Greta Lee explains the ‘surgical’ precision of ‘Past Lives’’ shattering ending, beat by beat

In the latest episode of “The Envelope,” our hosts chat with Greta Lee, who portrays a woman reuniting with a man from her youth in “Past Lives,” and Francine Jamison-Tanchuck, the costume designer for “The Color Purple.” Lee discusses what it means for her as a Korean American actor to break through with her first lead role in Hollywood after coming to terms with the possibility that she might not ever enjoy that particular spotlight. And when we come back, we’ll have my conversation with Greta Lee for the Los Angeles Times and “The Envelope.” Greta Lee and Teo Yoo in “Past Lives.” Olsen: I’m Mark Olsen. Olsen: I’m a bit of a DVD commentary nerd, and on the commentary for “Past Lives,” you say something that I found really fascinating. Lee: I think that’s just something that happens over and over and over again: The first time I saw “Annie” as a little girl going to school and saying, “I would like to play Annie, please.” And being told kind of gently, “Well, probably not.” Instances like that collectively made it very clear that though I may perceive myself as Annie, the world around me at that time does not. Some things I don’t think my parents wanted me to see, like “Carmen Jones.” When it it aired on television, I just thought, “Wow.