Story | Iris Chiu Photography | Karl Lam
Navigating a world full of unknowns this past year has been tough. But with just a little positive energy Selena Lee is confident she can face the changes and challenges the pandemic has thrust upon us.
Lee, recently engaged to Anson Cha, four days shy of her 40th birthday, had to postpone the wedding for obvious reasons. But she’s taking it all in stride with plans to celebrate the big day with family and friends—and when her parents can safely travel travel from overseas.
Tweed jacket, St. John; Black sports top, Calvin Klein
“We are committed to each other, so there’s no rush to make it official,” says Lee. “I don’t need to dress up or make a big deal for my own wedding. A simple and intimate gathering with our loved ones will do.”
There were rumours that director Peter Chan and actress/wife Sandra Ng played Cupid for the couple, but Lee insists she met her fiancé, a celebrity fitness coach in Hong Kong, through friends outside of showbiz. “We met in a big group and got to know each other, then fell in love. He is a very special person—very straightforward, easygoing, uncomplicated and positive. He doesn’t drink or smoke and is a homebody when he’s not working. Since my work can be stressful and competitive, I can be quite tense. It’s good to have someone down to earth to enjoy warm and tender moments over a meal or a movie.”
Necklace and earrings, Fred Paris; Bow Top and leggings, Selvaggia Lorefice; Gloves, Identical Twinz
That sums up the kind of blissful simplicity Lee likes: “Romance is not about getting 100 roses. In the four years we’ve been together, he has expressed his thoughts and showed how he cares with even the smallest things, such as getting a soup ready for me at home for when I finish work late.”
Took the Plunge
Cha put a lot of thought into the proposal, too. Knowing that Lee loves the ocean, he proposed while they were diving in the u.S. Says Lee: “When he put the ring on, there were sharks circling around us.”
She does not plan to put her career on the backburner despite the engagement. “I have a lot of work booked at the moment, but they are all pending. Some of them are overseas shoots and should have been completed already, but they were delayed due to the pandemic.”
Tulle skirt, Giorgio Armani; Boots, Emporio Armani; Pendant necklace and earrings, Fred Paris
Shooting during the pandemic can be quite complicated. For instance, Lee was in Toronto earlier this year to shoot Season 3 of Blood and Water. It was a two-week shoot, but she had to be in quarantine for two weeks upon arrival in Toronto and then another three weeks upon returning to Hong Kong. She ended up spending more time in quarantine than on the actual shoot.
“Ontario went into lockdown when I first arrived,” she says. “My heart sank and I wondered if the shoot would be cancelled and whether the production company would have financial trouble, as there were already a lot of other costs for crews from Vancouver and Prince Edward Island—and they all had to go into quarantine.
“Fortunately, the shoot went on, despite difficulties and confusion. Some actors and crew couldn’t come back; the colour of my hair got lighter and wouldn’t look the same with already-shot scenes, And since all hair salons were closed, I couldn’t fix it. Lots of locations and venues were closed, so there were considerations as to whether the script had to be changed to get it done. It was very much like when we shot TVB dramas in the past, when we received last-minute new directions on site, and we had to follow up on a lot of things ourselves. Perhaps that training made me handle changes well, whereas other local actors felt overwhelmed.”
Dress, Moschino; Bracelets, Fred Paris Boots, Stylist’s
During the shoot, the whole crew was sequestered in a hotel and had to be tested every other day. They had to eat in their own rooms and wore face masks except in front of the camera. A specific person was assigned to manage masks and make sure they were swapped for a fresh one after two hours.
Because of this, Lee said she couldn’t recognize most of the crew, despite spending so much time together on the shoot. “The makeup artist, for example, wore a face mask, protective eyewear, face shield and full-body protective clothing. I would not recognize her when she had her mask off.”
Initiative Rewarded
Lee says Blood and Water is special to her, for “it’s the first drama in which I’m the lead, and it’s an overseas drama shot in Canada. It also got me a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards.
“Although I didn’t win, it was still major recognition. It might not be a big-budget production, but I had to audition for it, and it was reassuring that someone liked my acting and gave me a big part. It got me to step out of my comfort zone. This drama series means a lot to me.”
At that time, Lee had a chance to audition for the Marvel movie Shang-Chi, but the schedules clashed, and she was happy to focus on getting ready for Season 3 of Blood and Water.
During the shoot, Lee did more than simply play her part. She also helped the crew with a number of tasks, such as ensuring continuity of costumes with other scenes.
“When I returned to Hong Kong after the shoot and celebrated my birthday in the quarantine hotel, I received a surprise birthday present. The production company felt I had contributed a lot, so they offered to list me as a co-producer. To me as an actor, producer is a big deal. Now I am one, too.”
That’s why Lee believes working hard has its rewards, and she is now much more confident.“You have to really love this business to keep going, because it’s a very long road. You also have to stay positive because you never know what’ll come next. Just look at Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung, who won the Best Supporting Actress oscar (for Minari) at age 73.”
Lee may not have won an oscar—yet—but she does have some 800,000 Instagram followers and four million WeChat followers—and has appeared in commercials for many brands. She also took time to learn how to write songs and even gained recognition for portraying Alex and Coco in the 2019 TVB supernatural romance drama Barrack O’Karma. Says Lee: “I have to thank TVB for preparing me to multi-task and take care of many things in one go.”
Although she remains full of enthusiasm for her work, Lee thinks it would be a blessing to have a baby: “There is this theory about biological clocks for women, but I feel that I’m in my prime physiologically and psychologically. It will be such a joy to have a baby.”
Art director : Sarona Lo / Karl Lam
Styling: Sarona Lo
Wardrobe assistant: Meko Lin
Makeup artist: Stephen Lau
Hair stylist: Nicki Ting
Nail: The Nails
