Lilan Bowden
Bowden in 2018
Born
Alice Lilan Bowden[1]

(1985-09-01) September 1, 1985 (age 38)[2]
Castro Valley, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of California, Irvine
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present
Partner(s)Nick Mandernach (2019–present; engaged)
Children1[3]

Alice Lilan Bowden (born September 1, 1985) is an American actress, filmmaker, and comedian. She is best known for her roles as Rebecca "Bex" Mack in Andi Mack and Amber Kang in the Netflix series Murderville.

Biography

She attended Castro Valley High School where she had joined an improv club and graduated in 2002.[4][5] Bowden attended University of California, Irvine where she continued to perform in comedy.[6] After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles and joined the Upright Citizens Brigade.[7] She also began writing videos with her writing partner Wilder Smith, featured on Funny or Die during this time.[8]

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."[9] She suddenly auditioned for the show Andi Mack and got the role of Bex, the single young mother of the title character. "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.[8]

Bowden directed the 2020 short film entitled, Becoming Eddie.[10]

Personal life

In 2022, Bowden joined current and past Disney employees who criticized Bob Chapek for refusing to criticize anti-LGBT legislation that was passed in Florida.[11] Bowden came out bisexual on Twitter in March 2022.[12]

She endorsed Eunisses Hernandez, Hugo Soto-Martinez, and Kenneth Mejia during the 2022 Los Angeles elections.[13][14]

In 2019, Bowden started dating actor, writer, and producer, Nick Mandernach. They became engaged in August 2022 after 3 years of dating.[15]

On May 16, 2023, Bowden announced she was pregnant with their first child.[16][17]

On July 30, 2023, Bowden revealed she had given birth to their son.[18]

Filmography

Filmmaking credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Sex and the USA Risa Reagan
2010 Life After LOST: Ethan Adopts Betty Short film; also writer
Interactive Lower Back Tattoos Short film
The Year That I Was Born Anna Short film
Running South Dream Girl #3 Short film
2011 Princess and the Pony Chinese News Reporter Direct-to-Video
Kate Plus 8: College Years Leah Gosselin Short film
Toddlers and Tiaras: Where Are They Now? Pageant Mother Short film
Zombie_Apocalypse_(film) Myrah Direct-to-Video
2012 Nazis at the Center of the Earth May Yun Direct-to-Video
I Survived: Celebrity Massages Short film
Robby's Birthday Darlene Short film
Rise of the Zombies Jun Nagase Direct-to-Video
Happy Place Short film
2013 Sexy Single Solutions Sexy Hotline Single Short film
The Gravity Gun Alyx Vance Short film
A Leading Man Andrea
Lilan and Wilder Get Up Early Lilan Short film; also writer
2014 The Liarist Short film
Malaysia Airlines Is Super Sorry Short film
Normal Best Friends Say Bye Lilan Short film; also writer
OkCupid's Human Experiments Short film
Super Heroes vs. Game Heroes Alyx Short film
2015 The Worst Year of My Life Bakery Worker
Til It Happens to You Lilan Short film
2016 Wake Up America! Sandrea
Rumble in the Valley Bone Short film
Dicky Sledgehammer: The Case of Sunday Stone Detective Yew
2017 Mr. Roosevelt Sunni
Cavemansplaining Ava Short film
The Mad Ones 'Slacksters' Monika
The Vomit Solution to Thirsty Men Gal on Street / Dance Club Girl Short film; also writer and director
Linds Lindsey Short film
2018 Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss Anthea
The Odd Essay Athena
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"
Let It Go Trisha TV Pilot
2013 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Penny Episode: "The Great Train Stoppery"
Days of Our Lives Hotel Clerk 2 episodes
Hart of Dixie Collette Episode: "How Do You Like Me Now?"
Youth Large Karle Busse TV Pilot
2014 Conan Lesbian Zombie Episode: "The Cast of The Walking Dead/White Denim"
The Pete Holmes Show Chun-Li Episode: "Paul Scheer: Interview #2"
Jilted Women Retell Classic Love Stories Scarlett's Bestie Episode: "Scarlett and Rhett"
Suburgatory Monique Episode: "Catch and Release"
Parks and Recreation Sam Nut 2 episodes
Futurestates Employer Episode: "As You Were"
Geek Cred Super Fan Episode: "Nerdrage Against the Machine"
Newsreaders Question Woman Episode: "Go Nadz; Talkin' News"
2015 Childrens Hospital Sauna Staffer Episode: "Codename: Jennifer"
Highly Evolved Human Breezy 1 episode
Falling Flat Karen TV movie
Life in Pieces Waitress Episode: "Hospital Boudoir Time-Out Namaste"
Adam Ruins Everything Network Lawyer Episode: "Adam Ruins Security
Cool Media Gal Episode: "Adam Ruins Nutrition"
Filthy Preppy Teens Darcy Bishop Main cast
2016 The UCB Show Episode: "Ghost Trusters"
Dice Hostess Episode: "Sal Maldonado"
I Am Watching You Karen TV movie
This Isn't Working Susie Episode: "A Very Special Episode"
Comedy Bang! Bang! Camper Episode: "Gillian Jacobs Wears a Gray Checkered Suit and a Red Bow Tie"
2017 Channel Zero Survivor TV movie
Love Doorperson Episode: "The Work Party"
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"
The 5th Quarter Wanda Gotski Episode: "Field of Screams"
2019 Future Man Fox Episode: "Countdown to a Prologue"
Drunk History Elisa Boyer Episode: "Legacies"
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
2022 Murderville Amber Kang 6 episodes, 1 special
2022 NCIS Robin Knight S20 E8: "Turkey Trot"
2022 Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery[a] Amber Kang[19] TV movie
2023 Shrinking Tia 5 episodes

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

  1. ^ Janet Varney (April 4, 2019). "Episode #317: Lilan Bowden". The JV Club Podcast (Podcast). Event occurs at 17:30. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  2. ^ Levin, Joe (September 1, 2017). "Happy Birthday, Lilan Bowden She Turns 32 Today". TOTPI. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  3. ^ "Meet Lilan Bowden: The 'Murderville' Star Who Is Dating Writer Nick Mandernach". news.amomama.com. 4 February 2022.
  4. ^ Bracy, Brittany (May 31, 2017). "Screen star Lilan Bowden returns to her roots". CVHS Olympian. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  5. ^ "Screen star Lilan Bowden returns to her roots". 2017-05-31. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  6. ^ Khatchatryan, Astgik (2017-08-25). "UC Irvine Drama Alum Lilan Bowden on Playing Bex on Disney Channel's "Andi Mack"". Orange Coast Mag. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  7. ^ "Lilan Bowden". Upright Citizens Brigade. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  8. ^ a b Rachel Ann Cauilan (January 23, 2018). "Bowden Breaks Through with Disney's 'Andi Mack'". Kore Asian Media. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (June 12, 2019). "'Andi Mack's Lilan Bowden To Direct Comedy 'Becoming Eddie' From Ed Lee". Deadline. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  11. ^ Hailu, Selome (March 7, 2022). "Disney Employees Slam Bob Chapek's Memo on 'Don't Say Gay' Bill: 'Silence Is Unacceptable'". Variety. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  12. ^ "I did say "our rights." I am bisexual! I didn't come out until last year. This really isn't how I was planning on coming out publicly, but I think it's important to know that hateful bills like this one in Florida affect more people than we realize". Twitter.com. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  13. ^ Bowden, Lilan [@yourfriendLilan] (May 27, 2022). "LA City Council Elections: If you live in CD-1, you GOTTA go Eunisses Hernandez!! @EunissesH" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. ^ Bowden, Lilan [@yourfriendLilan] (May 27, 2022). "LA City Council Elections: If you live in CD-13, vote Hugo Soto-Martinez @HugoForCD13 who has a huge labor organizing background and is for WORKERS RIGHTS!!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. ^ "Engaged!!". instagram.com.
  16. ^ "Official Baby Bump Debut 🐣 At @vcmediaorg 's Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Fest premiering @ohcha_shortfilm !! Thanks to all who came to celebrate! I'm gonna be a mommy!! Portrait by @sthanlee Vid by @jane1kim Baby Bowden-Mandernach premiering this Summer!! @nickmandernach". instagram.com.
  17. ^ "Big belly vibing w @peytonelizabethlee Taken by @displaysample at @thewildersmith and @bradley_simmons_ 's magical wedding #foreverwildley". instagram.com.
  18. ^ "We have a baby now 🥰". instagram.com.
  19. ^ "Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery cast: Who's in the new comedy?". netflixlife.com. 16 December 2022.

Notes

  1. ^ This is a Murderville Christmas special

External links



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