Yvonne Chapman never planned to be an actress.
More than a decade ago, the Chinese-Canadian was working in corporate finance when she signed up for an acting class to escape, what she described as, a regimented, tightly scheduled life.
“I genuinely enjoyed what I was doing in finance, but I needed something that wasn’t tied to achievement,” Chapman shared in an exclusive online interview with StarLifestyle.
“When I finished that acting class, I remember thinking, ‘Oh no, I really love this.’
“I couldn’t get it out of my mind. It felt like acting was drawing me in rather than the other way around.”
Leaving behind a stable career in her mid-20s wasn’t an easy decision, but once she committed to it, Chapman discovered it wasn’t nearly as frightening as she’d imagined.
“There are moments in life when you decide to take a chance on something you truly love, and that was one of those moments for me,” said the 37-year-old.
“Often it’s the fear of the unknown that’s scarier than reality itself. Once I got over that fear, everything else started to fall into place.”
So she packed what little she could fit in to her car, drove from her home in Calgary to Vancouver and never looked back.
Eleven years later, Chapman is enjoying one of the busiest periods of her career.
She stars in Viu’s Hong Kong-set drama The Season and reprises her role as the iconic Avatar Kyoshi in the second season of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender.
She previously appeared in the TV series Kung Fu, where she first gained widespread attention, and Superman & Lois, to name a few.
Next, she’ll make her feature film debut in director Oliver Stone’s upcoming movie White Lies, starring Willem Dafoe, Michael Douglas, Josh Hartnett and Ellen Barkin.
“Oliver is a true legend, and it has been an extraordinary honour to work with him on this film alongside such inspiring talent.
“It has been a highlight of my career and my profound privilege to be part of this story,” she said of the new project.
Looking back, perhaps acting was always part of her DNA.
Her paternal grandmother was actress and soprano Lola Young, while her grandfather, Chapman Ho, was a producer, occasional director and businessman in Hong Kong in the 1930s to 1960s.
Born in Calgary to a Singaporean Chinese mother and a father of Chinese and French heritage, Chapman said her grandparents’ careers took on new meaning once she entered the industry herself.
“Having that example so close to me definitely had an impact, especially when I look back on it now,” the friendly star said.
But growing up in Canada, she didn’t think acting was an option because she rarely saw people who looked like her on screen.
“There wasn’t an obvious example that told me this was a viable career path. As a child, I wouldn’t have been conscious of that, but in hindsight it was highly evident.
“So when I eventually decided to pursue acting, knowing that my grandmother had built a successful career in the arts helped me believe it was possible for me too,” Chapman said.
It was a full-circle moment for her when she got to work in Hong Kong on The Season.
The six-episode series, set against the glamorous backdrop of Hong Kong’s elite, gave Chapman the opportunity to work in a city she’s long considered home away from home while spending time with her extended family.
“I’ve been visiting Hong Kong regularly since I was about 10 because most of my dad’s family lives here. It’s always felt like a second home.
“To work here, filming a series that showcases the beauty of Hong Kong and sharing that with audiences around the world feels unbelievable. It’s something I’m incredibly grateful for,” she said.
In the series, Chapman plays Madeline Wong, a member of the wealthy Hext family, one of the biggest names in Hong Kong’s hotel industry.
Her aunt, Fiona Hext (Karena Lam), isn’t in favour of Madeline as she returns to Hong Kong amid a scandal involving the latter’s late husband.
What fascinated Chapman about Madeline is that “she’s a work in progress”.
“She’s messy. She isn’t presented as perfect by any means, and that’s incredibly relatable,” the actress said of her character.
“She’s trying to find her place, rebuild her life and discover who she is. That’s such a universal theme. I’ve played characters on similar journeys before, but Madeline’s circumstances are very specific, and that’s what really appealed to me.”
Though their characters are not on good terms on the show, Chapman and Lam got along wonderfully off screen.
“Karena is one of the loveliest people I’ve ever worked with. I adore her... I had so much fun doing those scenes with her.”
Landing the role of Madeline was the result of one of many auditions Chapman has done throughout her career.
But she had to learn the hard way that she can’t always land every role she auditions for.
The actress said she still faces rejection even now. And that’s OK. There are always new opportunities coming along, and that’s just part of being an actor,” she said matter-of-factly.
While these days she has developed a healthier attitude towards rejection, she recalled one that stung in particular.
“At the time, I had already experienced rejection after rejection, and I really wanted something (positive) to happen.”
Chapman had made it to the final stage, where it came down to her and two other actresses for a project she was passionate about.
“What made it difficult wasn’t only losing the role. It was the accumulation of so many rejections and feeling so close to landing something I really cared about. I remember it emotionally breaking me.
“I cried for weeks because I had built up this vision of what my life would look like if I got that show,” she remembered.
“Afterward, it took me a while to reset my mindset and find the resilience to keep going.”
One of the things she credits for her mental strength is having started acting later in life, after already having had a career in finance.
“When I was younger, I was extremely shy and introverted. I still deal with self-doubt and insecurities, but much more so back then. If I had started acting earlier, I don’t think I would have had the same resilience.
“Another thing is that this business can be crazy. Knowing I could do something else but still choose this tells me a lot.
“It tells me I’m in the right profession because I love what I do, and I’m still willing to go through all the craziness to keep doing it,” she said.
If those experiences have reinforced Chapman’s belief that acting is where she is meant to be, she also credited the profession for accelerating her journey of self-discovery.
She said: “I think what acting has gifted me is the ability to be more myself. Not that finance wouldn’t have allowed me to get there eventually, but acting was definitely a catalyst.
“Acting is really a study of the human condition. We understand ourselves through our relationships with other people, places and experiences.”
The actress continued: “Oddly enough, stepping outside of myself and into different roles, being curious about different perspectives and characters, has taught me more about who I am than I think a corporate environment ever could.”
With things looking up, Chapman hopes to explore many different roles and find the next challenge.
“One thing I haven’t had the chance to do yet is a biopic. I think that would be a really interesting challenge because I’ve never had to portray someone based on a real person.
“How do you stay true to who that person was while also serving the narrative? That’s something I’d love to explore as an actor.”
Not limiting herself to just acting, Chapman wants to take on more responsibilities behind the scenes. For one, she’s set to produce a TV series in Canada.
“I want to be in a position where I can help create opportunities for other actors, writers, directors and producers – and help make space for more people to tell their stories,” she explained.
She’s also begun directing and teaching workshops for actors.
“One thing I always encourage actors to do is spend time behind the camera in whatever capacity they can. Storytelling is a collective effort.
“We’re all there to tell the same story, and the more you understand the work of the crew and your fellow creatives, the better decisions you’ll make as an actor.
“You’ll also bring more value to the production as a whole.
“The more you learn, the more tools you’ll have available to do your job well,” Chapman said.
The Season is available on Viu and Avatar: The Last Airbender is streaming on Netflix.
