Hotel Clerk | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Hart of Dixie | Collette | Episode: "How Do You Like Me Now?" |
| 2013 | Youth Large | Karle Busse | TV Pilot |
| 2014 | Conan | Lesbian Zombie | Episode: "The Cast of The Walking Dead/White Denim" |
| 2014 | The Pete Holmes Show | Chun-Li | Episode: "Paul Scheer: Interview #2" |
| 2014 | Jilted Women Retell Classic Love Stories | Scarlett's Bestie | Episode: "Scarlett and Rhett" |
| 2014 | Suburgatory | Monique | Episode: "Catch and Release" |
| 2014 | Parks and Recreation | Sam Nut | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | Futurestates | Employer | Episode: "As You Were" |
| 2014 | Geek Cred | Super Fan | Episode: "Nerdrage Against the Machine" |
| 2014 | Newsreaders | Question Woman | Episode: "Go Nadz; Talkin' News" |
| 2015 | Childrens Hospital | Sauna Staffer | Episode: "Codename: Jennifer" |
| 2015 | Highly Evolved Human | Breezy | 1 episode |
| 2015 | Falling Flat | Karen | TV Movie |
| 2015 | Life in Pieces | Waitress | Episode: "Hospital Boudoir Time-Out Namaste" |
| 2015 | Adam Ruins Everything | Network Lawyer | Episode: "Adam Ruins Security |
| 2015 | Cool Media Gal | Episode: "Adam Ruins Nutrition" | |
| 2015 | Filthy Preppy Teens | Darcy Bishop | Main cast |
| 2016 | The UCB Show | Episode: "Ghost Trusters" | |
| 2016 | Dice | Hostess | Episode: "Sal Maldonado" |
| 2016 | I Am Watching You | Karen | TV Movie |
| 2016 | This Isn't Working | Susie | Episode: "A Very Special Episode" |
| 2016 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Camper | Episode: "Gillian Jacobs Wears a Gray Checkered Suit and a Red Bow Tie" |
| 2017 | Channel Zero | Survivor | TV Movie |
| 2017 | Love | Doorperson | Episode: "The Work Party" |
| 2017 | Lifeline | Jasmine | 2 episodes |
| 2017–2019 | Andi Mack | Rebecca "Bex" Mack | Main cast |
| 2018 | The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale | Aashleigh R. | Episode: "Coffee Is Delicious" |
| 2018 | The 5th Quarter | Wanda Gotski | Episode: "Field of Screams" |
| 2019 | Future Man | Fox | Episode: "Countdown to a Prologue" |
| 2019 | Drunk History | Elisa Boyer | Episode: "Legacies" |
| 2019 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Sara | Episode: "A Woman's Right to Chop" |
| 2020 | Indebted | Hannah | Episode: "Everybody's Talking About Hot Goss" |
| TBA | Truck'd Up | Lily | TV Movie |
Web
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Gay of Thrones | Herself | Episode: "The Laws of Gay Men" |
| 2015 | CollegeHumor's Comedy Music Hall of Fame | Subway Representative | TV Special |
| 2015-2016 | CollegeHumor Originals | Various | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | The Filth | Chloe | 2 episodes |
References
- Janet Varney (April 4, 2019). "Episode #317: Lilan Bowden". The JV Club Podcast (Podcast). Event occurs at 17:30. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- Levin, Joe (September 1, 2017). "Happy Birthday, Lilan Bowden She Turns 32 Today". TOTPI. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- Bracy, Brittany (May 31, 2017). "Screen star Lilan Bowden returns to her roots". CVHS Olympian. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- Rachel Ann Cauilan (January 23, 2018). "Bowden Breaks Through with Disney's 'Andi Mack'". Kore Asian Media. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- Nguyen, Hanh (October 11, 2017). "Asian American TV Actors Expose the Difficulty of Landing Parts – With or Without an Accent". Indie Wire. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- Ramos, Dino-Ray (June 12, 2019). "'Andi Mack's Lilan Bowden To Direct Comedy 'Becoming Eddie' From Ed Lee". Deadline. Retrieved June 13, 2019.