From NTU to an Emmy
Samantha Lee, a 2010 graduate of NTU's School of Art, Design, and Media, was recently recognised at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. She credits her alma mater for her career achievement.
By Sadia Roohi
Alumna Samantha Lee Suyi has won an Emmy Award for directing an episode in the second season of Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur for Disney TV Animation.
“It’s an absolute honour, both for myself and the Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur crew," said Samantha, who is based in Los Angeles.
"I hope this recognition means something to fellow Singaporean artists and the School of Art, Design, and Media where I hail from — that hey, we can do this. Some of you are already doing it. There are creatives far more talented than I walking the streets of Singapore. With the right opportunities, we can do anything."
The 36-year-old is the first Singaporean to win this award and is believed to be the first Singaporean in history to win an individual Emmy.
Samantha began her career at a Singapore animation studio before moving to the United States to work at DreamWorks, Netflix, and Disney TV Animation. She is currently working as a story artist on Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse at Sony Pictures Animation.
Samantha Lee (middle) proudly received the Children’s and Family Emmy Award on 15 March 2025. Her team mates (from left) Animation Director Jen Dickinson, and Supervising Director Ben Juwono. Credit: Children's & Family Emmy Awards.
Looking back at your career, what key moments or breakthroughs helped you get to where you are today?
My parents were supportive from the beginning. My husband, also an artist in the same industry, pushed me to be the best I could be. I won’t get into naming everyone, but I want to highlight the teachers, mentors, and leaders who were so important to me: one of my high school teachers, a professor at ADM, my story mentor from my first animation studio, my supervising director at Disney, my head of story at Sony Pictures Animation, and many more. All of them generously shared their knowledge and experience. They took the time to champion artists they believed in, and I greatly benefitted from their support. I owe it to them to pay it forward to the next generation.
The show picked up a total of three accolades. Credit: Children’s and Family Emmy Awards.
How did your time at NTU School of Art, Design and Media shape your creative journey?
My mom is an animation buff, so I grew up watching a lot of the classics with her. When my mom’s best friend heard about the establishment of NTU ADM in 2005, my mom encouraged me to give it a try. That was the first art school I ever attended, and now here I am.
At ADM, I met some of the best educators I could have ever asked for. I learned from teachers with real industry experience who were genuinely invested in their students, making a huge impact on my career.
I remember one time when I was in the light-box dungeon room, working on my own project, while NTU’s Assistant Professor Davide Benvenuti, who teaches animation, was teaching another class. I could hear him getting upset with a student. I didn’t know the context of his tirade, but I never forgot his words: 'When I was your age, to achieve my dreams, I had to walk hours to the nearest library to get my hands on any animation book. My parents' generation didn’t even have the luxury of pursuing their dreams because they were simply trying to survive. You have the internet at your fingertips. You have no excuse!'
That incident and his words have always stuck with me.
'Walk with the wise and become wise' — being surrounded by peers who were creative, talented, and driven was another major factor. I remember a culture where everyone strove for excellence yet still took the time to help each other. Many of my ADM classmates remain close friends to this day.
Samantha Lee (left) with her ADM course mates who were selected to craft comic strips for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games online newsletter. Credit: Jean Qingwen Loo.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a Singaporean working in the animation industry abroad? How did you overcome them?
I don’t personally feel that I’ve faced any more challenges than the next non-Singaporean person. I’ve been very blessed that the productions I’ve worked on in Los Angeles have been filled with kind-hearted, like-minded people. If there were challenges, it was learning the different work cultures at each studio, understanding what people look for during interviews, figuring out how to file my taxes, and navigating how health insurance works in the US, which is significantly different from how we do things in Singapore. I would say, forge good friendships and don’t be afraid to ask questions. I had friends who were willing to give me the lowdown on how things were done here, and that helped immensely.
Samantha (back row, 3rd from left) with her ADM course mates. Credit: Solomon Quek Jia Liang.
What advice will you give to young creatives in Singapore looking to break into the global animation industry?
I know it's a tough time for creatives around the world, and the animation industry in Singapore might be going through one of its most challenging periods. I also recognise that I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to move to LA and start a career here — something that doesn’t come around often. So, perhaps I’m speaking from a place of privilege, and I can understand if others feel I don’t have a say in what happens back home.
My advice to artists in Singapore is to never let anyone or anything diminish the value of your creativity, your craft, or the powerful, compelling stories you want to tell. We have the talent, we have the work ethic, but what we lack is a global platform. I encourage fellow artists to carve out a space for ourselves if no one else will.
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