Lee Johnson is a half-Korean, half-Caucasian ex-cellist turned writer from Honolulu, Hawai’i, who often surprises people with her very generic, very male, very NFL-star-sounding name — it’s like an unintentional pseudonym (thanks Mom and Dad!) — which, luckily, tends to work in her favor now that she lives in Los Angeles. Lee was the only child in an unconventional, artistic family — which meant she got way more attention than she ever wanted, especially when she was butchering Bach on the cello. That failed musical journey became a defining rift with her parents — and an early lesson in identity, ambition, and the art of letting go. Even though music was a painful part of her journey, listening to movie soundtracks inspired her to become a writer, and music leaves a lasting mark on every story she tells. Much like music, comedy became her way to combat loneliness, forge connection, and build community. Her work explores how relationships — both romantic and platonic — empower and challenge us, shaping independence and weaving community. Lee’s storytelling focuses on universal themes that bring people together while honoring unique identities, dismantling the myth of “Asian excellence,” and celebrating the weird, the broken, and the human.

When she’s not writing, Lee can be found on the tennis courts hating on pickleball, trying to fulfill her School of Rock dreams by playing “the cellooo” in a rock band, or traveling solo across the world.

• 2025 Co-Wrote/Produced Spam’d Short Film in Honolulu, Hawai’i

• 2024 ‘Ohina Labs Fellow & Winner of the Judge’s Award for Spam’d

• 2024 Disney Entertainment Television Writing Program finalist

• 2023 Paramount Writers Mentoring Program finalist

• In 2022, co-wrote and produced the finale of ABC’s Queens, a hip-hop drama starring Brandy Norwood and Eve, in collaboration with creator and showrunner Zahir McGhee (Harlem’s Kitchen, Scandal)

• Assistant Prop Master & On Set Prop Assistant on:

• Netflix’s Everything Sucks (2018)

• HBO’s Here and Now (2018)

• NBC’s Grimm (2014-2018)

• Credits her Art Department experience for honing her skills in crafting compelling visual stories

Career Highlights & Credentials