ALICE HEWKIN: YOUNG, HOT, HOLLYWOOD
Chinese-British actress Alice Hewkin is young, hot and taking Hollywood by storm! Alice sat with us to talk about her new films, her heritage and much more! At only 24 years old, Alice has achieved so much and is just getting warmed up. If you want to learn more about Alice’s trajectory through the industry and what she has coming next in 2024, scroll below!
Feature Interview:
Can you tell us what drew you to The Brothers Sun and the characters of May and June?
What initially drew me to The Brothers Sun was its compelling storyline as well as the depth of the characters, and I thought this show was going to be something special!
As I got into the script, I could see this was a show that has great wit and charm, but also juxtaposed into a crazy heightened world. To top it off, being part of an all-Asian cast, led by Michelle Yeoh with Brad Falchuk producing it, I knew I had to work with both those legends.
The twins, May and June, stood out because of their complexity and the opportunity they presented me to explore themes of family, loyalty and personal growth. It really is an actor’s dream to play two characters! May is the very outgoing, quirky, and charming one. She is erratic and playful, very good at being super friendly and then suddenly she can turn on you, having a dark side which was just so interesting to explore.
June has a much more vulnerable side underneath her tough, hard exterior. What I really wanted to explore and play with was making them different. My make-up, hair and costume helped with that, and when the show came out, I had many fans messaging me asking if I really played both twins? That was such a cool moment.
I am always looking for roles that challenge me physically and May/June did just that. Having my dance and martial arts training helped with this too!
How do you prepare for these roles? Were there any specific challenges you faced while portraying them?
Well, juggling the personalities of May and June was akin to mastering a high-speed magic trick! May with her quirky charm, and June with her tough stoic stillness presented a dynamic duo of delightful complexity! When I prepare for a role, I think my process is quite unique. I love people-watching, observing their mannerisms and I am lucky in that I can easily “become someone else,” so with May I thought, who did she remind me of?
I am a very visual and instinctive actor, so when I go to galleries, watch films, listen to music and interact with people, I collect things that I think could be helpful. So, for May/June I had a book with a lot of postcards with crazy colors, shapes and random stuff that I thought they would like.
Also, I would constantly talk in an American accent around London, which was a lot of fun. The challenge was like a puzzle, finding the perfect balance between May and June’s contrasting traits. I wanted them to fight differently and so I tried to really focus on movement and voice to help separate them, May is much more polished, and June has a slight feral edge under her tough shell.
I wanted May to feel grounded so that she could exist in the real world, and that was always a juggling act. What really helped was that filming started with May, so I could really inhabit May and then shed her skin and move onto June.
The show explores an unlikely friendship between two brothers. What do you think makes The Brothers Sun unique in terms of its storytelling and characters?
The Brother’s Sun is truly a unique show. Firstly, you get to go on this exciting journey with the family and watch them discover who they really are and what they’re made of. You see the brothers thrown together in a whirlwind of hilarious situations, and heart stopping adventures.
The family get to meet some pretty exciting characters, and I think what really makes this show so unique is its ability turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, taking the audience on this wild crazy journey filled with laughter in every-day situations, but each having unexpected twists and turns.
The theme of family values lies at the core of the story, which everyone can relate to in some way. Also seeing an all-Asian cast is just incredible and showing the world that, no matter where you are from, we all have to deal with life, expectations and our families.
In the case of The Brothers Sun, dealing with a Triad gang, assassins and having your mum worrying about your school grades while being a secret killer herself is totally normal…
You’ve worked with a talented cast on The Brothers Sun. Can you share any memorable behind-the-scenes moments or anecdotes from the set?
Oh wow, where do I begin? Working on The Brothers Sun was like being part of a family, we had an absolute blast!
This is one of the most loving and hard-working cast members I’ve worked with. Everyone putting in so much effort, training every day with the stunts team led by Justin Yu, whilst still having a laugh!
I remember before we started filming, we all had a welcome dinner at Brad’s house and he told us he wanted to make this the best filming experience for us all, and he was not wrong, it truly was the best!
I had a lot of scenes with Sam, Joon and Justin, and that was great, because we became good friends, we just got on so well. We filmed some scenes at this incredible Malibu house, and I remember giggling a lot and being very hot!
One funny moment was when I had told the cast that I can’t eat chocolate at all as I was trying to be good and strict with my diet, but the catering was spectacular, and every day I would break my promise.
I always had pudding and the rest of the cast would tease me, of course in their best British accents. We also hung out at Michelle Yeoh’s house, which was so lovely, she is just so kind and funny! It honestly felt like being in a film and someone was going to say “cut” go back to reality now….
Did you always dream of becoming an actress? What inspired you to pursue this career path?
Oh absolutely, I’ve wanted to act for as long as I can remember. I was one of those children that was always in their own world, pretending to be another person. My mum has many funny stories about what I did, but I must save that for another time!
I didn’t consider acting as a profession though, until I watched the film Chocolat. I became utterly obsessed and I built my own chocolate shop in our living room and sold chocolate to friends and family.
I did a TV series when I was 12 and it was a real light bulb moment. From then on, I haven’t imagined myself doing anything else. I also remember watching Hamlet at the National Theatre and being utterly mesmerized by Rory Kinnear’s performance and thinking to myself, “Right let’s do this, I want to be a part of this magic”, and so off I went to Royal Central School of Speech and Drama!
How has your cultural background influenced your acting and career choices?
Growing up with a Norwegian mother and British father, while having Chinese roots has been quite a cultural kaleidoscope and definitely interesting. In my acting, I’ve found that this diverse background allows me to bring a richness and authenticity to my characters.
I feel unique in that I was born in China, in Jiangsu Province and adopted (fun fact, at 9 months I was the first baby to be adopted from China to Great Britain). I feel very international and at times not sure where I belong, but this really helps weave in and out of characters.
Being a part of an all-Asian cast in The Brothers Sun was very special because it showed me that women like me could dream big.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time when you’re not working on your acting career? Are there any hobbies or interests that you’re passionate about?
When I’m not filming or strutting my stuff on stage, you can find me outdoors. I do love the outdoors, hiking and yoga are big passions of mine. I visit Norway often, and spend a lot of summers in the mountains, hiking and swimming.
I also love traveling and backpacking across Europe, exploring new places. I can’t stay somewhere for too long, or I get bored and restless. I recently walked all along the Fisherman’s trail in Portugal and highly recommend that.
I am also one of those people who can watch film after film. I have been known to binge watch series for a whole evening, I just get so into that world, I can’t stop.
I’d say other than the outdoors and watching films, my big passion is music. I play the piano, I was one of those kids who did all their homework and then practiced ballet and piano after school. I love the piano and am starting to learn Chinese. I am someone who if I try something I have to be the best at it, I am very competitive, so I was a little scared to learn Chinese as I know it’ll take a long time to speak it fluently.
Have any books or films moved you recently?
I am so glad I got to answer this, because I love reading. I have so many books and films to recommend but I will pick my favorite or we’ll be here all day! My top books that have moved me are Yellow Face by Rebecca F. Kuang, that is such a good read and made me laugh, I am sure they’ll turn that into a film; Counterfeit by Kristin Chen; Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong, and my all-time favorite short stories; Where I’m calling from by Raymond Carver, whom I am utterly obsessed with.
His stories are so moving and very mundane which makes them even more delicious. The stories remind me of the painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper, also John Cheever, who is Carver’s predecessor, his collection the Swimmer is brilliant, I just love those worlds. In fact, driving around parts of LA, seeing those Googie style buildings, reminded me a little bit of that world.
When it comes to films, I just adore Poor Things, and Anatomy of a Fall which was superb. I also loved Triangle of Sadness and Force Majeure, I’m a big fan of Ruben Ostlund. Some great classics like Mulholland Drive are also on my top list, and anything with Audrey Tatou I love. It’s not a film but Succession and White Lotus I adored, and anything that Lucy Prebble touches is just genius.
Are there any actors or actresses who have had a profound influence on your acting style or career? If so, who are they, and what have you learned from them?
I’ve been fortunate enough to draw inspiration from many talented actors and actresses who have left a big mark on my craft. The biggest one is Michelle Yeoh, working alongside her was a dream come true, all I had to do was just watch her, it was like having the best acting lesson. She is so talented, and I feel when you work with very talented actors that rubs off on you, I hope 😉. From Michelle I learnt how to be brave, stand up and trust myself and be courageous. She is so strong and that is so incredibly inspiring to watch.
As I was starting out in my career, I was lucky enough to work with Judy Dench, who left a lasting impression on me. I am also a big fan of Jodie Comer. I think she morphs into other people and worlds so seamlessly and naturally, which I admire a lot, I watch all her films and feel inspired.
If you could create your dream project from scratch, what type of story would it tell, and who would be your dream co-stars and director?
This is a fun question and I have actually thought about this. My story would have to be about a new take on relationships and I think it would have to be a comedy, juxtaposed against a dramatic world and heightened characters.
It would definitely be along the lines of Killing Eve meets Succession meets White Lotus, with a twist. My dream cast would be having The Brothers Sun cast along with Jodie Comer, and of course Lucy Prebble writing it with Greta Gerwig directing it 😉 Can someone please make that happen?!
What can viewers expect from the series, and what do you hope they take away from it?
The Brothers Sun will take you on the wildest ride! Expect laughter, adrenalin pumping action and a whole lot of heart pounding moments that will honestly leave you on the edge of your seat wanting more, it’s seriously binge worthy! I also hope seeing an all-Asian cast is something that people will recognize, and make sure you’ve eaten because there are some mouth-watering meals in the series!
What message or impact do you hope The Brothers Sun will have on its audience, especially in terms of empowerment and representation in the entertainment industry?
I couldn’t be more excited about the impact The Brothers Sun will have on audiences worldwide, especially in terms of empowerment and representation. Having an all-Asian cast and writers’ room is not just special, it is a groundbreaking moment that sends a powerful message of inclusivity and diversity to everyone. This show really celebrates Asian culture and highlights the depth and diversity of Asian characters and narratives.
So, I hope the audience take away a simple sense of pride, empowerment and belonging, and great new recipes. Because when we see ourselves represented on screen, it’s not just entertainment, it’s validation. With this series we’re taking a big step forward towards a more inclusive and representative entertainment industry for all, and thanks to Michelle Yeoh who has led the way and continues to do so.
So, what’s next for Alice Hewkin?
So, what’s next for me, well I am in a film called The Amateur, which will be released later this year. It was great working with Rami Malek. I had a lot of fun playing an American CIA agent, so I’m excited for that to come out, and hopefully we will be seeing more of The Brothers Sun!
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor in Chief: Prince Chenoa (@princechenoastudio)
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Creative Direction & Photographer: Corrina Day (@corrinaday)
Hair: Eduardo Mendez for A-Frame agency (@e_mendez)
Make-up: Diane Buzzetta for Mane Addicts (@dianebuzzetta)
Stylist: Tabitha Sanchez (@tabitharsanchez)
