Rebekka Lien
Travel 30 Countries to Hollywood
Episode 160
Rebekka Lien is an actress, stand up comedian and creative who can bust out in song and dance, playing cello and piano at the same time. She can paint you a beautiful abstract art, graffiti, sew up some fashion designs. She has a podcast called The Bex Show where she talks about her dating woes and waiting until marriage to have sex. Her YouTube show (The Bex Show) is a plethora of prophesies and dancing in a parking lot.
Rebekka was born in Hamburg, Germany. Her family moved to Taiwan when she was five years old and to America when she was eight after her parents divorced. Growing up in America Rebekka’s family could hardly pay rent and she grew up giving her earnings to her mother to help.
Rebekka always wanted to be an actress but when a drama teacher in middle school yelled at her that dream died immediately. In 2014 when Rebekka was severely depressed from a breakup she received a community class flyer in the mail. It was a class for improv comedy and she wanted to really laugh again. She took the class and felt such happiness from making fun of life, laughing with others and feeling a sense of community.
From there Rebekka took a commercial acting class, got herself an agent and went to many auditions but not really getting anything. She went on a fashion competition show and participated in marriage show (Married by Mom & Dad).
Rebekka Lien Takeaways
Living in a Van for Mobility and Mental Health
Rebecca Lien discusses how living in a van with her boyfriend has provided her with a sense of mobility and freedom. She contrasts this with feeling stuck and depressed when living in a traditional home setting, highlighting how the van lifestyle helps her cope with emotions and grief.
Immigration and Early Life:
Rebecca immigrated to the U.S. from Hamburg, Germany, and then Taipei, Taiwan, settling in Arcadia at the age of eight. Her first experience in America was at Sam Wu restaurant, which she found surprising and different from her expectations of America.
Family Background and Challenges:
Rebecca’s parents divorced due to her father’s infidelity, leading her and her brother to be raised by their mom. Her dad became an alcoholic and was absent for ten years, which deeply affected her emotionally and contributed to her struggles with depression and anxiety.
Career and Personal Growth:
Rebecca attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) and worked in the fashion industry before realizing it wasn’t for her. She then traveled extensively, visiting over 30 countries, and pursued various jobs including selling jewelry and tutoring.
Reality TV Experience
Rebecca participated in a reality TV show called “Married by Mom and Dad” on TLC, where she almost got married to a stranger chosen by his parents. She shares her mixed feelings about the experience and how it was a genuine, unscripted process.
Mental Health and Therapy
Rebecca speaks candidly about her struggles with depression and anxiety, emphasizing the value of therapy in helping her understand and manage her emotions. She contrasts this with her earlier experiences of using religious teachings as a coping mechanism.
Rebekka Lien Quotes
On Living in a Van:
“When you’re in a car, you just have so much more mobility because you’re like, this thing is really small, I have to get out of here as soon as possible.”
On Overcoming Fear:
“I have to follow my heart, even if I feel like I’m not good enough, you know, I don’t have what it takes, like I have to follow my heart.”
On Emotional Independence:
“I think therapy almost helped me much more than going to church growing up because when I was going to church, it was like here’s a Bible verse, you’re gonna feel better knowing that God is your father. But going to therapy and talking to an actual person about my emotions helped me uncover what I was actually feeling instead of putting a band-aid of like a Bible verse over it.”
On Her Taiwanese Heritage:
“There’s a big part of my heart that is Taiwanese. Obviously, I’ve been acclimated into American culture, and I do feel very Asian American. I feel like I am American, but there’s a part of me that’s like, you know, I go into a Taiwanese restaurant, and I feel the familiarity of Taiwanese people.”
Show Notes
___________________
Music Credits
Intro
Like it Loud, Dyalla, YouTube Audio Library
Stinger
Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library
Outro
Indecision, Dyalla, YouTube Audio Library
Rebekka Lien
YinTang Spicy Hot Pot:
A restaurant where you can pick your own ingredients for a spicy hot pot. Locations include Arcadia and Monterey Park. Rebecca enjoys the customizable and flavorful dining experience.
Boiling Point:
Another hot pot restaurant where you can choose your own pot. Rebecca particularly enjoys the beef and house special, despite the noise levels at the San Gabriel Boulevard location.
Noodle World:
Known for its Taro Boba, Noodle World is a favorite of Rebecca’s. The restaurant has locations on Valley Boulevard and in San Marino on Huntington Drive.
