Michelle Fang makes her way to the Common Room and kicks things off with a line from Marcel Proust before discussing how her upbringing as an international third-world kid compelled her to use theater to “take root and nest in herself” and how personal stories are the most creative (2:07). Next, Michelle recounts how she recently made the hard decision to turn down her biggest opportunity yet on a major streaming platform because she found the character and writing inauthentic and stereotypical (12:55). We also discuss what Michelle's facing as a Chinese actor, how she deals with the nuances of open-ethnicity casting and the disconnect between Hollywood and its desire to appeal to a Chinese-American audience vs. a Mainland Chinese audience (17:06). Then, Michelle reflects on working with IQIYI, the leading Chinese streaming platform, to build a partnership with Netflix and her hobbies - violin, taekwondo, soccer - that began when she was a kid (31:26). Finally, Michelle shares her upcoming projects, post-Schwarzman plans, and how she stays grounded by involving and activating other parts of herself, including doing research on sustainability and being a part of climate forums (39:41).
Song recommendation: