We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hedy Wong. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hedy below.
Hedy, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic came from my immigrant parents. Ever since I was little, my younger brother and I were always told to work hard. It wasn’t something I did to gain extra privileges or praise. It was a way of life for my parents so it became my way too. I didn’t understand the other kids who needed to be rewarded to try their best.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
When I first moved to LA, I didn’t know I could do anything else in entertainment other than acting. I didn’t know anyone growing up who worked in the entertainment industry so my understanding of what was possible (creatively) was limited. I took some theater and acting classes but there was never a game plan on how to “do it for real”. Moving to LA really changed my life’s perspective. I’ve met other artists whose passions and self-investment in their craft inspired me to evolve beyond acting. I discovered that I do indeed have an ability to create behind the camera as well. I eventually started writing and producing what ended up being my first feature film, Take Out Girl. It premiered on Hulu. You can currently stream it on Tubi, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, and more. Some artists live to perform. I realized that I live to create. And that I find the work behind the camera just as rewarding as the work in front. I’m currently developing a new project called En Route. The story is set in early 2000’s South Central LA. We recently shot a proof of concept for it and so I’m very excited to see it come together in the editing room.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Perseverance, adaptability and passion—these are the top 3 qualities that has helped me through my journey. I think I’m one of those lucky folks who discovered their passion early in life. Although when I was younger, I would try to suppress it since acting wasn’t deemed a stable path in life by those around me. Nonetheless, passion won out and I find myself in LA, enjoying the highs and toughening up during the lows. Throughout the ups and downs, I think being able to adapt to any given situation will allow you to persevere through the times when you feel like you have no hope or perhaps even lost your purpose. When that happens, just remember that life is a gift. Health is wealth. And remember to smell the flowers. Life is beautiful even when you feel like you fell short of your goals. Besides, I feel like the real goal is the expansion of one’s soul in all areas of life, not just career.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
Hisonni Mustafa Johnson, the director of Take Out Girl, has been a great mentor to me on my journey as an actress, writer, and producer. What an education and honor it was working beside him for a few years. As cheesy as it sounds, teamwork really do make the dream work, especially in film. Collaboration is key.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @julietmustdie
Image Credits
Evan Engel Daniel Jonathan
