Gemma Chan and I are walking down the idyllic leafy paths of Regent’s Park, one of her favourite spots in London, England, talking about how the pandemic strengthened our relationships with nature. “I think it’s probably something I took for granted before,” she says., an immersive exhibition narrated by David Attenborough. It made a deep impression on her, but it doesn’t take long for her tone to jump from wonder to concern as our conversation turns to the climate crisis.
She acknowledges her discomfort around being called an “activist,” pausing when I ask her how she feels about the term. “There are people who have been doing work on the ground in communities, and it’s their whole life’s work. And I in no way equate myself with that,” she says. “I would probably consider myself more of an advocate.” For Chan, it felt natural to use her platform to spotlight other causes.
We meet in late July, and she’s much more prepared than I am for the changeable British-summer weather, wearing both layers and sunglasses, her wavy hair tucked behind her ear by an almost imperceptible hairpin. We’re also meeting during the historic WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that have brought Hollywood to a halt. “I think we’re at this inflection point where something has to be done,” says Chan. “It’s painful but necessary to go through this.
“I feel like we’ve got our foot in the door,” she says. “It’s storytelling in all its genres, and I think it’s great because it also shows that we’re not a monolith. There are a multitude of experiences and stories to tell from within our communities.” But, of course, there’s still work to be done—women and people of colour remain under-represented, both in front of and behind the camera. It’s a power imbalance that Chan hopes to help redress through her producing work.