By I thought I was a little beyond being star-struck at this point. Interviewing creators is one of my favorite things to do, and with so much experience now, I guess overconfidence started to grow over the years. Throughout the day that I was set to meet Hedwig Tam, acclaimed actor from films such as Montages of a Modern Motherhood and Smashing Frank, I couldn’t get my mind off the upcoming encounter. What was I going to say to her? Would she think I was a fool? Has anything I’ve ever done in my life given me the right to speak with her? I was playing over fictional scenarios in my mind about how things would transpire, and in the process, I was working myself up into paralysis.
As I entered the Elinor Bunin Monroe Film Center (roughly 20 minutes early because I was anxious), reality started to sink in that I was about to meet a legitimate superstar. Hedwig Tam might not be famous worldwide, but in Hong Kong, she has quickly risen up the ranks of stardom. Beginning her career in commercials before making the jump to the silver screen in 2016’s Weeds on Fire, Hedwig has remained in constant demand throughout her now decade-plus career. She’s even made time for TV productions, including starring in the critically acclaimed Warriors Within (which is rather good. I’m watching it now). While I suppose some of the game developers I’ve spoken to are “bigger” in the sense of cultural impact, Hedwig is the most prominent person I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with.
I think that idea is what scared me a little. I was walked into the studio space ahead of our interview and introduced to translator Joanna C. Lee, who holds a doctorate in musicology from Columbia University and is an author. Hedwig only speaks Cantonese, so my questions would need to funnel through Mrs. Lee. Everything felt so professional and so high stakes that I started to go a little numb. I was deathly afraid of coming off as desperate, and the ticking clock in the hallway didn’t help. When the time finally came and the door to the studio space opened, I nearly died. Hedwig walked in with her agent and Smashing Frank director Trevor Choi, and I froze.
Hedwig Tam as Herself © NYAFF, Cuvols
Thankfully, she’s an incredibly humble person, so she simply walked over and said hello before asking for some water. I shook her hand, said hello back, and my nerves started to settle a bit. She had just come from making an introduction for a 6:15 pm screening of Modern Motherhood, so she was certainly eager to talk about her career. This interview, however, would be focused mostly on Smashing Frank and would be split between her and Trevor, who does speak English (he grew up in Canada). With that sort of barrier broken away, I began to calm myself, and we jumped into discussing the film without delay.
As you may have read in my review of Smashing Frank, there were a lot of production delays and a big rewrite that shaped the final product before release. Hedwig was not originally attached to play the lead character, but she came in during 2023 and worked alongside Trevor to cultivate a specific mood. I was curious if she had made any notable contributions to her character of Ayla, or if Trevor had set everything in stone before her participation.
“When I was given the script, we already had ideas of discussing how to tighten the relationship between the four characters. The character, as you can tell, is kind of like the big sister. Yet there is also that other aspect, which is the relationship with Hugo. We wanted to question how much of a leadership role she has,” Hedwig said. “With the character [Ayla], you can actually interpret whether or not she is a good character or a villain. Interestingly, the director said that during editing, he felt that she was leaning more towards being villainous.” Overall, Hedwig mostly worked on strengthening the interpersonal relationships rather than trying to redefine what Ayla was.
Hedwig Tam in Smashing Frank ©16By9 Limited
Now, while I did get the impression that Ayla was maybe not “good,” in a broad sense, I truly felt her character was more a portrait of disenfranchisement from Hong Kong’s young adults. As can be seen throughout history, sometimes push comes to shove, and violence is the only answer. I explained that to Hedwig, and she chuckled, “That was not a question!” A response like that helped to further put me at ease, which I still needed at that point.
For my next question, I turned to Trevor to discuss some of the script changes he implemented. Smashing Frank is, ultimately, a scathing critique of the rich elite and how they are ruining future generations’ chances of living a decent life. I was curious if that theme had always been a part of Smashing Frank’s design or if it came at a later point during rewrites. “That part was always in the screenplay,” Trevor told me. “What wasn’t was the influencer angle to it.”
“Let’s say there is someone who has the courage to do this type of thing. They’re kind of like a cult leader, right? Sort of like Fight Club, Tyler Durden-esque. Nowadays, they would definitely take advantage of online and social media. I started the screenplay in 2019, and later on, what I observed online everywhere was the polarization in the world. It seems inevitable for me to not have that in the screenplay.” That does make sense, even if streamer culture had started to take off before that point. Streaming has become a massive institution following the COVID-19 pandemic and is now more prominent than even traditional forms of news media. There is also an instance of a streamer turning into a cult leader, which certainly gives Smashing Frank a different vibe.
Locker Lam in Smashing Frank
©16By9 Limited
Pulling back from some of the heavier questions, I was curious about what forms of modern art and culture Trevor decided to include in his film. Smashing Frank does a pretty good job of highlighting new age art and music, so I was curious if there was a personal reason for having Canto-rap and graffiti tagging in the movie. “I think hip-hop or graffiti… they’re not so-called ‘high art.’ They’re really grounded and very related to everyday working people. It was natural to include that. I also have a love for it.”
He explained how the kind of art the characters consume in Smashing Frank reflects who they are. Ayla, for instance, is rebellious, so she’s fond of Canto-rap. Trevor also laid out how if he were to base the film around the rich characters, the movie would likely contain a lot of art basel. “I think Hong Kong has the biggest divide between the rich and the poor, even more than New York or many other places.”
I felt then was a good time to ask about Trevor’s experience working with Fruit Chan, a director known for putting a spotlight on everyday Hong Kongers and their experiences in the city. Trevor’s script for Smashing Frank came about from a filmmaking course he took that was hosted by Chan. The initial idea was that Chan would be involved as a producer, but the limited budget prevented him from staying on. I asked Trevor what he learned about screenwriting from that course, but it turns out Fruit Chan imparted more wisdom about directing instead.
Trevor Choi promoting Smashing Frank
© Zolima CityMag
“It’s more of the directing side that I learned from him,” Trevor stated. “He was my mentor in the directing class set up by the Hong Kong Film Director’s Guild. He had been involved in this project since the beginning until we had an investor on board.” Trevor detailed how the process behind Smashing Frank changed so much at that point that Chan couldn’t be involved anymore, but he took Chan’s independent spirit with him.
“If you look at his work since Made in Hong Kong and even up to his recent work, like Three Husbands, he can make any film with any budget. He doesn’t care; he’ll just make it. I think a lot of the spirit of how I approach filmmaking comes from him. There’s a lot of practically and a lot of problem-solving skills I’ve learned from that experience.”
Going back to Hedwig, I was curious how she felt playing a character that is much younger than her. Hedwig is a millennial, much like myself, but the character of Ayla in Smashing Frank is very Gen Z-coded. Personally, I feel out of touch with that generation, so I wanted to know what the experience was like for her. “When they started the project,” she said, “the director was actually crowdfunding. At that point, the idea was that Ayla would have been even younger. Eventually, it was adjusted to be slightly older, but the whole point is, age is just one of the many elements of a character.”
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She continued, “For me, more important was the aggressiveness or that anger against what is actually unfair in society and what I wanted [her] to fight for.” Trevor then interjected, “I’ve actually heard this theory from her scene partner, who actually just won supporting actor in the Hong Kong Film Awards, Chu Pak Hong. He said during a podcast or interview that when the character is in their 20s, his theory was it’s better if the actor himself is in his 30s because he would have that experience ahead of the character in terms of his life.”
It’s an interesting theory, for certain. Being able to portray that anger and dissatisfaction can be hard when you’re currently going through it. Once you’ve gotten past it, you can use that time period as fuel for your performance rather than wearing your heart on your sleeve. “That’s why an actor always has to work on their look to look younger than they actually are,” he finished.
Now, from my review, you’ll know that I felt the film ended too suddenly. I got the impression that there was something left on the cutting room floor or that plans changed during filming. I asked both Hedwig and Trevor how they would tackle a potential sequel, but Trevor was quick to say, “No. That ending is it. No continuation.” Well, I certainly appreciate finality, so I can’t be mad at that answer.
Trevor Choi as Himself
“Many films nowadays, the intention behind the filmmaker is, ‘this is the solution to a problem.’ But for us, it’s not. It’s more like… actually, I heard this from Bill Hader. On a podcast, he said, ‘I like to see films that are like, this is a problem nowadays. This is how I feel.’ I think that perfectly describes how we approached the film. I think the same matter kind of applies to America, as well. I don’t think there will easily be a solution. So, we’re like, ‘Here’s the problem and this is how we view it as a generation.’”
In real-time, I started to re-contextualize what I had seen in the film. Smashing Frank’s ending isn’t so much abrupt as it is the only real outcome that could have come for its characters. Everyone was in over their heads, things got real, people died, and Ayla lost. Her only true action left was to throw the money to the masses and hope they could make change in Hong Kong. Trevor even agreed with that, saying, “With how Hong Kong is like nowadays, it [the film] kind of has to end there to represent the current atmosphere.”
Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one with an initially perplexed reaction to the finale. As Hedwig explained, “When I first read the script, I was also wondering about that ending. ‘Is that the end? That’s it?’ But then, we had a discussion, and the whole point is that maybe it’s actually a reflection of reality. That the thing is for the audience, or whoever is watching it, to decide.”
Hedwig Tam in Lost Love
© Film Development Fund of HK
“Just like in reality, you give people lots of facts and lots of information and so on. We select and gather information. Then you decide what is real, what is not real, what is actually fake news, what is real, true news. Then you piece together your own picture.” It’s certainly an angle I hadn’t considered, even if I do believe the film could have better portrayed it. Even still, I was happy to have had that discussion because it made me reconsider how Smashing Frank turned out and what I could potentially get from a second viewing.
I did notice that the film had a similar structure to older Hong Kong classics. I specifically noted in my review that Smashing Frank plays out similarly to Project A, though obviously not with regards to content. I brought that up to Trevor, but he wasn’t familiar with the movie. Any comparison was unintentional on his behalf, though I was a little surprised he didn’t know a Jackie Chan film. Joanna jokingly said he was too young to know, but Hedwig brought up a different comparison point. In her mind, Smashing Frank is like the reverse of New Police Story where its plot is played from the villain’s perspective. I suppose through cultural osmosis, those themes seeped their way into Trevor’s work.
Stepping back from Smashing Frank, I figured I could ask Hedwig about her nomination for Best Actress in Montages of a Modern Motherhood. Also making its US premiere at NYAFF this year, Hedwig was promoting two radically different roles that highlight how versatile of an actress she is. I wanted to know what that sensation was like to be considered alongside so many other great actresses this past year.
Hedwig Tam in The Yuppie Fantasia 3
© China 3D Digital Entertainment LTD
“I actually did not train to be an actress. I mean, the thing is, the idea that I actually ended up in the industry as an actor is something that I find very interesting. Something I didn’t expect. The thing is, I didn’t play these roles in order to be nominated, or to win prizes, or anything like that. It’s very lucky that I was given different types of roles. All of these were actually part of the training that made me what I am.”
Trevor chimed in to say that he feels Hedwig is an amazing actress and that he’s happy it didn’t come too late for her. He was also quick to note that actors of her generation rarely have the opportunity to be recognized in modern Hong Kong’s industry, so it’s a blessing that she’s risen in popularity. I added that I believe her talent shines through because she has a quality similar to Maggie Cheung. After starting the day being so worried I would make a fool of myself, I actually got Hedwig to blush. Her eyes lit up when I said Maggie, and even Joanna started to laugh. Hedwig started to fan herself and uttered, “That’s too much.” She was grateful for the compliment, though, and thanked me for the comparison.
With our time coming to an end, I brought up the question I always do with any actor: was Hedwig interested in doing more action-oriented roles in the future? As a funny aside, I mentioned my favorite Japanese action actress, Saori Izawa, but no one was familiar with her. Hedwig and Saori look similar, at a glance, so I’d love to see some kind of collaboration between the two. Anyway, fans of Hedwig probably won’t see her in another action vehicle due to an injury she received filming the HK drama Warriors Within.
©16By9 Limited
“I’ve acted in a few TV dramas about assassins, but then I was injured while filming [Warriors Within],” Hedwig explained. “Before that, I did think about it, but after the injury, my athletic ability wasn’t as good. If I get a role, I will welcome it. I hope to still have the opportunity.” That’s maybe a bit disappointing, but understandable. I wouldn’t want Hedwig to further injure herself and then have to completely step back from acting. That would be a bigger crime than not appearing in action roles.
To wrap the interview up, I figured I would posit the question of which actors or directors both Hedwig and Trevor would like to work with. Trevor chimed in first, saying, “It’s too far-reaching. To be funny, I would say anyone, but to be practical, it’s just so hard to make a film in Hong Kong now. The industry has become so different, so practically, I would love to have the chance to collaborate with any of the actors I’ve already worked with, like Hedwig or Locker Lam. I just love to work with my friends.”
Hedwig’s answer was simpler. “Jeon Do-yeon.” A Korean actress who has been massive for over 20 years now, she’s probably most recognizable to people in the States from the Netflix film Kill Boksoon. Hedwig thinks she’s incredible (which she is) and would be honored to appear alongside her. Maybe through this interview, I can somehow manifest a film starring Hedwig, Jeon, and Saori where they play an assassin trio who systematically dismantle corruption in the government by striking down key figures. Think of it like a modern Heroic Trio, just with more overt themes of anti-establishment.
Once our time came to a close, I thanked Hedwig, Trevor, and Joanna for everything and went on my way. It’s maybe a bit self-indulgent to put this in an interview, but speaking with Hedwig felt like a career highlight for me. While I couldn’t converse with her directly, she has inspired me to become a better version of myself. In the grand tapestry that is her life, I may only be a little blip on it, but I do hope that I made her day just a bit brighter. For me, she has certainly pushed me to elevate myself to the next level. What that level is, I’m not sure, but I won’t be stopping until I get there.
