Her name is everywhere right now, and we get it. Gemma Chan is the next big thing in Hollywood, and no one can tell us otherwise. She starred in the much-discussed film Don’t Worry Darling alongside Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Olivia Wilde, but that’s not the only work she’s been doing. She’s a Marvel Cinematic Universe star. Chan starred in Crazy Rich Asians, and she’s making a huge name for herself. If you find yourself unfamiliar with her, it’s time to learn more about her.
1. How Old is Gemma Chan
Gemma Chan turned 40 at the end of 2022. She was born on November 29, 1982. It was a massive birthday for her, but she took it in stride. She was born in London, England. Both of her parents are from Hong Kong.
2. Success is a Family Trait
She learned from the best – her parents. Gemma Chan’s mother and father both worked hard when she was growing up, and they taught her a lot. Her father was an engineer, and her mother was a pharmacist. Her mom actually grew up in Scotland, but her own family is from Hong Kong. They emigrated to Scotland, and that is where they raised their daughter.
3. She Turned Down a Career in Law
Gemma Chan studied law in college. The lovely actress was a law student at Worcester College in Oxford, but she chose to forgo a career in law following her graduation. Despite being offered a position at Slaughter and May, a prestigious London law firm, she chose to go down a different road.
4. She Gave up Law for Drama
When she turned down the job that was offered to her at a prestigious law firm, she did it to enroll in courses at the Drama Centre in London. She wanted to become an actress and knew she needed to learn as much as possible. Obviously, this worked well for her. She learned, she grew, and she’s insanely talented as a result.
5. She Dated a Famous Comedian
Jack Whitehall is one of the world’s most hilarious comedians, and he is Gemma Chan’s ex-boyfriend. The couple dated for a long time. They went public with their romance in 2011, but they also went public with the end of their relationship in 2017. Their time together was as private as they could keep it, but the world loves to know more about stars.
6. She’s in A Relationship
Though Gemma Chan is unmarried, she is in a serious relationship. Her boyfriend is an actor. His name is Dominic Cooper. We don’t know when they met, but we do know that they began dating in 2018. Their romance is a sweet one, and they live together. Their home is in London.
7. Gemma Chan Witnessed a Horrific Crime
There are moments in life that stand out to us, and this is a moment she is unlikely to forget. It was a terrible day, and Chan watched it all happen. She was a witness to a murder. She saw a person stabbed to death outside of the tube station at Putney Bridge, and she had to go to trial as a witness. It was a dark time in her life.
8. Her Most Nerve-Inducing Role of All
The year was 2020, and she was filming Let Them All Talk. She was filming with Meryl Streep – Hollywood’s most iconic, most talented, most amazing woman. And the director did not want her to meet the actress before their first filming day. Chan was more nervous than she’s ever been in her entire life, but things worked out. She and Streep shared a few cocktails on a cruise ship after that, and they got along wonderfully. Though Chan said that she would never want to be on Meryl Streep’s bad side – who would?
9. Her Father Did Not Support Her Acting Career
In fact, he told her that it doesn’t even matter if she’s a good actress because there wouldn’t be work for her. For a while, he was right. She didn’t have much luck landing any jobs, and she was stuck in a cycle of being unable to work but also unable to quit and go back to law. She didn’t feel she could speak up about the lack of work and the industry, but she learned that she had to find her voice.
10. She’s a Fashion Icon
Not only because she is clearly gorgeous and has a stellar sense of style but because Gemma Chan is fine in sweats. She loves to dress up. She loves not to dress up. She’s happy to do many things in her life, and those things include being fabulous and also being comfortable. It’s a lovely marriage, and we adore that she embraces that.
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