A Conversation with Wesley Wong — East & West post - East & West

Wesley Wong is a multifaceted actor who is taking both China and Hollywood by storm. From having starred in multiple mainland Chinese dramas and movies to landing a role in the Hollywood blockbuster Pacific Rim Uprising, Wesley is poised to become a household name across both the East and the West. This month, I had the pleasure of chatting with Wesley about his career beginnings, upcoming projects, style, experience breaking into Hollywood, and much more.

E&W: Happy New Year Wesley, how has 2021 been treating you so far?

 Wesley Wong: Very good, thank you, I decided to go back to Hong Kong for Chinese New Year because before COVID, I would go back whenever I had three to four days off to spend time with friends and family, with COVID I haven’t been able to go back even during thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year. Chinese New Year is very big for our family, so I had to go back.

E&W: For our readers who may not be familiar with you or your work, could you tell us how you got started in the entertainment industry?

 Wesley Wong: My parents are both actors. They started in the 80s and 90s in Hong Kong through TV and Film. As a kid, I didn't get in touch with a lot of their work. I grew up just like any other kid going to school and did many extracurricular actives like swimming and soccer. When I finished high school in Hong Kong, I went to LA for college, studying business and finance at USC.

Since I was a kid, my parents told me they would support me in whatever I want. If I wanted to learn piano, they would let me learn it, or if I wanted to learn guitar, they would let me learn it. However, there was one thing they could not help me with, and that was to find my own passion in life. My father studied pharmacy when he was in college in California, but it was by chance that he got into acting when he visited Hong Kong one summer. He said that both he and my mom were fortunate that they got into acting back in the day and could make a living out of it. He and my mom both said I should find my passion in life.

During high school, I was trying to figure out my own path, but in Hong Kong, there are actually only a few different professions. Usually, you either work in finance, become a doctor, lawyer, or work for the government. I didn't like law, and I did not want to become a doctor, so I chose business. I thought if I didn't like it, I'd still be able to use it somewhere down the line, at least to manage my own finances (laughs).

During college life, I did many different internships at different companies but never got the passion my parents told me about. They told me they would work eighteen — nineteen hours a day, sleep four hours and wake up the next day wanting to go to work, but I didn't feel that when I was working for those companies. When I talked to my dad during my senior year of college, he said, "so Wesley, you're about to graduate! What are your plans? Are you going to say in LA to look for a job, or are you going to come back to Hong Kong and study master's degree ?" I told him that I didn't like finance and that I was sorry because I knew the tuition for four years at college was a lot. I then asked him what he would do if he was me, and he told me that out of all his professions, such as being a pharmacist, actor, and now lawyer, he enjoyed being an actor the most and then said that if he was me, he would give it a go.

I had never thought about that {acting} before, but since I was a kid, I really enjoyed watching tv, whether it was commercials, cartoons, TV dramas, or movies, but I had never thought about working as an actor or in the industry. After a few weeks of thinking about it, I told my dad I might have an interest in acting, but I'd need to study it to see if I really liked it. My dad then asked if I wanted to go study at USC as it has one of the best film schools in the US, or if I'd like to attend an acting academy or TVB acting program in Hong Kong. I did some research and found that Beijing has a very good acting school. I thought this would be a good opportunity to not only study acting but also to study Mandarin as I only spoke Cantonese and English at the time. After graduating from the Masters's program and studying the language, I entered the entertainment industry.

E&W: What have been some of your career highlights since you started acting?

Wesley Wong: Pacific Rim is one of the highlights due to the experience and the magnitude of the whole project, it was a worldwide project, and the first one did really well in China. A lot of people enjoy watching SIFI movies, so it was very interesting for me.

E&W: Could you tell us about your experience of filming and starring in Pacific Rim Uprising and how your role in the film came about?

 Wesley Wong: Back then, I was with a Chinese management company which was one of the biggest with over 100 talents. One day, I got a call from my manager asking if I could record a brief self-introduction video in English. She said it was for a Hollywood movie but didn’t know the name of it yet as it was confidential. I then got the next round of auditions where I had to submit a self-tape which I had never done before as I had never been cast in a Hollywood movie. After passing that round, I got to the third round, where I was told the director would like to meet me. I asked if the director would be coming to Beijing and was told that he was currently in Australia preparing for the shoot. I then asked if I were to fly to Australia would the director have time to meet me. They said yes, and I booked my flight to Sydney that night. Shortly after this, I got the role. I really liked the first film, so I really wanted the role despite not seeing the script or knowing the storyline. I just wanted to be a part of the film.

E&W: Are you planning on appearing in any more Hollywood productions in the near future?

 Wesley Wong: I’d love to but not being based in LA has not given me a lot of opportunities to do auditions or castings. I would only be able to do tapes. After Pacific Rim, I’ve only done one movie in LA, which was a Chinese - US coproduction. I shot that two years ago, but it hasn’t come out yet because of COVID; hopefully, it will be out summer this year.

E&W: What are the biggest differences between filming productions in Hollywood and Mainland China / Hong Kong?

Wesley Wong: Hollywood is a big well-oiled machine. They have a lot of protocols they have to follow and spend a lot of time prepping the script, casing, and every single detail has been laid out. In Hong Kong and Mainland China, as it is relatively new, things are a bit more ad hoc. A new idea might come up from the director, producer, or actor, so things may change quickly, and the production can easily adapt to those changes. Nowadays, with all the money that is coming into mainland China, the productions are getting much bigger and are on par with Hollywood productions. They have enough money to plan and perfect as much as they want.

 E&W: What upcoming project are you most excited for your fans to see this year, and how were these projects impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

 Wesley Wong: The US-Chinese co-production, which I filmed two years ago, it is titled LA Rush. This was my first time filming in Los Agnes, and it was great filming with the director in some familiar places.

 E&W How would you describe your personal style, and how has it changed since becoming an actor?

 Wesley Wong: I'm not sure if myself becoming an actor has changed my style, but it's always been laid back. I've always worn whatever has felt comfortable or suitable for the environment. It really depends on what I'm doing or where I'm going, if I'm hanging out with friends I'll usually wear a hoodie or sportswear. Going to college in LA was an eye-opener. I always thought that going to school (especially International schools), we had to wear uniforms with black pants and leather shoes. I knew that when going to USC there would be no dress code, but going into class and seeing someone sit next to you in pajamas and flip-flops or sandals, I was like, "wow, maybe I could just wear sandals to class too". Ever since then, I've never dressed to please anyone unless I'm going to an event where you would embarrass yourself to underdress. I usually just wear whatever feels comfortable for me.

E&W: Do you have a style Icon? If so, what have they taught you about fashion, and how have they influenced your personal style?

 Wesley Wong: When I was young, I was quite influenced by David Beckham. In Hong Kong, there was a time where a lot of pop singers dyed their hair blonde because of David Beckham. There was one summer in which I dyed my hair blonde. That was the only time I was rebellious. I asked my parents if I could try it, and they said yes only if I dye it back to its original color when school starts. I think David Beckham looks good in everything that he wears.

 E&W: Where are some of your favorite places to shop in both Hong Kong and Beijing?

 Wesley Wong: I typically shop half online and half in stores. When shopping online, I usually go to Mr. Porter. When shopping offline in stores, I go to a place called Shine because I’ve known the owner since I moved to Beijing. He is very passionate about what he does. Before COVID, he would go to Paris for fashion week and Japan to buy clothes and bring them back to Beijing and Hong Kong. He is not just the owner or buyer for the store. He is also a personal stylist and will often send me messages about clothes he thinks I’ll like and then send them over to me.

E&W: Global luxury brands from the West have been increasing their entry into the Mainland China / Hong Kong markets by appointing local brand ambassadors to represent them locally. What brand(s) would you most like to collaborate with or be a brand ambassador for?

 Wesley Wong: There are so many, all the brands I’ve worked with I learn about their history, and each has a deep meaning towards them. I would choose Dior and Louis Vuitton because I’ve worn them to events and for work and feel they are a good fit for me. They aren’t too flashy but have a touch of design that represents their own style and personality.

E&W: Designers from both Mainland China and Hong Kong have been gaining a lot of attention internationally over the past few years, Who are some of your favorite designers from Hong Kong and the Mainland that you think everyone should know about?  

Wesley Wong: From Mainland China, I would say Guo Pei. Everyone knows about her, especially from when Rihanna wore her dress. From Hong Kong, I would say, Jasmine Pang, who is a good friend of mine. Jasmine recently launched her label three years ago. I’ve known her for 15 years. Every summer, she would go back to Hong Kong from college, where she was studying maths and throw a fashion show. Jasmine showed me how much someone could work towards their passions, I really admire her for that.

E&W: Lastly, What advice would you give to aspiring actors out there hoping to break into the Hollywood or Mainland Chinese / Hong Kong entertainment industries?

 Wesley Wong: Being an actor is actually quite difficult. You have to have a very, very deep passion, and you have to be very persistent. I know the saying is hard work usually pays off, but in acting, this is not usually the case as luck is also a major factor. There is a Chinese saying that is very perfect for this industry. You never know when the next opportunity is going to come, you never know what it is going to take to get you started. You have to always be ready and sharpening your craft. When you are not filming, pick up some skills or take some acting classes and also be patient.