Biography

Ethan Josh Lee is an American actor. He is best known for Wes Anderson's film Asteroid City and the NBC sitcom Mr. Robinson.

Starting to perform in elementary school theater productions, Ethan began his acting career working on commercials. In 2015, he worked on the short-lived NBC sitcom Mr. Robinson, working with actors such as Craig Robinson and Peri Gilpin. He also guest-starred and co-starred in television shows including Southland, Mortal Kombat: Legacy, The Middle, K.C. Undercover, and The Mick. He acted in a number of indie films such as The Bird Who Could Fly and Kajillionaire. Additionally, Ethan has worked behind the camera; he created and directed the documentary NicoTeen, which screened at film festivals in 2019.

In Wes Anderson's latest film Asteroid City, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023, Ethan portrays the character Ricky Cho, a science prodigy and student journalist. The film, set in a fictional 1950s town in the American southwest, presents an interweaving story exploring the complexity of life, art, and the vast unknown. Ethan's character adds to the ensemble cast navigating this unique world, blending theatrical elements with Anderson's signature cinematic style.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Ethan has studied acting, voice, and improvisation. His father immigrated from South Korea and is a clinical professor at UCLA. His mother, who came to the US as an exchange student in college, works in finance.

Ethan graduated from Stanford University in June 2023 with a degree in Political Science and Honors in International Security Studies. He is currently based in New York City.
- IMDb mini biography by: Shanah Park

To film the jetpack sequence in Asteroid City, Ethan maneuvered in a harness thirty feet above the ground with temperatures reaching close to 100 degrees fahrenheit.

Ethan ate approximately fifty bowls of chili in one sitting while filming the picnic scene in Asteroid City.

When filming Asteroid City in Spain, Ethan started the first three weeks of his junior fall quarter of college remotely.

Ethan was trained in improvisation at Second City in Hollywood.

Ethan was awarded the John Holland Slusser World Peace Prize, which recognizes the Stanford undergraduate thesis best demonstrating excellence in the analysis of one or more steps toward world peace.