RSVP'd

 Our anniversary guest list is a cavalcade of talents: 20 Singapore-based men of all types – tastemakers, musicians, entrepreneurs, professionals, and of course, the fashion-forward – gathered to share their successes for our big 2-0.

- Yong Wei Jian

What was shooting Crazy Rich Asians like?

Very fun and a real eye-opener. It’s a rom-com with a great story, and it’s Hollywood’s second film with an all-Asian cast, so just watch it for what it’s worth. If you’re a fan of the book, you’ll love it; even if you’re not, it showcases a lot of things about Singapore.

As you said, this is the second film with an all Asian cast in Hollywood history.

It’s different from Joy Luck Club; only the privileged knew what it felt like to be Asian then, so it provided answers to all the curiosity about filial piety and how we positioned ourselves. This time around, people will get to see how we’re all on an equal plane. How we’re no longer colonised immigrants, but a good mix of talent, cultures, and beliefs. It’s different eras of being Asian. Most of the cast are younger than me, but we’re all Asian actors who’ve paid our dues and we’re excited to be in a Hollywood movie.

With almost two decades in the industry, how do you define success as an actor?

Being totally comfortable and… I wouldn’t say satisfied because an actor is never truly satisfied. But to watch [your work] being screened and to have people talk to you about it, whether it brings a smile to their faces or tears to their eyes, they remember it. And only you know what effort you put into it or what it meant to do that scene. So it goes full circle, and what satisfies me in a role is the knowledge that I’ve made an impact or evoked some kind of feelings in the viewers. There are more that satisfies me now than when I first started, where I hated everything I did. I’ve learnt to let go, and accept my shortsightedness. Right now, I’m just Zen, taking things with a pinch of salt and living for the moment.