I grew up in Tiu Keng Leng. My father is a former Kuomintang official. He was really strict with me. As a result, I was pretty badly behaved.
I was a problem teenager. I didn’t like going home. I hung out with friends and went to discos instead of studying.
The more my dad tried to stop me from going out, the more I did it.
Once, my mom slapped me. I ran away from home.
My parents didn’t want me to get into the entertainment industry. I spent ages begging my mom, and she finally agreed to sign my contract—I wasn’t allowed to do it myself because I was underage.
I remember it so well: my mom was crying while she did it. I thought, “In front of all these people—this is so embarrassing!”
But seeing her like that also made me really uncomfortable.
I worked for a few years. After that, I went back to school. I started doing movies again after I turned 21.
The producers of “May We Chat” got in touch because it is based on “Lonely Fifteen,” which was my first film. I was 15 years old.
They wanted to do the same story, but in a different era. [It follows] rebellious, fallen girls, showing how lost they are in their youth. It reflects a lot of problems that youngsters have today.
For me, the film has a lot of meaning. It’s a continuation of the character I played. You’ll see clips from the original film incorporated in it.
I don’t have an opinion [on the “sexy” image]. I think sexiness is a feeling. Some people are just born with it. It’s a natural thing.
Looking back on “All of a Sudden” [from 1996, the only time Wan has appeared nude on screen]—was I nervous? A little bit. I had never gone that far before. But I loved the script. I have no regrets. It was a life experience.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to choose certain characters to play. It’s good to challenge yourself and try something you haven’t done before.
The biggest difference between Hong Kong and the mainland is our cultures—it’s to do with the environment they’re in and the education they’ve received.
Hong Kong is advantageous in many ways. It’s multicultural, and our technology is faster than anywhere else. But what’s different now is that China has progressed a lot. People might start to compare the two.
In some respects, the mainland might have even overtaken Hong Kong.
The sheer size of China means that there is more talent. That is something Hong Kong can’t beat.
Local films used to be just that: local films. There is less variety now. There are fewer of them because we have to cater to the China market.
To a certain extent, Hong Kong might have reached a limit and stopped. We have to work together in order for us to step up.
We’re so lucky in Hong Kong. You would understand if you went to the impoverished areas in China. People say mainlanders are uncultured, but that’s only because some can’t afford an education. If they had the same resources that Hongkongers have, they would be the same as us.
That’s the reason why I have an adopted child. I feel like I have changed his fate. He has a happy, healthy family.
If I had to do it all over again, I would be going down the same road. Everything I’ve been through—it’s been so vibrant, so dramatic.
Over the years, I’ve learned how to be a person.
I used to be so self-centered. I had no idea how to be considerate. I cared so much about what people thought about me. Everything came so easily to me—I thought that was just how things were meant to be. Now I know how to handle my emotions and relationships with other people.
The most important thing in life is knowing the value of your existence. I’ve been doing this since I was 15. I still have my hopes and dreams. I don’t feel like I’ve wasted my time.
Catch Irene Wan in “May We Chat,” which opened June 19.
