Power Of Pom

Pom Klementieff, Hollywood’s latest sweetheart and fashion’s current darling, is also the industry’s most resilient. Amy Yasmine speaks to The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy star on the power of escapism, partying it up with Catherine Deneuve, and inspiring a new generation.

- Amy Yasmine

It’s 8.15am on the first day of Eid, and instead of getting prepped for the morning’s festivities, I’m psyching myself up for a cross-continent Skype chat with Pom Klementieff. She is, of course, none other than the French- Russian-Korean actress, who turned heads as the bug-eyed extraterrestrial Mantis in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and this year’s record breaking blockbuster, Avengers: Infinity Wars. This time however, she’s swapping out her antennas and turning heads as Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia’s latest cover girl.

A shameless disclaimer: I’ve been a big fan of the Marvel Universe for the longest time (Saturdays with X-Men, ftw), and the moment we managed to lock in this cover story, I squealed. So imagine my reaction when a chat bubble appears on my screen with the words, “Ready whenever you are, Amy!” Seconds later, I am face-to-face (or rather, webcam-to-webcam) with the platinum-haired beauty.

Even when not in character, her jovial personality shines through. “Oh, I look like a zebra!” she laughs, having noticed the horizontal overcast on her face produced by the blinds on her window. To my surprise, we actually managed to catch each other in daylight amid the comfort of our living rooms, despite the 15-hour time difference. Hers, bathed in LA’s evening sun and mine, of Kuala Lumpur’s morning glow. “Don’t be silly!” I respond, before telling her it reminds me of a Hitchcockian mise-en-scène. We pose for each other for a good five seconds before bursting into laughter, and just like that the ice is broken.