I managed to grab Leica hot boy on the rise Ben Story for a quick shoot in Leeds on an autumnal afternoon. Love his shooting style, fast, confident and proficient. Keep you’re eyes peeled for his work, he’s getting about all over the place these days.
…which I guess could be good, seeing as I’m supposed to be an actor.
It’s someting that’s been a part of my face and my life for longer than it hasn’t. Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like without it, but I always know how lucky I am to still have both eyes and I can still manage a smile, even though it’s lop sided.
Some of my friends say that they don’t even see it anymore, but for many people with facial scars I’m guessing like me, it’s the first thing see when they look into a mirror or see a photo of themselves and it’s a constant reminder of how ever it happened.
I always see other people’s, and every now and again you get the slightest nod. Sometimes I see people with fresh facial scars and I wanna talk to them. Ask them how it happened. Each and every scar we have tells a story. Some are tales of stupidity like mine and some are more traumatic, but either way I always wanna say, ‘Hey, high five, bigs hugs, I know how it feels when people look at you and judge you because of a mark on your face…’
I can’t speak for everyone, but if you do wanna ask me how it happened, I won’t mind. Respectful curiosity is always welcomed.
I was very lucky with my scar, for some reason the universe decided to let me keep my eyeball, my nose and my lip…
Cheers for that x
Simon Wan
Simon Wan
Simon Wan
I’m really gunna have to get some new head shots soon and I’m dreading it. Being an actor, it’s something that you need. It’s the first port of call when a casting director gets sent your spotlight but man, I hate it with a passion.
I’ll happily dance naked in front of a burning petrol station for a music video or expose my soul in floods of tears in a two hander play about child AIDS and puppy abortions, so why does the thought of getting new headshots make my tummy churn?
I’m in the middle of growing my hair so I look like half a rocker and half a mental patient. Either way, its gunna have to happen soon, so I’m prepping myself with some luckily well lit selfies. Wish me luck, cause I’ll need it! The thing is, without moving around I just never think any picture looks like me, I look at the pics and think who the fuck is that old wrinkled weirdo. (yes, I know it’s actually me…)
Lately on set I’ve had, oh you look like…
CHINESE JONNY DEPP
LESS HAIRY KEANU REEVES
ADAM ANT (IF HE FUCKED CHINESE JONNY DEPP)
CHINESE JOEY TRIBIANI
and most recently ORIENTAL ELON MUSK.
So if they ever make a biopic where ELON MUSK goes on a revenge rampage because someone stole his pirate ship but ends up drinking coffee in a new york cafe while he invents a space ship that can read the minds of magical llamas…I hope someone gives me a call.
SIMON WAN 2019
SIMON WAN 2019
SIMON WAN 2019
SIMON WAN 2019
So, last April while performing in a play called, Why Not Us, by Rebekah Harvey and directed by Elif Knight, I got a call to see Fiona Weir. After signing NDA’s and reading for a juicy part I heard nothing for months. Then the call came. It was strange. Limo’s to set, lunch in trailer’s and rubbing shoulders with the biggest Hollywood stars I could name. I was treated like a VIP and I wont lie, I loved it. The set was huge, the pressures were real and the screen time….well, this is the thing.
I saw the screener and I’m just about in the film. If you blink you WILL miss me, but being a named character in the Harry Potter world seems to have given me a little sparkle. If at least for the premiere and the days and nights and weeks I was on set. It was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve had so far. I feel like a tiny teeny bit of a fraudster for getting so much love from friends and super star treatment from the press for which is essentially a few shots and a couple of looks. (But I’ll take it) What I did get from the whole experience is that I now know that I can hold my own on set with the big players. I had a one on one with David Yates, impressed Fiona Weir, hung out in make up trucks with all the principles and made a lot of good friends along the way.
Seeing my name pop up as Auror Chang has been a blast. Turns out I am Cho Chang’s grandfather and as a life long Harry Potter fan, it does give me feels. I loved every second of this little journey to the blue carpet and I’m glad I got to share it with my little brother. Even if we did, um, kinda miss the end….So, thanks JK Rowling, Tom Fitz, Fiona Weir, David Heyman and David Yates, let’s do it all again. (this time chuck us a bigger role, I wanna wand fight with Jonny Depp! ) X
Actor headshots give me the shits.
It’s my least favorite thing about being an actor, or at least hustling to become one. Put me in front of a movie camera and I’m happy as a lamb in mint sauce, make me stand in front of a stills camera, I will shudder and wriggle and bitch and moan like a teenage cheerleader. I’m not being a diva, it just strikes a fear in my guts because I know that I’m just going to look older, and more than likely still skint and wondering what the hell I’m doing with my life.
Luckily, I had my awesome little brother on hand, a giant cheerleader with a light kit and a video game karate master on standby. I think in the four years since I decided to do the ‘foolish dream chasing project’ these kinda portray the actor I’d like to be.
A bit ruffled, a bit wonky, and a bit wrinkled.
I have so much more respect for models now, being able to shine in front of camera for that 125th of a second and not look like an escaped half oriental mental patient is actually a very impressive skill.
I look at these and think, so….maybe you’re not Jonny Depp mixed with William Shatner with a light splash of Bruce Lee (I always imagine I’d suddenly morph into like in the end of that MJ music video) but, I’m longer in the tooth now and you know what, I think I’ll just get used to it.
(Donnie Yen and Mat LeBlanc at a very very tight push?)
DRAMA REEL BELOW FOR YOU EYE BALL AND EAR-HOLE ENJOYMENTS
SIMON WAN 