We often cannot figure out the purpose of an unexplainable passion. In that way, passion is perhaps the purpose. When you love what you do and do it persistently, passion will become destiny. There will be no regret about a failure if it is for passion. Passion is not chasing a rush. Passion is also not necessarily about making it to the finish line.
The young actress in Hong Kong Jocelyn Choi (蔡頌思) told me, “I don’t know what I will ultimately look right. Right now, I enjoy acting and sacrifice for it without hesitation.” Jocelyn is the daughter of my senior alumna in Law School Janice Kwan and I run into her regularly since we both love art. Jocelyn’s father is the very well-known businessman in Hong Kong Mr Choi Koon Shum (蔡冠深).
Jocelyn has one elder brother and 3 younger brothers. Apart from her good family background, good education is one thing that no one can take away from her. She studied in the prestigious St Paul’s Co-educational College and completed a degree in English from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She got an offer to further pursue drama education from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts but Jocelyn suddenly got a job to act for the reputable Hong Kong Repertory Theatre. She gritted her teeth and bit the bullet: no more school! She thus entered the acting field.
Janice said helplessly to me, “I am sorry that our family background gave Jocelyn a hard time. People thought we pushed her to be a star. We financially invested in all her jobs. We were her domineering manager and she took up the artist position just for fun. These are absolutely misunderstanding. In fact, Jocelyn’s daddy was against the idea that she would become an actress! God creates boys and girls who have a thing called free will!”
Jocelyn talks confidently and accurately, with a pair of clever eyes looking for the right words to say. I can feel she is a sensitive artist who can be very perceptive. If not being an actress, she could be an able business executive.
She articulated, “The advantage of being in an affluent family is that I don’t have to take money back home. I am given free accommodation and food so that I can follow my dreams. I know it is a luxury but it is also the reason that I must work harder. I must stress I am who I am and should not let my family background affect my chances for success. My passion in acting started during university days. I studied English literature and had many opportunities to take part in drama productions. Drama unlocked myself—my abilities, my creativity and my courage. I became determined to be a performing artist. After leaving university, I search online the invitations for audition and such pursuit was almost non-stop. I luckily found acting jobs one after another though tides could be high and low for me. I build up my career gradually. Gosh! I am still struggling and will not give up!”
I switched to another topic and asked, “Do you have any advice for a young girl who wants to act?” Jocelyn expressed her view, “Being an amateur actor is good fun. The real world is different. Entertainment business is extremely competitive and there are too many complicated human factors beyond our control. Frustrations can make you doubt yourself and cause depression. Always be positive and have high emotional intelligence. Tune in to what is facing you. Forget ungrounded criticism against you as dissing also brings ungrounded fear. When you believe you have reasoned reasonably, abide by your belief and make progress by keeping on trying!”
She added a second point, “Luck is a shortform answer for ‘I have tried my best but cannot reach there’. As an actor, you must have talent, sacrifice a lot of time and are tortured by numerous uncertainties. Luck and destiny should not be the excuses for personal inaction. Luck is where opportunities meet your hard work and readiness. So, I incessantly asked people to give me opportunities of an audition so that I would prove to them that I might fit the role. I don’t feel anything like losing face. In life, there are bound to be someone more fortunate than me.”
Jocelyn was still eating slowly her tiny bowl of soup, probably for weight control because we all think a good-looking actress must be slim. I would never forget the last thing that she said to me, “An actress should not be shy! I am shy in my own way and trying to overcome it. In the entertainment world, you need to try to be what you are not, sometimes. Try to explode like a volcano when people are around you and you must make them cheerful. In our profession, people and reporters usually like socially aggressive and pleasurable girls. Acting opportunity is often about initial connections and cultivating them over time. Again, I am learning from other good ones who can closely check in with their contacts, whether through telephone messages or gatherings, to show that they value the relationship with these people who can help them. Since I don’t change my goals, I can only adjust my style of getting along with others!”
Making conversation with Jocelyn is enjoyable because she gives short and clear answers. Our fast-paced life has made junk foods a part of our lives. But, fast-paced conversations were wonderful because after I sat down to lunch, I suddenly found out that our happy time ended—albeit reluctantly.
When young, do indulge in the exploits of youth, as this is a one-time luxury of everyone.
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