Lesley Chiang: A Journey of Resilience and Advocacy 姜麗文：星光延續

ENGLISH 英 : Beverly Cheng | CHINESE 中 : Kate Tong

VENUE: Jao Tsung-I Academy, Hong Kong
ART DIRECTION: Deborah Lau-Yu · PHOTOGRAPHER: Berton Chang
Video Production: Breaking Rice Studios
HAIR: Shush Group · COORDINATION: BY Wong, Rhonda Lam

Fête Chinoise Magazine presents meaningful Chinese-Canadian stories.

Lesley Chiang's career trajectory reflects her diverse talents and multicultural background. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver, this Canadian actress and singer-songwriter has made waves in both the music and film industries while becoming a vocal advocate for mental health awareness.

Growing up in a Chinese-Japanese-Canadian family in Vancouver profoundly shaped Chiang's worldview and artistic sensibilities.

“I grew up in Vancouver, and it's always such a big part of me and it's something I'm really proud of to be Chinese Canadian,” she says. This multicultural upbringing provided her with a unique perspective that infuses her work.

星二代自小便備受關注，一般人只能遠觀的明星是他們血濃於水的至親，五光十色的娛樂圈早已是他們生活的一部分；然而擁有「星級」背景，不代表他們的星途比其他人平坦易行。

姜麗文(Lesley Chiang)出生於演藝世家。爸爸是殿堂級演員秦沛，叔叔姜大衛及爾冬陞分別是著名演員及導演。從小出入片場、演唱會後台，對於她來說，娛樂圈就是她的第二個家。自十九歲到日本接受藝能訓練、及後回港繼續發展歌唱及演藝事業，近年更參與荷里活電視演出，出道至今近二十年，背負着星二代的名號及家族榮耀，一步一步走來，經歷過跌宕起伏，從沒有捷徑。

Lesley Chiang’s journey from Vancouver to Hong Kong and Hollywood showcases her resilience as an actress, singer-songwriter, and mental health advocate. — Dress from Pret-a-Dress.

Chiang credits her Canadian roots for instilling the courage to pursue a career in entertainment. “I feel like it's because I'm Canadian that I was able to be so brave and kind of decide to go into this entertainment industry,” she explains. “Canada gave me so much... it taught me how to be courageous and taught me how to be almost reckless with my dream chasing.”

Her career began in Tokyo, where she was captivated by Japanese pop culture. “It was the early 2000s, and I was obsessed with J-pop and J-Drama. I wanted to go there to do my training and become an idol,” Chiang recalls. This experience laid the foundation for her professional discipline and versatility.

Chiang's father, veteran Hong Kong actor Paul Chun, has been a significant influence. “I am in awe every time I see my dad, who's 79, being so excited about every single script or new project. I feel like I've inherited that,” she says. Growing up in a family deeply embedded in the Hong Kong entertainment industry provided Chiang with a natural comfort in front of the camera.

從加拿大到日本

自小在溫哥華長大的Lesley，對於自己身為加拿大華人的身份非常自豪:「加拿大人是世界公認的友善、充滿熱情和勇敢的。我覺得加拿大成長的背景，培養出我的無畏精神，令我敢於追求自己的夢想。」自小習慣往來亞洲與加拿大，接受東西方不同文化薰陶，精通多種語言，對她的演藝事業亦大有幫助。

青少年期間，Lesley迷上了日本流行文化、日劇，熱忱程度甚至驅使她隻身前往東京接受全方位藝能訓練。「從唱歌、跳舞、演戲、擺甫士，甚至訪問對答，日本學校也有專業訓練，非常嚴謹，這也影響了我現在也多少帶點日本風格。」學成後，她曾擔任NHK電視台兒童節目主持，在節目中教小朋友英文及唱遊。

Despite her successes, Chiang has faced significant personal challenges. In a 2020 interview with the South China Morning Post, she revealed that in 2014, following a difficult breakup with fellow actor Fred Cheng, she spiralled into depression and contemplated suicide. “Dark thoughts became a regular thing,” she said, which included feeling like “rubbish that needed to be disposed of.” This experience led Chiang to become a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, particularly within Asian communities where such issues are often stigmatized.

“I had depression for a good four years or so before I decided to come out and tell people. I felt so alone, and it seemed like a shameful topic that shouldn't be shameful,” Chiang says. Her advocacy work aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health issues and encourage open dialogue.

Chiang's career has seen notable achievements in both music and acting. In 2016, she made history by becoming the first Hong Kong songwriter to compose and produce the title song Promise (I'll be) for K-Pop group 2PM. Her acting career has also flourished, earning her the Most Improved Female Artiste award at the TVB Anniversary Awards in 2022.

發夢也可以創作

其後Lesley回流到香港，與哥哥姜文杰以組合名義「Benji and Lesley」加入樂壇，同時負責作曲、填詞及監製，自資製作獨立音樂。其實Lesley從小醉心音樂及舞台演出，三歲開始學習鋼琴；喜愛加拿大唱作歌手Jesse Reyes率性、自我的創作。十六歲那年，她為了鼓勵高中好友，寫下了人生的第一首歌。「那天好友跟我剖白了她的內心世界，當晚我便發了一個跟她有關的夢，急不及待強迫自己醒來，並迅速跑到鋼琴前記下夢到的和弦，創作出《妳很美麗》。」她笑言自己除了一本正經地在鋼琴前創作，很多時候靈感都是在洗澡及夢中突然想到的。

「今晚相當恬靜 / 聽到只得耳鳴 / 彰顯我的不鎮定……我信血痕來年會結疤/而在這角落還種滿鮮花……」2019年，Lesley推出親手包辦作曲的《念》，由藍奕邦填詞，講述陷入低潮的抑鬱症患者即使面對黑暗仍努力尋找曙光，那亦是Lesley患抑鬱症時的心聲。「只要提起情緒病，人們總覺得羞恥，但那不應該是羞恥的事。我希望透過公開自身的經歷，讓人明白『你不是孤單的一個』。」

在女兒口中稱為「絕世好爸」的秦沛，被Lesley形容為關心女兒、照顧家庭的好爸爸，亦是她在演藝事業上奮鬥的目標及榜樣。「他今年79歲了，但一接到好劇本、好的演出機會時，依然有火。每當我看見他這樣的時候，便不得不鞭策自己，不可鬆懈。」

Recently, Chiang has ventured into Hollywood, working alongside Nicole Kidman in the 2024 Amazon Prime Video series Expats. In the show, she plays Philena Song, a friend of one of the main characters. This role marks a significant step in her international career, showcasing her ability to transition between Hong Kong and American productions.

As Chiang looks to the future, she continues to balance her entertainment career with her mental health advocacy.

Her marriage to Pak-Ho, an engineer five years her junior, has brought a new sense of joy and stability to her life. The couple, who met through a mutual friend, tied the knot in a simple ceremony in Los Angeles on March 17, 2022, after postponing their original 2020 wedding plans due to the pandemic.

從TVB到荷里活

女承父業，Lesley亦有參與TVB電視劇演出，其中在處境劇《愛．回家之開心速遞》中飾演外傭Lisa一角，憑神似的口音、動靜、神態而獲得觀眾讚賞，同年亦因此於《萬千星輝頒獎典禮2021》中首度入圍「最受歡迎電視女角色」，並獲得「飛躍進步女藝員」一獎。談到演出，Lesley自言最懷念《星空下的仁醫》飾演女兒患有心臟病的母親角色。「雖然只工作了兩三天，而且只是客串出現，但那次沒有化妝，沒有set頭，原始的演繹是每個演員都渴望擁有的機會，非常難得。」

“My husband is so supportive of my career,” she says. Pak-Ho has been described as filial and caring, with Chiang's father, Paul Chun, expressing his satisfaction with his son-in-law.

This personal growth and support system have further empowered Chiang in her professional endeavours and advocacy work.

Her journey from Vancouver to Hong Kong and now to Hollywood is a testament to her resilience, talent, and commitment to making a difference. As she continues to break barriers in the entertainment industry and advocate for mental health awareness, Chiang stands as an inspiring figure for aspiring artists and individuals facing personal challenges.

新冠疫情期間，Lesley接拍了第一部荷里活電視劇集演出。

平日面對鏡頭從容自在的她卻感到前所未有的壓力：龐大的劇組製作、一絲不苟的安排、荷里活的專用詞匯……統統都令她大開眼界，其演藝歷程又豐富了一點，擴大了一點。

「現在的我完全是夢想成真了：我能夠做想做的事，不需要在唱歌及演戲之間二選其一。」訪問接近尾聲時，Lesley興奮地向我們分享她的最新動向：最新作品《說要快樂太虛偽》和與韓國男團2PM成員Ok Taecyeon推出的新歌《1995》。她表示即使現在事業有所成績、婚後生活幸福滿滿，心底內仍有一張長長的心願清單：更多的荷里活演出、在加拿大球賽上演唱國歌、其他的演出機會……對於演出及創作，她依然充滿想法及熱誠。

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