Fala Chen on Balancing Work and Family

Despite settling down in the United States with her husband, Emmanuel Straschnov, and their two children, Fala Chen (陳法拉) often travels to Hong Kong for work. Bringing her family along on her travels, Fala believes they are able to achieve a good work-life balance.

Fala expressed, “I’m still able to handle it all right now. It is the year 2025 and it is a bit outdated to be saying that women have to choose between career and family. My kids are still young, so I can take them with me to work. Last summer, I was filming in Macau and Hong Kong and took the kids along also. However in a few years, they will be in school. I’ll reconsider how to manage home life and work. In the United States, many artistes bring young children to work in a different city. They’ll hire private tutors and do their best to take care of their family also. This is very important. My family is my motivation, so I can’t be away from them for too long. I also need to have my own personal life and experiences. This is what will help me grow as an actress also.”

Having worked with Nicole Kidman in The Undoing, Fala witnessed first-hand how some artistes bring their children to work. “I remember Nicole and her family lived in Nashville, but she brought her two daughters to New York for work. Her two daughters were often on set with us. I’d hear Nicole tell her kids to pay attention to their studies, and their private tutor was there with them and teaching them the whole time. Later, her daughters also made guest appearances in the show. Sometimes, as parents, rather than lecture, it is important to be a role model for them. When the children see their mother working hard for her dreams and in her work, they will view them as a role model. I think this is the most effective way of teaching.”

Although breaking into Hollywood is one of the biggest successes for an actor, Fala did not think too much about it. Instead, everything occurred by chance. Recalling her experiences, Fala said, “When I went to study [at the Juilliard School], I was only trying to continue my journey as an actress. I hoped to grow and learn new things. At the time, I was not thinking about focusing my career in the United States. I didn’t even know where to find a management company. By chance, Crazy Rich Asians was released to much positive reception. A lot of management companies were seeking Asian stars. I just graduated at the time and was able to sign with a company. After auditioning many times, I finally landed some jobs.”

Although she was already a leading lady in Hong Kong, she was not a known face overseas. Humbled by the experience, Fala shared, “No one knows who you are. No matter how ‘famous’ you might be in Asia or Europe, no one cares. Everyone would sit in the same room and wait for their chance to audition. It is still very humbling for me. I had to re-establish my career path. I’m very fortunate to star in a few films. However, I’m not blessed with a lot of opportunities. I’ve auditioned for many roles and did not get cast. I’ve auditioned several times for the same role and entered the final round, but another actress was selected instead.” Although Fala did not land every role she auditioned for, the cumulative experience was a learning opportunity for Fala nonetheless. Hoping to continue her acting journey, Fala is open to all filming opportunities, whether big or small.

Source: [1]

This article is written by Huynh for JayneStars.com.