Sense and Sensibility: Gemma Chan’s philosophy of elegant balance

Gemma Chan’s career trajectory rejects the cheap comfort of overnight success. “To be honest, there were so many auditions where I didn’t end up getting the job—too many to mention—that I had to quickly learn to be resilient and to be able to handle rejection. It’s one of the hardest parts of the job.” She added. “What helped me was making sure that I was also focused on other areas of my life, family and friendships, alongside my work, as it takes time to build a career.”

In August 2018, Chan stood on the Crazy Rich Asians red carpet in a gold Oscar De La Renta gown. Her character, Astrid, has been described as ‘a slow-moving beam of light, gentle yet impossible to ignore’. While fans await a sequel, Chan notes, “There’s so much more of Astrid’s story to tell and so much inspiration in Kevin Kwan’s wonderful books, I’m as excited as everyone else for the next chapter! I feel so fortunate to have been part of Crazy Rich Asians. We hoped but did not necessarily expect it to have such an impact. Of course there’s still more work to be done but it’s been wonderful to see so much Asian talent coming through both in front of and behind the camera.”

Before Astrid returns, Chan is exploring different roles. At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, she premiered Josephine, playing a mother alongside Channing Tatum. The film explores the aftermath of their daughter witnessing sexual violence. “I’m so proud to be a part of this film and to tell this story which is about courage, resilience and the ways we as human beings try to right the wrongs. It’s a rare privilege to get to play a role like Claire and to work with someone like our director, Beth de Araújo, who is not only a singularly talented filmmaker but also an amazing human being. We would not have been able to tell such a challenging story without trust between all of us, it really felt like a family coming together to make the film.” she said. 

Josephine dominated the Sundance Film Festival’s closing ceremony, winning both the U.S. Dramatic Competition Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award: Dramatic. The film is already being positioned as an early contender for the 2027 Oscar race. In May 2026, the project codenamed 007 First Light will launch globally, featuring Chan as Dr. Selina Tan—the first Asian female strategist in the 007 universe to be fully digitally modelled. Recording for a game presented a unique challenge. “The challenge with a video game is that you are alone in the studio without costume, props, scenery or other actors to help with your performance. It has to come from your imagination alone.”  

Following this, Gemma will star in Peacock’s upcoming drama series The Five-Star Weekend in the series-regular role of Gigi Ling. She joins Jennifer Garner, Regina Hall, D'Arcy Carden and Chloë Sevigny. Chan is currently developing a biopic of Anna May Wong, serving as both lead actress and producer. “Anna May Wong was a trailblazer and a woman ahead of her time. She spoke out against Hollywood prejudice and harmful stereotypes and always tried to take care of her family. Her story and struggle for acceptance as an actress and as a Chinese-American feels even more resonant today.”

When asked what she would say to the girl standing at the crossroads between a law firm and drama school in 2003, she pauses for a long time. Finally, she says: “Be brave! Look for the kind people. Trust your instincts.”

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