jo-anne lee
jo-anne lee
jo-anne lee
ACTOR | PRODUCER
SAG-AFTRA | BASED IN NEW YORK
jo-anne lee
ACTOR | PRODUCER
SAG-AFTRA | BASED IN NEW YORK

I guess you can say I’m a bit of a world traveler. I was born in Singapore, a kid who apologized to gates if I bumped into them, but wanted to be cool like Jo Polniaczek of ‘The Facts of Life’, lived in Hong Kong, Columbus, Indiana (I know, super exotic), Melbourne, Australia where I spent over three years finding myself, developing a strong pool hustle…oh yeah and I guess getting a dance degree. I developed a keen eye for observing people and being a chameleon - a useful trait for someone always a little bit on the fringe, an outsider looking in.
I got myself to New York with dreams of being a dancer, which I did for many years performing and touring with a contemporary dance company. But as life in New York will do, ended up not only dancing, but literally falling into acting via a dive roll and a punch, and landed my first acting gig as the lead badass avenging assassin in Timothy Haskell’s fight play “The Jaded Assassin”.
Post production led to me to belatedly study kung fu and muay thai and it’s led to a bunch of cool things where I get to pretend I’m a total badass kicking the s*** out of people.
I played the stunt double/Keanu handler in the NYC cast of “Point Break Live”, a theatre parody of the cult classic movie, and was the lead in the indie short action film “Arson”.
About me


While I can play a killer bad ass, I’ve also landed roles as the supportive but sarcastic best friend, the unamused hipster bartender, and the tough as nails softball coach.
I’ve studied acting with Caymichael Patten, Seamus McNally and continue my on-camera technique with Matt Newton and Van Hansis at the MN Acting Studio.
Not one to sit on my laurels, I recently completed a dark comedic short film I co-wrote and co-produced about a marine special operative who has to deal with a time-sensitive bomb defusing situation and a collapsing marriage. This year I also booked the role of upper middle class mom in my first major studio feature film, as well as a co-star role on a new HBO series, and I’m writing and developing a TV pilot as a starring vehicle for myself.
For all the spinning roundhouses and ass-kicking, I promise I’m actually a real softie and am a blubbering mess watching dog movies. I love this adventure called Life, and I love the people who make up a part of this so very interesting journey.
Now let’s go tell some stories.


recent news

Supporting role in George Clooney's
"The tender Bar"
During March in the midst of the pandemic, I got flown out to Boston to shoot a supporting role in "The Tender Bar" directed by George Clooney, starring Ben Affleck, Christopher Lloyd, Lily Rabe and Tye Sheridan (whose scene I got to be in!)

Co-star role on
"And Just like that"
Thrilled to have booked a fun co-star role on the new "Sex and the City" reboot premiering on HBO Max in December!

"a significant problem"
Super proud of my first short film that I co-wrote and co-produced with Jacob A. Ware, directed by Trish Harnetiaux, is officially completed! We have just started the festival submission process and can't wait to share this with the world!