Searching for cultural identity
Half-Malaysian and half-English, Henry Golding draws on his own experience in ‘Monsoon’
Previously a TV presenter in Britain, Henry Golding, 33, starred as the wealthy, winsomeNick Young in “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2018, and he has since rapidly built a career playing roles that call for a debonair touch. Last year, alongsideHugh Grant and MatthewMcConaughey, he was part of Guy Ritchie’s all-star ensemble cast for “The Gentlemen,” and he is one of the latest rumored to be in the running to take over as James Bond.
But his new film “Monsoon,” written and directed byHong Khaou, is a more introspective endeavor. In the drama, out nowin Britain and theUnited States onNov. 13, Golding plays Kit, a British Vietnamese man returning to Vietnam for the first time since fleeing as a refugee at age 3. Back to scatter his parents’ ashes, Kit tries to orient himself in the streets ofHo Chi Minh City with unfamiliar relatives and in a new relationship with an American designer, Lewis (Parker Sawyers).
Kit’s search to understand his cultural identity will be familiar to many with immigrant backgrounds. What does homecoming mean when you’re returning to a place— and family— you barely remember? And what does it mean to do it as aWesterner?
Golding discussed how feeling “Iwas never Asian enough” and “Iwas never English enough” in the past helped inform Kit. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: The role of Kit feels quite different fromones we’ve seen you play before. Howdid it come about?
A: “Monsoon” started casting before “Crazy Rich Asians” had come out. I was in thisHollywood limbo where no one really knew what I had been working on, and I immediately fell in love with the script for “Monsoon,” not only because itwas based in Southeast Asia, where I’d lived for the past 10 years, but also because of Kit’s journey of self-exploration. As a young man, straddling these two cultures of being half-Malaysian and halfEnglish, Iwas always confused about who Iwas and what culture I represented. Iwas never Asian enough. I was never English enough. That’s something Kit has to get to the bottom of.
The film’s director, Hong Khaou, puts it really nicely: Are you a product of your naturalization or cultural background? Because I’ve got a British passport does thatmakeme British? Or because Iwas born in Malaysia, does that mean that I’mMalaysian?
Q: “Monsoon” explores the idea of having Asian heritage but still experiencing a place through a Western lens. Did that resonate with you too?
A: I decided tomove back toMalaysia back when Iwas 21. After leavingMalaysia at 8, I grewup
in the Surrey countryside and thenworked in London. Itwas dumbfounding for the first few months to the point where I thought, “I don’t knowwhat I’m doing here.”
There is a sense of white privilege when it comes to being mixed-race in Malaysia, because of the perception that you’re well-educated, or your parents are rich— which is far from reality— because of this deep-rooted sense of colonial supremacy. I’d never experienced that in theUnited Kingdom. There itwas like, “Oh— you’re half-Asian.” Itwas never,
“That’s exotic, that’s unique.” As a kid, there weren’tmany other mixedrace kids around. Nowit’s very different.
Q: Howdid you prepare to play a British Vietnamese character?
A: For this character, the less I knew, the better. Kit, as a young Vietnamese man, really had no connection to that part of his life. I read a lot about the struggles of howthese immigrants came to countries like theU.K. and howthat would have made an impression on your outlook. I had been to Vietnam a few
times before filming, so I was fairly familiar with it from a tourist point of view.
Q: You’ve said that you were unsure about taking the role as a straight actor because Kit is gay. Whatwas that conversation like with the director?
A: It’s a tough conversation. Therewas always a question: Does this role belong to me? Hong auditioned pretty much every type of young Asian man possible. He came to the understanding that I knew what Kit had gone through in a sense, so Iwas the best person for the job. For me, I’m going to give the best performance I can and do this young man justice. Taking the rolewas the best decision I made.
Q: What does representation for the Asian diaspora mean to you? Is this the kind of film you want to do more of?
A: Itwas magical as an actor to be able to sit in a character’s feelings and confusion and history. I’ve been trying to find great material towork from like this, much more independent styles ofmoviemaking.
For representation, I think it is a long road. We definitely broke some ground with “Crazy Rich Asians.” There’s that fantastic new film fromA24, “Minari.” With the director Bong JoonHo’s films being onNetflix now, it’s only going to lead to more people towatch films like that. But the pace has to be kept. The representation has be not only on screen, but as writers and directors. We’re all cogs in the system. There’s no end to it, it’s fighting the good fight, and not allowing the critics to quieten you.
Q: You’ve become a leading man in a relatively short time in the actingworld. Howdo you process the speed at which that’s unfolded?
A: It’s surreal, to be honest. It didn’t feel like Iwas in overmy head going into “Crazy Rich Asians,” which wasmy first acting gig. When Iwasworking as a hairdresser, every 45 minutes youmeet somebody new. And then being a journalist for travel shows I was really getting to the bottom of culture and humans. It felt like Iwas working toward that first acting opportunity.
Q: What are you hoping viewers take away from“Monsoon?”
A: A sense ofwonderment and yearning for adventure, reminiscent of times whenwe’re able to experience countries like Vietnam unhindered by health or restrictions. But also the emotional side of wanting to get to the bottom of who you are as a person. If there’s anything you have at the back of your head, as an Asian American person, ask your parents.
When Iwas stillworking on travel shows, I tookmy camera and satmy parents down for an interview. I have this beautiful video talking about their history and howthey met. I treasure that video very much.