The Heidi Chronicles Star Ali Ahn on Teaching Herself Gymnastics, Geeking Out & Keeping Her Day Job

Age: “Barely legal.”

Hometown: Pasadena, CA

Current Role: A vibrant Broadway debut as Susan Johnston, the outspoken best friend of Heidi Holland (played by Elisabeth Moss) in the new revival of Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles.

Stage & Screen Cred: Ahn has appeared off-Broadway in Sugar House and Twelfth Night and on screen in Liberal Arts, Blue Bloods, White Collar, Ugly Betty and Louie.

“I was a super-intense kid. I wanted to either be a mad scientist or an Olympic figure skater. And I was really into gymnastics, so I would do ridiculous things like tape out the measurements of a balance beam on the carpet and try to teach myself tricks.”

“My piano teacher was [playwright] David Henry Hwang’s mother—I studied for 11 years. She had this giant poster of him winning the Tony for M. Butterfly, but at the time, I didn’t even know who he was. She probably wished I practiced piano a little more.”

“I went to Yale for history because I never thought I could act as a career. I wanted to go to a school where I could geek out, but also be able to do as much theater as I wanted, and it was perfect for that. I don’t think I’ve ever been as sleep deprived as I was back then.”

“When I auditioned, I thought, ‘I’m never going to get this job.’ As an Asian-American woman, I can count on two hands the plays in New York I’ve auditioned for. When I got the call, I was living in an illegal basement with no light. It was literally like the heavens opened up: ‘Here’s a gift for you!’”

“Even though I’m on Broadway, I still have a day job. The reality of living in this city is pretty grim. I teach and tutor writing, and it’s great. I have wonderful students and it exercises a different part of my brain.”

“My grandmother passed away during tech, so the first performance was such a roller coaster of emotions for me. She immigrated here from Korea, and I don’t think she could have ever dreamed her granddaughter would be doing this. Life can be so amazing and so unexpected.”