North Carolina Nurse Eden Lee Balances ER Shifts and Netflix Stardom with Zero Plans to Quit

Eden Lee is no ordinary rising star — she’s a 34-year-old emergency room nurse at Atrium Health Union in Monroe, North Carolina, who just landed a major role in Netflix’s political thriller limited series Zero Day, starring the legendary Robert De Niro.

Since launching her acting career in 2017, Lee has racked up guest spots on shows like The Resident, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Dynasty. But despite Hollywood doors opening, she’s firm about not giving up her ER nurse job anytime soon.

“Acting has always been a dream,” Lee shared with Fox News Digital. Yet, this dream initially felt more like a hobby than a career path, especially while she built her fulfilling life in healthcare. But after settling into nursing, marriage, and career growth, she realized something was missing and took a leap to explore acting classes — leveraging the freedom that comes with adulthood and financial independence.

Graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a nursing degree, Lee chose nursing over medical school to get bedside experience faster — a decision that continues to resonate in both her lives.

Balancing acting gigs alongside shifts in the ER requires juggling, but Lee benefits from 12 years’ experience and strong departmental support. Working as a PRN nurse means she picks schedules to fit auditions and filming, with the department offering flexibility for extended leave.

“Emergency nursing feels very much a part of me as acting does,” Lee insists, emphasizing that both require deep empathy. In fact, her nursing skills have even come in handy on set, whether stepping in to help with medical equipment or tending to an injured actor during filming.

Behind the scenes of Zero Day — a six-episode miniseries about a retired U.S. president (De Niro) investigating a catastrophic cyberattack — Lee plays FBI Special Agent Angela Kim, heading the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force. The high-profile cast also includes Angela Bassett, Lizzy Caplan, and Jesse Plemons, marking De Niro’s first leading TV role and showcase as an executive producer.

Working alongside De Niro proved a surreal and eye-opening experience for Lee. She admits, “I couldn’t have imagined working with someone like him,” and was impressed by his relentless work ethic and kindness — a reminder that even legends trip over lines sometimes and learn on the job.

After Zero Day, Lee continues to build her acting portfolio. She’s wrapped filming the independent coming-of-age romantic drama Bedford Park, which spotlights Korean-American leads — a project close to her own heritage. Next, she’ll guest star on the Canadian TV series Murdoch Mysteries.

For all the glamour and growing recognition, Lee remains grounded, determined to keep saving lives at the ER while chasing stardom. “I don’t see myself letting go of nursing anytime soon,” she says. And honestly, it’s refreshing to see someone crushing it in Hollywood without ditching the scrubs — talk about a superpower combo.

Zero Day is streaming now on Netflix.