Interview With "The Wedding Banquet" Actress Joan Chen

Approaching the Character

• 💡 Joan Chen doesn't aim to steal scenes but focuses on finding an inner connection to her character and conducting background research to relate truthfully.

Motherhood and the Role of May Chan

• 📌 Her own experiences with motherhood, including its challenges and joys, significantly informed her portrayal in "The Wedding Banquet."
• 💖 She relates to May Chan's unconditional love for her children, acknowledging that mothers can also make mistakes and hurt their children.
• 🎭 May Chan's character is depicted as initially hurting her daughter by not accepting her, then later overcompensating and being oblivious to her past actions.

Personal Connection and Catharsis

• 🧠 Chen found playing mother roles, especially those reflecting complex family dynamics, to be cathartic and redemptive.
• 🌱 Her initial meeting with director Andrew Ahn involved sharing personal stories about their relationships with their mothers and children, rather than just discussing the script.
• 겪 She used her own experiences, including her daughter's tumultuous teen years, as valuable "material" to enrich her performances.

The Actor's Vulnerability

• ⚡ Acting requires sensitivity and vulnerability, which can be challenging and lead to sleepless nights, but also transforms personal anguish into productive artistic expression.
• 🎨 She views an artist's suffering and joy as assets that can be used to express life and potentially enrich others.

Working with Co-stars

• 🤝 Chen highlighted her strong working relationship with Kelly Marie Tran, appreciating Tran's ability to maintain emotional freshness through multiple takes for a difficult scene.
• ✨ She emphasized the importance of having a truthful and good scene partner in acting, feeling fortunate to have experienced this with Tran and Yu Jang.