Amazon Prime’s ‘As We See It’ Stars Chris Pang and Sue Ann Pien Break Autism Stereotypes (Exclusive)

In Amazon’s new series As We See It, Violet (Sue Ann Pien) searches for love. Like many people in their 20s, Violet is approaching the world of dating apps, hookups, and blind dates and finding that the whole thing might be more challenging than she thought. Violet is also navigating life as a person with autism and living on her own for the first time with her two roommates, Jack (Rick Glassman) and Harrison (Albert Rutecki). 

With her desire to assert her newfound independence, she frequently butts heads with her older brother and legal guardian, Van (Chris Pang). “Violet is somebody who’s trying to carve a way to have a life, have a normal boyfriend, have normal friends, have a normal job, without being hampered by this overbearing brother who constantly is trying to control every aspect of her life,” Pien, who is also on the spectrum, explained in an interview with PopCulture.com.

The bond between the siblings is tested frequently throughout the season, and Van definitely has a lot on his plate. “It’s one thing to have a sibling to look after that’s in your care, but she’s also on the spectrum,” Pang told PopCulture. “That presents its own difficulties. And he’s just an average guy, he just wants to live life, he wants to go hang out with his girlfriend, have a good time and go out for a drink, but he just has no time because Violet’s taking up all of his mental space.”

Pien explained that she felt Violet’s journey this season “in her bones,” and even saw herself in some of her romantic pitfalls. “I have been on dates where personally, as Sue Ann, somebody said, ‘I’m going to the bathroom,’ and they never came back,” Pien recounted. When I met my wife, she was like, ‘I’m going to go put some money in the meter,’ on our first date, and I was like, ‘She’s never coming back.’ So it’s so realistic. It was like, ‘God, that’s really realistic of the dating world and how hard it is for somebody on the spectrum.’ It was hard for me.” 

The first season of As We See It is available to stream on Amazon on Jan. 21.