From her stunning debut in Anita (2021) to dual Best Actress nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards for A Guilty Conscience (2023), to Night King (2026) breaking 100 million at the box office and stepping into the classic cop thriller franchise with the upcoming Cold War 1994, Louise Wong has blazed through four years of acting with remarkable speed and substance. Back on the cover of VOGUE Hong Kong, she opens up about her evolution from action hero to comedian, from playing triad bosses to exploring inner growth, and finding her own rhythm and confidence along the way.

“Hong Kong cinema has always kept up with the times and its fighting spirit is still very much alive.” As one of Hong Kong’s most prominent rising stars, Louise Wong is refreshingly honest about the confusion and pressure she’s faced, but she’s learned to ask for help, keep studying her craft, and actually enjoy inhabiting each new character.

Looking back at Anita, A Guilty Conscience, Night King and the international series Coolie, how has your mindset as an actress evolved over these years?

The success of my debut brought crushing pressure and self-doubt. I was terrified I’d be forever trapped in that character’s shadow, that audiences would never see the real me. But I realised I needed to slow down to find my footing.

I threw myself back into studying acting. It’s an endless learning curve, but that constant discovery has blown my horizons wide open. These days, I’m not running from anxiety anymore. I’ve learned to breathe and actually enjoy the ride.

So many veterans in the industry are shocked at how quickly I found my “center” again. I’m grateful for that clarity; it lets me approach every performance with a clear mind and embrace all the possibilities.

Congratulations on Night King hitting 100 million at the box office. Your first big commercial comedy — what thrilled you most? What kept you up at night?

I’m actually pretty introverted in real life, so unveiling a completely new persona always makes me nervous about how audiences will react. Playing this sultry, commanding social butterfly was showing a side of myself I’d never let anyone see before.

Once the cameras rolled, I just went for it and threw myself into every moment. But beforehand? My mind was racing: Will people be blown away by Coco? Will they see how I’ve grown? Every actor lives with that cocktail of anxiety and excitement until opening night. Thank God audiences fell for Coco. It let me reveal a version of myself that even I didn’t know existed.

Cesium Fallout in 2024 marked your first real action role as a firefighter. How did that physical challenge differ from your previous work?

Firefighters have it rough, hauling all that gear through blazing-hot spaces, managing crisis after crisis, and saving lives. We all dropped serious weight. After each take, we’d peel off our gear, completely drenched, chugging water constantly. Being the only woman on set fired up my competitive side. I had to prove myself. Every sprint, every stunt dive, I pushed myself to nail it. Watching the playback gave me chills. I held my own, matched their intensity beat for beat. We looked badass.

Tell us about your character in the upcoming Cold War 1994.

I play Yuen Yeuk-laan, the newly appointed triad leader — basically the boss of bosses across multiple crime families. I binged both Cold War  films for prep, mapping out this intricate web of who reports to whom, which department controls what. Female crime bosses are practically unicorns, so I studied tons of gangster films to figure out how to blend traditionally masculine power moves with feminine energy. Women in power bring something different: resilience mixed with nurturing, that ability to be steel-strong while taking care of everyone. Yuen Yeuk-laan is calculating and composed. Sure, she’s a new boss with targets on her back, but she methodically neutralises threats and maintains equilibrium. Whether you’re running a corporation, the police force, or the underworld, it’s all about balance. Tip the scales too far either way, and everything falls apart.