Past Lives Greta Lee Explains Initial Rejection From Celine Song’s Film

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Past Lives Greta Lee Explains Initial Rejection From Celine Song’s Film

Greta Lee has garnered universal acclaim for her role as Nora Moon in Celine Song’s Past Lives, one of the breakout hits of 2023. However, Lee was initially rejected from the role that may earn her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

How Did Greta Lee Receive The Role of Nora Moon in Past Lives?

In an interview with Deadline, Lee first read the Past Lives script after it was emailed to her by her agent with the subject line, “Korean: Do you speak it?” After crying while reading the screenplay, Lee auditioned for the role. Unfortunately, Lee didn’t get the role.

“I totally fell in love with that script,” Lee said. “It felt like I immediately knew it was going to be something special, and I was desperate to be a part of it. So, I put myself on tape — and I didn’t get the job.”

A devastated Lee tried to forget about the script and move on. However, an important change in casting brought Lee back into the Past Lives universe one year later.

“I got a phone call completely out of the blue asking if I remembered Celine Song, and would I be willing and able to meet with her that same day over Zoom,” Lee added. “I was so confused, but apparently the casting had gone another way and there’d been some changes creatively. They were looking for — and I love this — ‘older’ actors. I said, ‘Oh, thank you very much. Here’s where I come in!'”

With “no time to prepare,” Lee gave it another shot and read scenes with Song. This time, Lee won the role of Nora, and the rest is history. Lee compared her journey to one of the main themes of Past Lives, which is the idea of fate.

“My experience with becoming part of this project mirrors the essence of the movie, this idea of inyeon: destiny and connectivity,” Lee explained. “I feel like the script and I were soulmates [laughs]. Celine likes to say she’s certain we were married in another lifetime, although I’m not entirely sure she means that completely in a positive way!”

A24’s Past Lives is now available on Blu-ray, digital, and DVD.