PETALING JAYA, Sept 24 — Henry Golding is continuing his streak of breaking down barriers of representation in film, this time by playing a gay character in the upcoming British drama Monsoon.
The Crazy Rich Asians actor will portray Kit, a gay British-Vietnamese man who makes his way from London to Vietnam to scatter his parents’ ashes, rediscovering his heritage along the way.
After fleeing the Vietnam War with his family on a refugee boat, Kit is determined to return to his homeland and forge a connection with its culture.
In an interview with NewNowNext, the 31-year-old explained his ties to the LGBT community and the problems they still face in society today.
“I was a hairstylist, so the environment I grew up in, it was normal. My upbringing was, ‘Be good unto others, be kind, stay healthy, and be happy.’ [My parents] never set barriers. And being surrounded by that community, I saw it for what it is: a very loving, inclusive community,” Golding said.
“The thing is, it’s so normal for me; it’s weird when people ask me about it, it’s strange they’re asking me something so obvious. You don’t realise there are some people who are still affected by all this crap.”
The Sarawakian actor was previously heralded for bringing an Asian face to Hollywood, an industry where actors of Asian descent are rarely seen in leading roles.
Now, Golding is hoping to shed light on the experiences of Asian LGBT characters through his work in the film directed by Cambodian-born British director Hong Khaou who was previously nominated BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer in 2015.
He emphasised that it was the story and not the character’s sexual orientation that should be at the centre of the film.
“I felt so strongly about it that in my third film [Monsoon] my character is gay. I wanted to portray a character with heart—and the fact that it’s his story that shines through, not the fact that he’s gay. He has this wonderful relationship, but the truth of the matter is the material really lends itself to his journey.”
Details for Monsoon’s release have yet to surfaces but in the meantime, audiences can expect to catch Golding in A Simple Favor alongside Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick.
The film will be shown in Malaysian cinemas from 11 Oct 2018.
