Lingling Kwong, instinctive and guarded, has always forged her path, whether in acting, fashion, or food.

Lingling Kwong walks onto the set, and the mood changes&nbsp;almost immediately. She’s warm with the team, occasionally&nbsp;cracking jokes between takes, but the second that camera goes&nbsp;up, she switches. There is little hesitation and none of the usual&nbsp;fusing over the lights or angles. She moves through poses with&nbsp;an ease that suggests she knows exactly what the camera is&nbsp;seeing. Watching her work, I start wondering whether she&nbsp;even knows what a poor angle looks like.
Once we sit down to talk, however, she’s like a whole different person. Off camera she’s soft-spoken, almost shy too. She often avoids eye contact, pausing before answering and taking her time to choose the right words. The confidence&nbsp;remains, though here it feels less performative and more settled.
Her years spent in Hong Kong and Thailand naturally arise&nbsp;in conversation. The former made her tougher in a way she&nbsp;needed, while the latter brings out something softer. That&nbsp;duality surfaces in how she works and in the measured way she&nbsp;responds to people around her.
Still, Kwong’s not buying into this whole “where you’re from&nbsp;defines you” attitude. “Culture influences you, sure,” she says.&nbsp;“But how you deal with people, how you handle stuff – that’s&nbsp;your mindset. That’s on you.” And she means it. You can tell.
The longer we speak, it becomes more apparent that she’s got&nbsp;real boundaries. “If something feels wrong, I can’t just accept&nbsp;it. Never could. I handle it my way,” she asserts. Kwong rarely&nbsp;overexplains herself. Once she has made up her mind, the answer tends to be concise.

If you had to choose one personality trait that best represents who you are, what would it be?
I think I’m quite a slow-burn kind of person. I don’t let people into my inner world very easily. But once someone gets close to me, I really value and cherish that person, and I love them deeply. I think that is a big part of who I am.

How do you prepare yourself for different roles such as your character Tawan in Only You?
I usually start with the character’s body language, because every character has a different physicality, a different set of lines. Take a police officer, an athlete or someone with a more masculine or disciplined presence – there tend to be a lot of straight lines in the way they carry themselves. I try to bring those “straight lines” into the character and gradually build their physical presence from there.
With softer characters, it’s the opposite. Think of a ballet dancer, or the way a mother naturally curves her body when holding a child. I pay attention to those shapes and bring them into the character. It’s not only about body language; sometimes those physical qualities can also inform the character’s personality and overall presence.
I also learn whatever skills a particular role requires, such as how to handle a gun or shoot. In the period leading up to filming, I focus more intensely on physical training so that my body gradually adapts to what the role demands. For me, all these things are part of getting closer to the character, step by step.

Is there another side of you in real life that people rarely get to see?
Being an actor gives me the opportunity to encounter so many different kinds of people through the characters I play. I learn different ways of thinking from them, as well as different ways of dealing with situations. But generally, I don’t bring my characters into my real life.
I wouldn’t say I’m particularly good at hiding who I am, either. I just have my own private zone, a space where I feel comfortable. I don’t deliberately hide things about myself; I’m simply not someone who actively shares everything.

When it comes to clothes, what do you wear when you feel most like yourself?
It depends on my mood that day and where I’m going. Sometimes I dress more casually, sometimes less so, but the most important thing is that I feel comfortable. I don’t really have one particular style. I usually dress according to my mood and the occasion.

Is there anything you are particular about when it comes to your personal style, or something you especially like to wear?
Given the choice, I prefer trousers. Most of my clothes for work are arranged by the organisers, but if I get to make a request, I’ll usually ask to wear trousers.

How about accessories like watches or jewellery?
I prefer watches, and earrings too.

&nbsp;Do you wear make-up when you’re not working?
Very rarely. I have to wear make-up almost every day for work, so on my days off I try to give my skin a break and go without it. At most, I’ll put on a little concealer under my eyes.

Is there anything you like to do on your days off that people might be surprised to learn about?
I work out, but most people already know that about me, so I don’t think that would surprise anyone. I’m actually quite health-conscious. Because I exercise, I tend to be fairly careful about what I eat and drink.
But if I have a few days off, on the first day I might have fried chicken or instant noodles. If I don’t have to work the next day, then it doesn’t really matter. I can worry about it tomorrow! [Laughs]

Tell us about your brands. What made you want to start them?
I currently have three brands of my own. The first is my fashion label, Always Wonder; the second is Kwong Kee Roast; and the third is Kwong Pastry, which makes filled egg rolls in a range of creative flavours. I really, really cherish all three of them. They’re almost like my children.
Everything I create or put out there comes from something I genuinely like and want to share with other people. If I’ve tried something and think it’s good, or tasted something and think it’s delicious, that’s when I want to turn that idea into something I can share through a brand.
The name Always Wonder comes from my belief that everyone has questions within themselves – their own sense of “always wondering”. When people wear the clothes, I hope they won’t feel limited by the way they have always imagined themselves. I want them to try something different and perhaps discover another side of who they are.
The other two brands are both about food. I love eating, so they’re also a way for me to share some of the flavours I personally enjoy.

What are your hopes for them going forward?
Of course, I hope more people will wear my clothes and get to try the flavours I love.
Whenever I see a fan, or anyone really, wearing something from my fashion brand, it makes me incredibly happy. In the future, I’d love to have physical stores and eventually take them overseas as well.

Actor, fashion brand founder and food entrepreneur — which of these roles do you think represents you best?
They’re all me. If you really asked me to choose the one that represents me best, I honestly wouldn’t know how, because each one is a part of who I am.

How do you divide your time between these three roles?
Every day is busy, and it’s very difficult to find a real balance. Whenever I have time, there is always something that needs to be done. I can only try to organise everything as well as possible, but unexpected things inevitably come up and throw the plan off. Then I just have to readjust.
I’m personally involved in all three areas too. With fashion, I want to understand what is happening and stay involved; I also handle things on the business side, and of course I put a lot into acting as well. So I really have to manage my time carefully.

Lastly, can you share with us about what’s coming next?
One of the things we’re working on is a new product from Kwong Pastry, and the brand will also be making its way into supermarkets. Everything has been agreed and preparations are already under way, although we haven’t officially announced it yet. Kwong Kee Roast is also looking for the right location for a new outlet.

Cover Credits:
Photography&nbsp;Chee Wei Creative Direction &amp; Styling&nbsp;Colin Sim Words John Ng and Joshua Pang Makeup Minnie Chanidapa Hair Hereal Miiu&nbsp; Production Grey Chin&nbsp; Fashion Coordinator Shahira Baharin Production Assistant Ratchada Tuptimphet Photography Assistants Thanakit Meecharoen and Thanakorn Kantaponthanat All clothing DIOR All jewellery and watches CARTIER

Cover Story: Lingling Kwong is on her way feat. Cartier and Dior

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