by AMY ANDERSON
Like countless others in Hollywood, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams of becoming a famous comedian and actor. I’m proud to say I’ve been a working comedian and actor for over 17 years now and consider myself one of the lucky few in the City of Angels who makes a living in the entertainment industry.
But famous? Not quite. Do I have my own sitcom like I thought I would by now? Not at all. Regardless, I’ve come a long way since 2001.
Somewhere between then and now — now being the fall of 2014 — I had a baby and became a single parent. Neither of those things was on my to-do list, and life was hard for a while, like really hard. Eventually, the glamour and excitement of stardom did become a huge part of my life, only I wasn’t the star. Fame came for my now 7-year-old daughter, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons.
Aubrey plays Lily on ABC’s five-time Emmy Award winning sitcom Modern Family. Somewhat against my better judgment, my agent convinced me to submit Aubrey when the good people at Modern Family decided to recast the role of Lily in 2011. Aubrey really wanted to try, so after several talks about how she probably wouldn’t get the part and not to take it personally when she didn’t get it, she landed an immediate audition. Ten days later I was signing a major network contract for my 4-year old who had never acted before.
Our heads are still on spin cycle, and I have been feverishly redefining my own career and role as a mother, ever since.
While I still continue to make a part of my living as a comedian and actor, a large chunk of my life has morphed into being practically everything for Aubrey. On top of being a “regular” mom, I’m also her: manager, chauffeur, wardrobe supervisor, PR agent, gopher, teacher (yes, we’re homeschooling… more on that soon), shrink, acting coach, dietician (craft services equal danger), business manager, financial adviser and more.
I never imagined I’d be a “stage mom” to a child celebrity, and Aubrey and I have an ever-evolving concept of “normal.” But now in Aubrey’s fourth season on the show, I sometimes forget that what is normal to us may seem fascinating to others. People are curious about whom we meet, what we do, where we go and how many times we get stopped by fans when we go to Target. And then there’s the frequently asked question: “How do I get my kid in the business?”
So I thought, why not share a little slice of our lives in a blog? Maybe a sampling of our day-to-day realities will help other families with their own decision-making process. I can’t respond to everyone’s questions, but I do have strong opinions about the hows and whys of children working in the entertainment industry because it ain’t all rainbows and red carpets.
By no means will this blog be a scintillating Modern Family tell-all, but I will deliver a truthful account of what it’s like to be a stage mom to a child star while maintaining my status as a working, middle-aged Asian American female actor in Hollywood. It’s quite a roller coaster, and I hope you enjoy the ride.
Check back in a couple weeks when I spill the beans on Hollywood homeschooling, or becoming one of “them.” Now please excuse me while I put a glamorous load of laundry in the dryer.
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Amy Anderson is a Korean American adoptee, comedian and actress. She created and hosted the first Asian American standup showcase “ChopSchtick Comedy” at the Hollywood Improv. She has appeared on Comedy Central, VH1, AZN, and the Game Show Network. Her daughter Aubrey Anderson-Emmons plays the role of Lily on the Emmy-winning show Modern Family.
The Hollywood Mamalogues will be published online biweekly. Read the next Mamalogue here.
