Vera Chok

Last updated

Vera Chok
Born
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Education The Queen's College, Oxford
The Poor School
Occupations
  • Actor
  • writer
Years active2000–present
Website www.verachok.org

Vera Chok is a Malaysian actress and writer based in the United Kingdom, who has featured in various stage, screen and radio roles. From 2021 to 2023, she [lower-alpha 1] played Honour Chen-Williams in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks .

Contents

Early and personal life

Chok was born in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, of Chinese ancestry. After attending Assunta Primary and Secondary schools in Malaysia and Abbots Bromley School in Staffordshire, she graduated from The Queen's College, Oxford, before training as an actor at the Poor School [1] in London and with Philippe Gaulier in Paris. Chok identifies as queer [2] and uses she/they pronouns. [3]

Career

Chok's main theatre roles have included parts in the award-winning Lucy Kirkwood play Chimerica (2013), as part of the original cast at the Almeida and Harold Pinter theatres [4] and in The World of Extreme Happiness (The Shed at the National Theatre, 2013), in which she co-starred with Katie Leung. Chok played the part of Ming Ming, a female migrant worker, in a production about the world of migrant workers in rapidly emerging modern China. [5] Vera Chok also appeared in the TV miniseries version of Chimerica on Channel 4 in 2019, alongside Katie Leung.

In 2015, Chok appeared in Nicholas Hytner's final production as artistic director for the National Theatre, Tom Stoppard's The Hard Problem . [6] The play was Stoppard's first for the theatre since 2006 and a special screening was broadcast live to cinemas. She subsequently had roles in the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company production of The Winter's Tale at the Garrick Theatre in late 2015 [7] [8] and an associated work, Terence Rattigan's Harlequinade , also at the Garrick, which humorously depicts a postwar CEMA-sponsored theatrical troop at a provincial theatre in Brackley making a hash of Romeo and Juliet and "the intrigues and dalliances of the company members". [9]

Chok was nominated in the 2015 BBC Audio Drama Awards (Best Debut Performance In An Audio Drama) [10] for her performance in the BBC Radio 3 production of British Chinese novelist Xiaolu Guo's first play, Dostoevsky And The Chickens (2014), in which she co-starred. [11] In Liao Yimei's comedy drama Rhinoceros in Love , also for Radio 3, she plays the beautiful Mingming, the object of a zookeeper's longing, in a performance described by the Sunday Times as 'bewitching'. [12]

She appeared in Jingo (2008, Finborough Theatre, London) and played the lead role of Lila in the stage adaptation of Philip Pullman's The Firework-Maker's Daughter (2011, Theatre by the Lake) - described by The Stage as a 'poignant performance'. [13]

Whatsonstage.com named her one of "15 theatre faces to look out for in 2015". [14] Asked by the magazine to give her advice on International Women's Day, Chok said "Play the long game: stay open, generous, and keep developing your craft." [15]

In 2016, she contributed a chapter to the anthology of the personal accounts of members of immigrant and ethnic minorities in the UK, 'The Good Immigrant'. [16] Writing about her experiences as a Malaysian immigrant in Britain in the Guardian during Black History Month, Chok commented on the invisibility of 'East Asian' groups in Britain: "In the UK media, we don’t see south Asians portrayed in a way that reflects their position as the largest racial minority group in the UK (3 million to 1.9 million black British). East Asians, the third-largest and fastest-growing racial group at 1.2 million, people bear the damning “model minority” label which isolates them from other people of colour, and condemns them to an invisibility where violence against them is ignored." [17] Writing in British Chinese journal Neehao in 2017, she urged British Chinese and East Asian actors not to take on parts that reinforce anti-China sentiment at a time when " ...Asians in America, in LIBERAL states, are being beaten up because of anti-China rhetoric from D(onald) T(rump)." [18]

She wrote a play for online, Rice!, broadcast on Zoom in 2021, a co-production between Omnibus Theatre and Malaysian company Wayang Kitchen, which featured a distributed Malaysian meal to cook at home with tutorial help, plus a play broadcast from Kuala Lumpur and Wiltshire, according to The Stage "an elegant proposition: playing to audiences in both the UK and Malaysia, this story about migration and belonging unfolds while we cook congee with meal kits provided by the company". [19]

In December 2021, Chok began playing Honour Chen-Williams, a prison psychiatrist, in the British TV soap Hollyoaks . Her character was one of parents of the newly introduced Chen-Williams family, alongside her delivery driver husband Dave, played by Dominic Power. Chok told media that “Dave and Honour have a very large brood, so it's a really solid relationship. They've been together for a long while and brought up this really adorable blended family". [20] Her final appearance in the soap aired in April 2023. [21]

She played the lead role in the 2022 Forest Fringe film Dream Agency, directed and written by Deborah Pearson and Andy Field, which won the Best Micro-Budget film award in 2023 from the London Independent Film Festival. [22]

Chok played Lauren in the second UK touring production of the award winning 2:22 A Ghost Story, from 2023-24, alongside Jay McGuiness as Ben, George Rainsford as Sam and Fiona Wade as Jenny. [23]

Producing

In 2010, Chok founded saltpeter, an independent theatre company. She produced and starred in their opera production Tonseisha - The Man Who Abandoned the World (2014 - Studio, Central Saint Martins), which is adapted from the play by Erik Patterson. In the work, which features opera, dance and theatre, Chok played Yukiko, a Japanese woman haunted by the losses of her father and Beat writer Richard Brautigan. In 2011, she founded the Brautigan Book Club, which stimulates creative explorations based on Brautigan's work.

Poetry

Chok published a collection of poetry, Angry Yellow Woman, in 2024. One review noted that "these playful, searching, and violently sexy pieces expose Vera’s immigrant-hobo journey through the landscapes, beds, and bodies of the UK and beyond. They were scratched out to understand an alien identity."

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007HeartlessLily London Film School, Sasha Collington
2007The GamesAthleteAudience Award, East End Film Festival (2008), Optimistic Productions, Hilary Powell
2008 Son DancerSister Films, Daniel Mulloy
2010The HeightsMrs WatsonBBC/Shorthouse, Sue Dunderdale
2011Random 11CandaceVertigoHeights, TS Ukpo
2012Alice 3AliceVertigoHeights, TS Ukpo
2012After the World EndedAnnaVertigoHeights, TS Ukpo
2012PanicLingWhite Night Films, Sean Spencer
2013 The Riot Club (released September 2014)BankerBlueprint, Lone Scherfig
2014Alice in the City (working title)AliceTS Ukpo
2014Lucky 13MalloryTS Ukpo
2015 Miss You Already Chang Zhe TzungNew Sparta/S Films, Catherine Hardwicke
2016SimanaVertigoHeights, TS Ukpo
2017 The Mummy Prodigium Tech Universal Pictures, Alex Kurtzman
2018 Christopher Robin Margaret King (Train Passenger 1) Walt Disney Pictures, Marc Forster
2018 London Unplugged Laura
2022Dream AgencyJanet (lead role)Forest Fringe, Arthouse Jersey, Deborah Pearson

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990Selamat Pagi Malaysia (Good Morning Malaysia)Presenter
2009Future Perfect (pilot)SarahVertigo Heights, TS Ukpo
2010Hacket Hill (pilot)SpittlelickDrowning Bee Productions, Dominic St Clair
2012 Coronation Street Moira Bayley ITV Granada, David Kester. Episode 8029.
2017 Chewing Gum Penelope E4, Michaela Coel. Series 2, Episode 2: 'I need some company'. [25]
2018 Collateral Jill Leong BBC2 / Netflix, George S. J. Faber and The Forge. Episode 3.
2018 Fortitude Shen Sky Atlantic / Amazon, Tiger Aspect Productions / Fifty Fathoms. Season 3.
2019 Chimerica Shen Channel 4, Playground Entertainment, written by Lucy Kirkwood, produced by Colin Callender, Sophie Gardiner, Adrian Sturges.
2020 Cobra Air traffic controller (episodes 1.1 and 1.6) Sky One, written by Ben Richards, directed by Hans Herbots.
2021–2023 Hollyoaks Honour Chen-Williams Channel 4 / E4 (Lime Pictures), produced by Lucy Allan. [20]

Radio

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Dostoevsky and the ChickensNieu BBC Radio 3, Emma Harding
2014Brief LivesAnh BBC Radio 4, Tom Fry / Sharon Kelly
2014Rhinoceros in LoveMingming BBC Radio 3, Emma Harding
2017Inspector Chen [26] Detective Hong BBC Radio 4, Joy Wilkinson

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000 The Winter's Tale (by William Shakespeare)TimeToured Japan with OUDS
2007When the Lights Went OutSaminaTara Arts UK Tour, Vik Sivalingam
2008Jingo by Charles Wood Shirley Finborough Theatre, Primavera Productions
2009 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight , adapted from the translation by Simon Armitage Guinevere / The Green LadyNew Perspectives (UK tour), Daniel Buckroyd
2010Mansfield Park and RideFanny Fitztightly/Lucy BonnetEastern Angles, Ivan Cutting
2010 Uncle Vanya (by Anton Chekhov)YelenaSturdy Beggars, Vik Sivalingam
2010The Death of TintagelYgrainesaltpeter, Vik Sivalingam
2011Talking in BedNadia Theatre503, Cecily Boys
2011The Fever Brighton Fringe, saltpeter, Gary Merry
2011 The Firework-Maker's Daughter (theatre adaptation)Lila Theatre by the Lake, Stefan Escreet
2012Upstairs (rehearsed reading)Noi Finborough Theatre, Steve Keyworth
2013 Chimerica (by Lucy Kirkwood)Mary Chang/Michelle Almeida Theatre, Harold Pinter Theatre, Sonia Friedman Productions, Lyndsey Turner
2013The World of Extreme HappinessXiao Li / Ming - Ming / Qing Shu Min National Theatre, Michael Longhurst
2014 Twelfth Night (by William Shakespeare) Maria Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, Max Webster
2015The Hard Problem (by Tom Stoppard)Bo National Theatre, Nicholas Hytner
2015The Winter's Tale (by William Shakespeare)Dorcas Garrick Theatre, Kenneth Branagh
2015 Harlequinade (by Terence Rattigan)Miss Fishlock Garrick Theatre, Kenneth Branagh
2018 The Outsider (L’Étranger) (adapted by Ben Okri)Marie Print Room at the Coronet, Abbey Wright
2019The Paper Man, Improbable (artistic director Lee Simpson), directed by Tanuja Amarasuriya.Co-creator and actor Soho Theatre
2020Alice - A virtual theme park, directed by Zoe Seaton.The Red Queen Creation Theatre Company
2021Rice!, directed by Hester Welch and Razif Hashim.WriterOmnibus Theatre, Clapham, London (online), Felicity Paterson
2023-4 2:22 A Ghost Story , directed by Matthew Dunster.LaurenUK Tour, Runaway Entertainment

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References

  1. ↑ "WHO'S THIS MALAYSIAN ACTRESS WHO'S ACTING WITH JAMES BONDS' BOSS?". Cil!sos.my. 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Chok, Vera [@Vera_Chok] (23 September 2021). "Hi! I describe myself as queer. Opposing binaries in gender and thus also sexuality. With queer being a verb, inspired by thoughts after @megjohnbarker's book on queer history" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ↑ Chok, Vera. "She/they. Queer. Actor, writer, improviser, dogmum. Disruptor AND homemaker. Currently playing Honour in #Hollyoaks. Inspired by @betterussell ". Twitter . Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "Spotlight Actresses 2013/2014". Spotlight. 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  5. ↑ "The World of Extreme Happiness: A Story of China's Urban Migrants". The Culture Trip - China. 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  6. ↑ "Casting, Plot and Dates Announced for National Theatre Production of Tom Stoppard's The Hard Problem". Playbill.com. 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "The Winter's Tale". Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company. 2015. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "The Winter's Tale/Harlequinade (Garrick Theatre)". WhatsOnStage.com. 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  9. ↑ "Harlequinade". Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company. 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  10. ↑ "Doctor Who and Ian McKellen among BBC Audio Drama Award nominations". Digital Spy. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "The Wire - Dostoevsky and the Chickens". BBC. 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  12. ↑ "Radio Reviews "Pick of the day"". The Sunday Times . London. 19 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "The Firework-Maker's Daughter". The Stage. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  14. ↑ "15 theatre faces to look out for in 2015". Whatsonstage.com. 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "26 leading ladies offer their advice on International Women's Day". Whatsonstage.com. 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Sitting comfortably? The Good Immigrant will change that". The Spectator. 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  17. ↑ "Is political blackness still relevant today?". The Guardian. 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  18. ↑ "British Chinese/East Asian actors: Don't take on jobs that reinforce anti-China sentiment". Neehao.co.uk. 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  19. ↑ "Rice!". The Stage. 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  20. 1 2 "Metro (soaps), 'Hollyoaks spoilers: Chen-Williams family introduced – and you know them already '". Metro. 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  21. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (13 April 2023). "Hollyoaks exit for Vera Chok as Honour Chen-Williams leaves the village". Digital Spy . (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  22. ↑ "World Premiere - Dream Agency". Edinburgh International Film Festival. 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  23. ↑ "Review: 2:22 A GHOST STORY, The Alexandra Birmingham - Tour". West End Best Friend. 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  24. ↑ "Angry Yellow Woman". Pages of Hackney.
  25. ↑ "IMDB, 'Chewing Gum - I just need some company'". IMDB. 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  26. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 Drama: Inspector Chen, 'Red Mandarin Dress'". 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2017.

Notes

  1. ↑ Chok uses both she/her and they/them pronouns. This article uses she/her pronouns for consistency.
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