The story of Leah Lewis: from adoption to The Half of It’s Ellie
Leah Lewis is a rising star known for her versatile talent and charismatic screen presence. She rose to fame as Ellie Chu in Netflix's coming-of-age film The Half of It (2020). She is also known for her role as George Fan in the CW series Nancy Drew (2019–2023).
I am full Chinese, but I was adopted from Shanghai, China, by my parents, who are Caucasian.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Leah Lewis was born in Shanghai, China, and was later adopted by Caucasian parents who raised her in the United States.
- Leah has a younger sister, Lydia, who was adopted from the same orphanage.
- The Half of It star has featured in over 33 movies and TV shows.
- Leah is also a trained singer and dancer, and has been writing music since the age of 15.
Leah Lewis' profile summary
Full name | Leah Marie Liang Lewis |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | December 9, 1996 |
Age | 28 years old (as of October 2025) |
Place of birth | Shanghai, China |
Current residence | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Chinese |
Height | 5 feet 5 inches |
Father | Fred Lewis |
Mother | Lorraine Lewis |
Siblings | Lydia |
Relationship status | Single |
Education | Olympia High School |
Profession | Actress |
Net worth | $1 million |
Social media |
Leah Lewis' biography and early life
Leah, whose full name is Leah Marie Liang Lewis (28 years old as of October 2025), was born in Shanghai, China, on December 9, 1996. She holds American nationality and is of Chinese descent.
Lewis was adopted from a Chinese orphanage by American parents Frederick and Lorraine Lewis. She was raised in Windermere, Florida, alongside her younger sister, Lydia, also adopted from the same orphanage.
On May 23, 2020, Leah took to Instagram to thank her parents for adopting her. She captioned,
I am very grateful to have been adopted by two wonderful American parents who have completely embraced my Chinese roots unconditionally and have also tried to keep that culture as alive in me as much as possible growing up.
Leah graduated from Olympia High School in Orlando before moving to Los Angeles to further her career.
Source: Original
Does Leah Lewis speak Chinese?
Leah Lewis does not speak Chinese fluently. However, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, she revealed that she worked hard to learn and perform Mandarin for her role in the Netflix film The Half of It. She said,
Oh my God, thank you! I practiced so hard for that! That was one of the specific parts of the film where I was very aware I do not speak Mandarin. Because of that, I wanted to give as much accuracy and life as possible to that language.
Leah Lewis' career
Leah discovered her passion for acting in elementary school and participated in performing arts programs. She debuted as a child actress when she featured as Young Alice in the 2005 short film, Lullaby.
Lewis skyrocketed to stardom after she featured as Ellie Chu in Netflix's The Half of It (2020). Some of her other movies and TV shows include:
Year | Movie/TV show | Role |
2025 | Matlock | Sarah Franklin/Yang |
2024 | The Tiger's Apprentice | Rav |
2023 | Tripped Up | Lizzy |
2022 | Batwheels | Batgirl |
2021 | It's Pony | Max |
2020 | How to Deter a Robber | Heather Williams |
2019 | Nancy Drew | Georgie |
Who played Ember Lumen?
Leah Lewis voices Ember Lumen, the lead character in Pixar's animated film, Elemental. In an interview with Collider, she described her reaction when she learnt that she had landed the lead role. She said,
I felt pretty Punk'd. It's like that call you get, and you're like, “Is this a telemarketer?” Or, “Are you for sure, for real, that this could actually happen?” I mean, the process to even audition, that was really shocking.
Source: Instagram
What happened to Leah Lewis on Matlock?
In October 2025, Leah was embroiled in a controversy when she accused her Matlock co-star, David Del Rio, of sexual assault. Following an investigation, Del Rio was fired from the series.
Leah Lewis publicly addressed the incident, highlighting her resilience and thanking fans for their support during the difficult time. She wrote in a since-expired Instagram Story on October 9, 2025. She captioned,
Mom is here, we’re moving forward in love and strength. I’m in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care.
Leah Lewis' net worth and earnings
According to Hamariweb, Leah Lewis' net worth is estimated at $1 million. She derives her earnings primarily from her acting career, voice-over projects, and brand collaborations.
In an interview with CNBC, Leah talked about how working hard makes her achieve her dreams. She said,
At the end of the day, if I work my hardest, there is nothing to feel like an imposter about. I’ve done the work, and the work really leads me to feel like I’m not like faking it. I really have done what I have done to try and get me here.
Source: Getty Images
About Leah Lewis' husband and relationship history
The talented actress is unmarried and has never been married. However, she was in a long-term relationship with fellow actor Payson Lewis from May 2016, but they called off their relationship in February 2023.
Despite their breakup, they maintained a professional relationship, even releasing a collaborative song Back in Time after they parted ways. Leah took to Instagram on February 13, 2023, to talk about the song. She captioned,
I’m so proud to have been asked to be a part of this song that was already in the works before we even met. We recorded this back when we dated in 2021, and it’s been a long time coming, finally releasing this in 2023.
She was later reported to be dating another unidentified man, as per a Valentine's Day post she made on Instagram in 2023. She captioned,
Mi Amor, mi osito, y mi guapo! Hay mas tiempo que vida and hopefully we’ll do it all.
Her message, which was written in Spanish, translates to
My love, my bear, and my handsome! There is more time than life and hopefully we’ll do it all.
Source: Instagram
Trivia
- Leah auditioned for the singing competition show The Voice in 2013.
- She enjoys powerlifting, yoga, dancing, and strength training.
Final word
With her triple talent as an actress, singer, and dancer, Leah Lewis consistently shines with compelling performances. Her dedication to craft and authentic storytelling continues to inspire fans and peers alike.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
