Actress Karena Lam
Actress Karena Lam grew up in Canada, but left for Taiwan, aged 15 and alone, to seek her fortune as a pop star. Along the way she shifted to movies, a good move for this famously private, multi-talented 27-year-old who has received several awards for her intelligent portrayals of complex characters. She is currently filming “Home Sweet Home” in China with Shu Qi and recently sang with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.
I quit school in Canada at 15. My mom’s boyfriend convinced her to let me try Taiwan just for one year. He said, “If you don’t let her go, she’ll hate you.”
I’ve been in Asia for 11 years: Taiwan for seven, Hong Kong for four.
I was basically mute when I arrived in Taiwan, because I couldn’t speak the language. Once I became more capable of expressing myself, they didn’t like it. One producer even said, “Your Mandarin’s improving. That’s not good.” But I don’t want to be known just as the girl with the funny accent.
I’ve learned that in show business, especially in Asia, you just don’t know what’s going to happen. Now I’m a little over the paranoia. Regardless of whether I’m successful or not, I’ll always act.
My contract was frozen for years because I wouldn’t obey my record company. I wasn’t “gwei.” Either you let me wear my clothes, or I’m just not going to bother. So I taught English. I had $100 a week on top of my rent, and suddenly I had to readjust to being a normal person. I would sit on the bus with my hat pulled down over my face - I hated being recognized - and I got fat. I gave up on myself.
I don’t take compliments well, but I take good criticism on board.