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| Godfrey Gao — first Asian male to model for the fashion brand Louis Vuitton |
What has been the highlight of your career so far? Where are you taking it next?
The highlight would be being the first
Asian male in the 157 year history of Louis Vuitton to feature as a
campaign face. Additionally, playing a part in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and attending its red carpet premiere in LA – Comic Con San Diego also comes close! Going forward, I’d say my highlight was attending Baselworld
2015 with Links of London, and I hope that through this collaboration,
I’ll be able to do even more fruitful and fun things! On
the acting front, I will also have more opportunities to work in
Hollywood as we are planning some superb, upcoming projects that I am
really excited about!
Tell us about your journey in becoming one of the faces of Links of London.
The journey has been overwhelming, but
it’s a journey that I’ll remember for a lifetime. It all started out
from attending many Folli Follie events as a special guest star to
attract more female clients within China. I would like to hope that, because of the enjoyable working relationship we had in the past through
these events, when it came time for them to think about a male
representative for their Links of London brand, I was the one they
decided to choose.
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| Links of London |
What is it about the Links of London brand that stands out to you?
The fact that the brand is a genuine
representation of the modern English Gentlemen, but with a twist of
traditional English tastes and characteristics.
You plan to cross over to Western
cinema and television. What do you see as the greatest challenge and
most exciting aspect of this?
I have been meeting with many directors
and producers in Hollywood lately, as we all know China is a key market
of the world at present; being an actor with recognition there allows me
to have the honour of being considered for many interesting projects. The
challenge I expect as an actor would definitely be the switching of
acting styles as the East and the West have such different styles of
delivery that the audience is accustomed to. Therefore, when working on
different projects in catering to varying audiences, I must always be
mindful of this.
What’s your favourite thing about London?
The food…! London offers a huge variety of cuisines from all around the world, featuring fusion and fine cuisine choices. You
will have realised by now that I am a big foodie. The city itself is
also very beautiful; we had the chance to wander around the city a bit
before and during our Links of London campaign shooting; the mix between
the traditional and the modern was amazing. In Brick Lane, the vintage markets preserve the essence of old English styles; at the same time, Regent Street gave me a beautiful glimpse of how future trends interact with English cultural traditions.
Growing up with varied cultures
must have been an enriching and grounding experience. Tell us about your
favourite memory as a child?
Well, growing up in North Vancouver was
very memorable! I was in the same class as many children from different
countries and cultures. This really gave me an international perspective
at an early age. One of my favourite memories is that, despite how I
was not so fluent in English, the local North Vancouver kids immediately
invited me to play basketball and football with them. This welcoming and warm gesture has been embedded in my memory since those days.
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| Links of London |
Tell us about your relationship with your dad – apparently, you have said before that he is even more stylish than you?
Yes, we share the same clothes, that’s how close we are! He has influenced my style since childhood as he would always go to work wearing different suits, ties and dress shoes. We
were always very involved in sports together; every weekend and as a
family, we would go swimming, rollerblading, biking, and so on. We would
always be borrowing each other’s t-shirts, sports wear, shorts, and the
like.
Who inspires you the most and why?
My mother – she’s been the one who has
always believed in me and is always telling me to pursue my dreams, take
chances and not be afraid! This is so I don’t miss out on those
key opportunities. She’s taught me how to be humble, polite and a gentleman, which carried me throughout my life. Because of her, I am a curious person, always asking questions, continually learning and building up my knowledge.
Many consider you to be a pioneer
for entertainers, actors and models for the Asian overseas community.
How do you feel in relation to this?
I think they are too generous with this comment, but I am truly honoured. I also do feel that there are many more prestigious pioneers before me. Take
Sessue Hayakawa for example; he was the first Japanese actor in
American, French, German and British films and he was the first Asian
actor and Asian leading man to find stardom in North America and Europe! Another
very memorable and notable person would be Bruce Lee, who also broke
through the American market and chased his dream to become the No.1
action star in the world. To this day, he is still considered one of the
No.1 action stars to have ever lived. So, when I think about
pioneers like these, it fuels and inspires me to push forward and become
part of the next generation’s!
Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?
Hopefully still doing what I am doing, being as happy doing it as I am now, and living life to the fullest.
What was your most memorable interaction with a fan?
One time, in Mexico City for The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones final premiere, over 10,000 fans of the franchise showed up and everyone wanted to shake hands, take selfies and “marry me”! While taking a picture with a particular fan, an overwhelming thought hit me! At that moment, I realised that I was a part of something special in their hearts. It really gave me a sense of accomplishment knowing that what I am doing has positively influenced the lives of so many.
What is the one thing you cannot live without?
Music, it brings you up from feeling
down; it encourages you to dance when you don’t want to move; and it
keeps the human soul alive! I use music to relax, let loose, de-stress
and also zone me in and zone me out! It brings me to another place where
I can concentrate either on or off work. It’s a universal tool which I cannot live without.
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| 411: Godfrey Gao's father is Taiwanese while his mother from Malaysia |
What is your ultimate tip to achieving success in career and life?
There are a few mottos that I usually go
by. They are: don’t be afraid to push your boundaries; failure is the
most successful inspiration; don’t let other people’s opinions affect
your goals; and always be humble.
Which character have you played that you emphasise or relate to the most with in your experience as an actor?
There is a TV mini series which I just
shot last week, unfortunately I can’t say too much about it, but it will
be shown online this year and will be about my upbringing in Canada. — Yingsey Wang | NeeHao
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