Tatler Weekend Philippines: Taiwanese icon Brigitte Lin on what it would take for her to act again
Editor’s note
A few months after she won the Nobel Peace Prize, Maria Ressa spoke at a summit organised by one of my previous employers. We connected online—I told her how much I enjoyed her keynote, and we linked up on X (formerly Twitter). Since then, I’ve been captivated by her fierce perspectives on press, politics, and social media that she shares on the platform. She’s never revealed what she thinks of my rambling tweets! President Trump has just been elected. Our conversation with Maria Ressa in this edition, though conducted before the election results were announced, is highly timely and relevant given her strong views on democracy and elections.
Ms Harrison was my art teacher at school. In one of our classes, she attempted to teach us batik printing. Sadly, it wasn’t one of my talents—I made a complete mess of it. When I showed her my work, which resembled the trail of an ink-stained mouse scurrying across the cloth, she fell silent. Her face showed a mix of pity and disappointment—a look I’ve never forgotten. In our Immersion story, we delve into the rich origins and traditions of the beautiful art of batik. Dear Ms. Harrison, if you’re reading this, I hope I’ve somewhat redeemed myself!
Enjoy Tatler Weekend!
Parminder Singh
Parminder Singh
Chief Operating Officer
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa on the US election, the decline of democracy and how we must all hold the line
Filipino journalist and co-founder of Rappler, Maria Ressa offers a warning as she discusses what is necessary to combat the threat of disinformation and authoritarianism and ultimately the potential death of democracy
Maria Ressa has long emphasised that 2024 would not only be a test for democracy but a tipping point. Almost half of the world’s population will have voted in national elections in more than 60 countries by the end of this year.
We are speaking via video call one week before the US election, and with that looming—Ressa feigns tearing her hair out into the camera—how is she reflecting on her forecast?
See also: Maria Ressa on Responsible Journalism, Democracy, Purpose—and Facebook
The decline of democracy
“I call the death of our democracy death by a thousand cuts,” says veteran journalist Ressa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Dmitry Muratov in 2021 for “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace”.
“Every single cut seems small, but at a certain point, when you get too many of these cuts, you are bleeding out,” she continues. “So, what we’re seeing around the world, there’s no doubt that democracy is weaker, because the attack is at the cellular level of governance.”
Why actor Park Seo Jun doesn’t give in to peer pressure-led ‘healthy lifestyle’
‘Gyeongseong Creature’ star and Lululemon ambassador Park Seo Jun shares why the pursuit of peer pressure-led ‘healthy lifestyle’ can lead to burnout, and how to avoid that
It would be an understatement to say that Park Seo Jun’s rise to fame has been anything but spectacular. From his debut in 2011 in a music video for Korean rapper Bang Yong-guk to his latest success in Netflix’s Gyeongseong Creature: the 35-year-old is incontestably one of the most recognisable Korean actors in the world.
Given his success today, it is difficult to imagine that the South Korean actor started acting without any personal connections in the industry. Park stumbled upon acting as an adolescent when, out of curiosity, he signed up for his school’s animation club. Participating in their annual show was a revelation for the young boy, who then decided to major in acting at the Seoul Institute of the Arts. While his love for acting was clear, it quickly became apparent that the competition within the Korean entertainment industry was fierce, especially for a rookie.
You might also like: 7 best Park Seo Jun shows to watch, from ‘Itaewon Class’ to ‘Fight For My Way’ and more
A history untold: The timeless allure of Malaysian batik
While at first glance an art form indigenous to our nation since the 1920s, behind this colourful textile is a heritage painted by centuries of cultural exchange and generations past
The batik we recognise today are brilliantly coloured, intricately patterned fabrics of varying motifs that can range from delicate, winding florals to complex geometrical shapes. Though you’ll find more mass-produced designs due to the inevitable mechanisation of batik, its hand-crafted element is a tradition still practised today albeit having adapted to modern times.
Read more: Why Oniatta Effendi wants to revive the traditional art of batik
Dubbed as a ‘painting in reverse’ in an old New York Times article published in 1975, it’s a rather accurate description of the ‘resist dyeing’ technique used in creating batik. An age-old process practised as early as the 4th century CE in Ancient Egypt, it’s mentioned in M A Hann’s book Patterns in Culture—Techniques of Decoration and Coloration that a burial site in Achmin, Upper Egypt revealed a child’s tunic with a simple block pattern made of wax print and was decorated by a “resist dyeing procedure”.
Taiwanese icon Brigitte Lin on her favourite roles, the power of writing and if she’ll return to acting
Brigitte Lin, who was awarded the Chaplin Award Asia in 2024, reflects on her decades-long career and shares how she found peace by taking a break from acting
Brigitte Lin’s career was thriving in Taiwan but when she started starring in Hong Kong films, it really reached new heights. The Taiwanese actor gave some of her most memorable performances under the city’s New Wave directors. This includes Tsui Hark’s Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983) and Peking Opera Blues (1986), Ringo Lam’s The Other Side of Gentleman (1984) and Jackie Chan’s Police Story (1975).
Throughout her decades-long career, she not only conquered Chinese cinema with sheer talent but also with her unconventional choices. At a time when breaking gender stereotypes was unusual, she boldly played male characters, androgynous ones, and complex female ones. For this, the Chinese audience nicknamed her the “screen goddess.” But this success didn’t come without sacrifices.
You might also like: From Cheng Pei Pei and Michelle Yeoh to JuJu Chan Szeto: Hong Kong’s martial artists have blazed the trail in female representation—but there’s more to do
