Jessica Hester Hsuan, who turned 50 last August, isn’t afraid of getting older.
“It’s true that there will be less roles and less opportunities. But I do not fear this happening because it’s something that we have to accept, ” the actress talks about ageing in the entertainment industry in the final part of our three-part story on Hsuan.
“And there will still be roles that one can play. It’s all up to you whether you’re willing to do it or not.”
Having followed Hsuan’s career since the 1990s, I told the actress she doesn’t seem to age at all.
She then touches on the importance of practising self-care and paying attention to her physical and mental health.
“Every morning, no matter what, I get up and I practise face scraping (gua sha),” she shares one of her beauty rituals. “It helps to increase blood circulation.”
Gua sha is a traditional Chinese method that sees a jade stone massaged onto the skin. It is said to promote lymphatic drainage.
“Then I do my skincare routine – the cleansing, the toning and the serums. I put on sunscreen even if I don’t leave the house. I spend an hour in the bathroom in the mornings and the evenings, ” she says with a chuckle.
Hsuan says maintaining a sunny disposition is also key.
“When people are in love, they look so pretty because they’re happy deep down. So I always tell people to find things that make them happy.
“With the pandemic, I was able to do things that I always wanted to do but never had the time. I picked up pottery. And next week, I’m taking sewing lessons. I love DIY. These things make me happy, ” she says.
In 2019, Hsuan was made very happy when Marvel offered her the chance to play engineer Leslie Lam on the Hong Kong Disneyland attraction, Ant-Man And The Wasp: Nano Battle.
Asked if she has plans for a Hollywood career, the actress prefers to let the pieces fall where they may: “It’s not easy for Asians, unless you have a very special skill like kung fu, which I don’t. So I never really thought about it.”
She recalls she was once invited to a casting session for a Keanu Reeves movie years ago.
“I was so excited. I thought even if I didn’t get the role, it would mean the world to me just to be a part of the interviews.”
Unfortunately, Hsuan was in the midst of filming at the time and had to pass on the opportunity.
The actress reflects on the road ahead. She hopes to step into another capacity – a mentor for the younger generation of actors.
“It’s important for people around my age, having been in this industry for so long and having learnt so much, to pass it on. While I’m still acting, I want to share with them my knowledge.
“Whatever they think is useful, they can put it in their pockets. And one day when they need to use it, they can take it out.
“I think this is what I need to do now.”
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