The world is hers

Singaporean Gwendoline Yeo scores another Hollywood milestone with Chuck

A standoff on “Chuck” (Gwendoline Yeo as Mei-Ling Cho, Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski)

She’s undoubtedly one of the most successful Asian-American actresses in Hollywood.

How could she not be?

With a resume that includes, take a deep breath, it’s a very long one — Desperate Housewives (as Eva Longoria’s naughty maid, Xiao Mei); 24; General Hospital; Grounded for Life; NYPD Blue; JAG and the The OC among others — Singapore-born Gwendoline Yeo is indeed very successful.

Her latest Hollywood role is in Chuck, an action / comedy series that airs on AXN where she plays a butt-kicking spy, Mei-Ling Cho, in one of the episodes.

We had a quick chat with her recently to find out more.

MM: How did you end up as an actress?

GY: To be quite honest, I’ a big dorky geek. Initially, I wanted to become a doctor, or a lawyer, simply because it’s an Asian thing to do. After that, I decided to become a journalist, and it was something that I majored in when I was studying in UCLA. After a while, I realised journalism was something I’m not really good at. So I opted to be an actress instead. I love what I do because my heart is really in it. I don’t act to be famous, I genuinely feel good when I act and I don’t think I can or want to do anything else.

MM: Can Asian actors really make a living out there?

GY: Well, I do.

MM: Maybe you are one of the lucky ones …

GY: There’s nothing easy about this business. You can be Asian, an actor, you can even be the most beautiful girl in the world and face rejection. It’s not all glamour, it’s a real hustle and you’re in constant competition to get a role. You really have to not want to do anythig else and it’s like, you have to be obsessed with work to be part of it and sustain it.

MM: Everyone knows that in Hollywood, you have to do a lot of things before you get that big break. What did you do before you had yours?

GY: I made the table for some cafés, saying “brown rice or white rice”. Got my BA from UCLA, so talk about modesty. I went to bartending school, I bartended and more. I think, it’s a bit of a Singaporean in me that when you’re highly educated, you feel like you can serve this person a Coke. But, you’re paying your dues. You have to find a flexible job that allows you to go to auditions. I’m lucky enough to get my big break when I still had shelter and I still had enough money put away.

Yeo Makes A Handoff to Chuck

MM: How different is starring in Chuck as opposed to Desperate Housewives?

GY: Desperate Housewives is a huge show and a hit series. There’s a lot of storylines going on, five women and five different stories at one time so it very much feels like an engine. It’s a lot about close-ups and a lot about the acting. In Chuck, I had a few stunt doubles, there’s a lot of fire fights and gun battles, I was running around three feet in the air — so it’s a completely different role and experience altogether. And because Chuck is a new show, it has a more simple storyline. It’s still nice!

MM: Any plans to make your transition into the big screen?

GY: I actually did a movie called The Jane Austen Book Club last year, and was in this thriller called Vacancy 2 this year. I really love the experience and I’d love to have more such opportunities. Yes, I think I’m edging my way into films, but for me, as long as I get good roles, be it TV or movies, I’ll take it.

MM: What about coming home to Singapore to do one then?

GY: Of course. If the right project presents itself, I think that’d be great!

— Shuhaidah Saharani: The Sunday Star, May 4, 2008