I’ve never felt weak. I’ve never felt not seen. I do feel seen and heard, but I also have a responsibility to make all sorts of layers of representat… - Tan Kheng Hua

Another big difference is the eye on celebrity. I wouldn’t say I’m unrecognizable in Singapore, but as a person, I guess I’ve never really taken celebrity [status] seriously. I just take my work seriously, and this has been a very calming place to be [in North America] because all I do is keep concentrating on the work. I feel protected in that fashion, and I think that this particular point of view has been honed by the fact that for many years, nobody takes your celebrity [status] very seriously in Singapore.

Maybe mothers will understand this. Being a mum is the easiest and most profound natural goodness that I have in me. I’m not a good person; I’ve got darkness, you know? But the thing about my kid is that everything to do with her that comes from me—it’s just good.

Being in Hollywood has been wonderful. It’s a much, much bigger pond, a huge, well-oiled machinery. Being in an environment and industry where everyone is so good at what they do is invigorating rather than intimidating. I get to meet and work with many people in an industry that has such high stakes and works with such rigour! It’s rather different from what I’m used to in Singapore.