Asian in Aotearoa

44. Actor Jess Hong on home, “purpose”, and Netflix’s 3 Body Problem

Asian in Aotearoa

Show Notes

Hailing from Manawatū and based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Jess Hong sits down with Jenna and talks about her growth and the whirlwind of filming Netflix’s upcoming show, 3 Body Problem, and grounding herself in finding community and being at home in Aotearoa. They both delve into defining what purpose means to them and where their pursuits have spontaneously taken them.

Follow @jessthehong on Instagram

Listen to Jess on the Dumplings & Dragons podcast online now

___

SUBSCRIBE to the newsletter: asianinaotearoa.substack.

com

SUPPORT Asian in Aotearoa: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/asianinaotearoa⁠

FOLLOW ⁠@asianinaotearoa⁠ on⁠ ⁠Instagram

VISIT ⁠asianinaotearoa.com⁠

ABOUT THE PODCAST Hosted by Jenna Wee, Asian in Aotearoa (New Zealand) explores the lives of Asian creatives, one uncensored convo at a time. ✨This episode was made possible thanks to Foundation North, Creative NZ & Big Fan.✨

More from Asian in Aotearoa

Aug 12, 2026

Rounding out this run of episodes, writer Xue Li Zhang and filmmaker/community builder Kiran Patel talk through the messy, generous work of showing up for each other and the everyday act of building spaces where people can feel seen.

Aug 5, 2026

Visual artist Sahana Rahman and artist-producer Sananda Chatterjee catch up for a conversation rooted in South Asian craft, community and storytelling. They discuss embroidery traditions passed down generations through to the doing-word that real community actually is.

Jul 29, 2026

Two multidisciplinary artists who do amazing things on stage, come together - actor, producer and writer Márianne Infante, and dance artist and choreographer Xin Ji. Their conversation moves between new motherhood, migration, making a lifetime of art without burning out, creativity and spirituality. About Márianne: Márianne Infante is a multidisciplinary creative of Kapampángan heritage — a trained actor, producer, writer, director and mover — born and raised in Pampanga, the Philippines, before moving to Aotearoa at 11. She's Executive Director of PAT, co-founder and director of Te & Kuya Collaborative and a board member of Equity NZ. Her mahi centres storytelling that uplifts Indigenous and immigrant voices. ➡️ Follow Márianne on Instagram: https://instagram.com/marianne_infante ➡️ Márianne on Satellites: https://satellites.co.nz/archive/people/marianne-infante About Xin: Xin Ji is a dance artist, choreographer, performer, filmmaker and educator based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Trained in Chinese Classical Ballet in Beijing before a professional career in Japan and Aotearoa, he has worked with companies including The New Zealand Dance Company, Footnote and Okareka. His debut solo work Body Story premiered at the Auckland Pride Festival in 2025. ➡️ Follow Xin on Instagram: https://instagram.com/xin_with_ji ➡️ Xin on Satellites: https://satellites.co.nz/archive/people/xin-ji Follow Asian in Aotearoa on Instagram: https://instagram.com/asianinaotearoa Visit https://asianinaotearoa.com This episode was made possible thanks to Foundation North and Creative New Zealand.

Jul 22, 2026

This episode brings choreographer Cindy Yunha Jang and visual artist Tarika Sabherwal together. They chat about Cindy's work building belonging through movement and Tarika's exploration of inherited South Asian mythology and more.

Jul 15, 2026

Weimin and J.Y discuss friendship, community and why the most meaningful creative work often begins with making space for others. About Weimin: Weimin Li is a Tāmaki Makaurau-based tattoo artist and founder of NiceGoblins, an artist platform he launched in 2018 to create community and opportunities for emerging creatives in Auckland. Born in China and raised in Aotearoa from the age of eight, Weimin studied Video Game Design before finding his way into tattooing. ➡️ Explore NiceGoblins: https://www.nicegoblins.com ➡️ Follow NiceGoblins: https://www.instagram.com/nicegoblins_collective ➡️ Follow Weimin: https://www.instagram.com/nicegoblins_wei

See all episodes →