BUGONIA's Vanessa Eng is Embracing the Power of Yes
When Vanessa Eng paused her career in foreign affairs to pursue acting, she didn’t expect the universe to answer quite so quickly. In what can only be described as a cinematic twist of fate, Eng landed a breakout role in BUGONIA – the latest film from acclaimed director Yorgos Lanthimos – opposite none other than Emma Stone. It’s a leap most actors spend years chasing, but for Eng, it came just as she was learning to follow her instincts and to embrace whatever opportunities came her way.
In our conversation, Eng reflects on the unlikely path that led her from a desk job to a movie set, the surreal experience of working with Lanthimos and Stone in her very first year as an actor, and why she is leaning into saying yes as she steps into the next phase of her career.
WORDS & INTERVIEW by Evie Friar
PHOTOGRAPHY by YellowBellyPhoto
EF Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey into acting. Where did your interest in acting begin?
VE Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be… at least back then I would have said I wanted to be a movie star. Now I’m just accepting whatever comes at me. But I think the earliest I can draw this desire back to, is probably around when The Cheetah Girls movie came out [laughs]. Have you seen The Cheetah Girls?
EF I actually haven't!
VE Well, The Cheetah Girls movie came out and I was totally obsessed with it. I had four different copies of the same movie on DVD and I had a handful of copies of the CD. I wanted to be them so badly. My parents had this big stereo that I'd pop this CD into when they would allow me, and I would blast it as loud as I could but just low enough that I didn't think the neighbours would complain. I would dance by myself until I was told that I needed to go to bed. I would do this every night. It was my big routine. I remember I told [my parents], “I want to be an actor. I want to be like Sabrina Bryan in The Cheetah Girls,” and they would just laugh because they had no idea what that meant.
EF I guess it can quite easily be put into the category of a big dream that you have as a child but one that doesn’t necessarily transfer into later life.
VE Exactly, throughout high school, I would do plays every now and then and I loved it, but it was never something that I thought I could pursue as a career. I think there’s also the fact that I was raised by Asian immigrants. The thing about Asian immigrant parents is that they either want you to be a doctor or a lawyer. They’re your two choices. Also, I didn't really know what I could do or what I was good at. I just knew that I liked doing things. I liked doing new things and, for me, being on stage was something new all the time. So I thought, “Maybe this is just some sort of passion that I can do now and then in college I'll get serious about something else.”
EF You ultimately pursued a different career too, right? How did you find your way back to acting?
VE I did. During the pandemic, I applied to graduate school and I got into this dual degree that gave me one year in Paris and one year in London. I studied international security and foreign affairs and – don't get me wrong – I love that, but I was craving something else; some sort of creative output that I hadn't had in a while, because I gave that up in university and graduate school. So, during my first year in London, I started taking a bunch of acting courses part-time in between school and jobs. I finally had the time and resources to be able to do that. I just shot my shot. I did a couple of short films and I really loved that.
EF Which, I believe, brings us to BUGONIA. How did you first hear about this role?
VE There was an open casting call that was put up by Sally McCleery who is the casting director for the UK unit. They were looking for Americans in London, so I applied and told her a little bit about myself like, “Hey, I'm from New York. I moved to London to do my graduate degree. I'm waiting for my security clearance for another job but that'll take a year or two… I'm doing a lot of creative things right now and I'm hoping to be able to do A, B and C. So, thanks for your consideration,” and she responded to me right away.
She asked me to self tape, I sent that into the universe, didn't hear anything for a couple of weeks, somehow managed to score an audition, sat and twiddled my thumbs until I forgot about it and then… I got the call! It was a fantastic moment. I think I’m one of the lucky ones. I just love movies, man, so it was all really cool because this was happening within my first year of pursuing acting as more than just a hobby. Then, when [Sally] was going over the contract with me, she was like, “Yeah, Yorgos loved your tape." I remember my brain kind of just short circuiting. She said, “I guess I didn't tell you. The director is Yorgos Lanthimos. Do you know who you're acting across? I'll just tell you. You're going to be Emma Stone's co-star.” I had to play it so cool. I was like, "Yeah, I should have guessed that." I hung up and I think I sobbed for a good half hour.
EF That's crazy to have experienced that classic moment actors always talk about where you get the call and are offered the role! Were you a fan of Yorgos’s work before this?
VE I kid you not, he is one of my favorite directors. That same year, I had waited in the queue at the BFI to get a ticket to his screen talk. It was just so absurd, you know!
EF Was there a particular film of his that you really loved or was it just a general admiration for his work?
VE I've seen so many of his films and there are some that I would love to see, but I know they're not playing or online anywhere because he wants a specific setup for it. I think my first exposure to him was probably either The Lobster (2015) or The Favourite (2018) or maybe I watched those back to back. I thought his style was so absurd. It's a very particular style that he has that I am incredibly intrigued about. I think the way that he sets up his movies, the storyline and the characters he puts in, they are all so individual in a way that it's hard not to be sucked in.
You're kind of not sure… “Am I rooting for this guy? Am I not? Do I want to? Should I be?” I like those moral questions when you're watching a film. There's only so much you can put in an hour and a half to two and a half hours of screen time. To be able to have that kind of connection to these characters who you would never think you would have a connection to, I think it's incredible to be able to do that, right?
EF Yes, I think the industry is so full of red tape right now in terms of what's going to make money or what’s going to appeal to the audience. It's quite rare that a director comes along who breaks through that and is allowed to do their own thing like he does.
Considering you were such a big fan, how did it feel to first step onto a Yorgos Lanthimos set?
VE I thought it would be incredibly intimidating to go onto this set with a bunch of people who have clearly been in the industry for way longer than I have, but it was actually such a family style event. Mostly because Yorgos uses a lot of people from his previous films. Hayley Williams, the first AD for BUGONIA was also the first AD on Poor Things (2023). He had Robbie Ryan as the DOP who he has worked with a lot before. Everybody knew each other and I know sometimes that's quite hard, like you're coming into a friend group that's already been established, but they were so welcoming. Everybody was so nice. Every morning, I was greeted with a hug and an immediate coffee in hand because everybody knew I needed caffeine!
Yorgos is also such a sweet guy. It was hard for me to reconcile how nice this man was with the work he puts out. It’s so out of this world. It was a really easy set to be a part of.
EF That's so lovely and so important for a creative environment. Could you tell me a little about who your character is in the film?
VE Sure, so Emma Stone plays Michelle, the CEO of a pharmaceutical company, and I play her secretary. Her right-hand woman, if I do say so myself! I'm constantly running her schedule and making sure everything's in line to make her job easier.
EF How did you find working across from Emma Stone? That must have been an amazing experience.
VE It was really fun working with Emily. I've literally been watching her on-screen since I was 10 years old, so it was also a bit of a fever dream, but she was really fun and super funny. You can tell the relationship she has with Yorgos is full of respect and love for each other, while he also gives her a lot of room to be creative. To be able to feed off of somebody who clearly knows what she's doing… It makes my job a lot easier. She really has this way of creating an environment of ease where you're constantly being encouraged. For instance, I was like, “Hey, can I tell you a secret? This is actually my first job,” and she said, “I wouldn't have been able to tell. That's crazy.”
Some of our scenes would be a whole day thing so in between takes she would ask me about my life and I would ask about hers. I’d say, “Hey, what are you doing this weekend?” and she'd be like, “I would love to go see ABBA: Voyage,” and I’d go, “Oh my god, I'm actually going to see ABBA: Voyage!” Those casual conversations, I think, really helped us build that camaraderie. My character is obviously used to her wanting things a certain way, so there's that trust between us as well. She trusts me to be able to meet her needs and I think being able to have that comfort with her, in real life, made it easier to bounce off of each other when we were filming.
EF It's quite funny that you are literally working together on this film, but you are, as characters, also working together. It's nice that that relationship is established off-screen and then you can explore it a bit more on screen as well.
VE Yeah, it was just fun to play with her. We would do things in different ways. Even me walking behind her was done differently a couple times. It was really fun to be across from her and to learn from her as well. To see her in and out of character too was wild. She's so nice in real life and super funny and then her character is a serious sharpshooter. Every time, they’d say, “Action!” She’d snap into being a totally different person.
EF I bet that was so interesting to observe! Has your experience on set changed your own approach to acting in any way?
VE I think I really learned that I could do it. Imposter syndrome is, naturally, a big thing among actors and I walked in there thinking, “Am I really here right now? Do I really deserve to be here?” This was within my first year of pursuing acting as a career and people would kill for this job. There are so many other people who have more experience than me. But I learned to trust myself because if they trust me with this job then that means I did something that they wanted to see. It's about getting over that imposter syndrome and realising you can do this if you really want to. Trust yourself, trust the people you're working with, and trust that they trust you. It’s this whole cyclical nature of trust that I think shows on camera if you really believe it.
EF How long were you on set for? Do you have a favourite moment from your time on set?
VE I was there for a bit under two weeks. Most of my scenes were in the office that you can see in the trailer which establishes what Michelle is like as a character and what kind of ship she runs. As for being on set, it was so interesting for me to learn how it all works. I’d say, "Okay, I can take the tube to set,” and they’d be like, "We're sending a car to pick you up." I’d go, "Okay, that's even better!" I also had a trailer, too, which was so fun. I've never had a trailer before. I remember walking to my trailer one day and right next door there was a new sign. I was thinking, “Ooh who's this going to be?” Then Edoardo Petti, the second AD, grabbed me and was like, "Okay, let me introduce you to more people." He knocked on this door and I kid you not, freaking Alicia Silverstone opened the door! I was speechless but I managed to say "Hi, it's so nice to meet you. I'm sure you get this a lot, but I freaking love Clueless.” Edo said, out loud in front of Alicia Silverstone, “Okay, literally everyone does. What kind of compliment is that?” I was like, “Stop embarrassing me in front of everybody!” He cracks me up, he’s so funny.
My first time meeting Emily was similar too. I should have known by this point that any time Edo says, “Let me introduce you to some people," it's going to be somebody who you would expect to be on set, but you don't really expect to meet in real life. He opened the door to the makeup trailer and there she was. Internally, I thought “Holy shit!” but I managed to say, “Hi, so nice to meet you. Can’t wait to work with you.” Then Edo and I left. I should have smacked him! I was like, “Are you kidding me? You couldn’t have given me a heads up? I’m sweating so much right now!”
EF Getting a car sent for you, your own trailer, meeting your heroes, this is all what dreams are made of!
VE I know! I was filming a self tape for another audition the other day and I walked out of that audition to 40 text messages asking, “Is this you?" I go, "No freaking way." Focus Features had literally just posted a clip of that scene I did with Emily and I thought, “This is just so crazy!” Life comes at you fast. I've learned to be a yes girl. I'm always like, “Why the hell not?” Just take chances. Shoot your shot. Life can be scary, but life is also short.
EF Will you be involved in the promotion of the film at this year’s London Film Festival?
VE Yeah, it's all happening this Friday. I'm actually going to the gala premiere at the South Bank Centre. It’s in the Royal Festival Hall and I actually first saw Poor Things (2023) there. Can you believe that?! I went there that year and then I ended up working with these people!
To be honest, I have no idea what's going to happen so I'm quite excited. I like not knowing things, just showing up, and hoping for the best. I'm going to shop for an outfit tomorrow. I have a friend of a friend who's a stylist and he knows a bunch of really cool fashion designers, so we're going to go and take a peek at what they have. That’s also something I’ve never done before, but it’s nice to be able to know people who can point you in the right direction.
EF Do you know what life looks like beyond BUGONIA? Is there anything that you can tell me about what's in the pipeline for you?
VE I just put together a team, which is really exciting. I signed with a new UK manager and I also signed with a US talent agent and a US manager. It's been a couple months of putting things together and seeing what's next. I've been auditioning for things, luckily enough, and I guess we'll see. But regarding what's next, I don't know. I'm always saying come at me. Why not? I like being out of my comfort zone so I'm hoping I can find roles that require a lot of putting yourself out there. I'm kind of putting the feelers out there right now. I’m just beyond grateful to finally have a team sorted. It’s nice to have people you can reach out to about certain concerns you have or ideas you want to pursue. It’s been quite an interesting journey so far. I have Sally McCleery, Millie Hooper, Yorgos, Emily and that whole crew to thank for getting me to where I am right now.
EF You mentioned your previous work in foreign affairs. Are you pursuing acting full time now?
VE Yes, right now I'm pursuing acting full-time because I feel like I have the time and resources. I just finished a gig at an intergovernmental organization, where I did some policy work, so I’m around. I'm also putting out feelers for that side as well. The hustle is hard!
EF You're available for anything!
VE I'm just saying yes! You never know what life is going to throw at you.
EF We talked a bit about The Cheetah Girls at the start and you’re obviously a fan of Yorgos and Emma. Are there any other films, directors or actors you find particularly inspiring?
VE Oh man, that's a good question. I think I watch at least a movie a night. I love going to the cinema and every time I leave the cinema I feel so invigorated to do this as a career. I aspire to be as versatile as Cate Blanchett. I know that's such a random person to throw in, but it’s just the way that she picks projects that are on totally opposite sides of the spectrum.
I'm pretty sure she was filming Tar (2022) at the same time as Borderlands (2024). How do you even do that?! She seems like she's just doing it for the fun of the game. She's somebody I greatly admire for taking chances on, either first-time directors, or really well established directors. She works all across the board and I would love to be able to do that.
I would love to work with Martin Scorsese – I'm sure everybody wants to work with Martin Scorsese [laughs] – and I'm also just as keen to work with first time directors. I recently watched Urchin (2025), written and directed by Harris Dickinson. It’s fantastic! This is his feature debut. Are you crazy? How is this your feature debut? I think it's really cool to be able to push yourself, to get out of your comfort zone. I think that is ultimately what acting is, right? It's testing the boundaries and seeing what you can or cannot do within that space.
A lot of my favorite films are also foreign films. I love Pedro Almodóvar. One of my favorite films is Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1998). It's beautiful. What a great film! That one, City of God (2002)... Every time I watch films, I'm blown away by what humans can do emotionally and physically. I feel like I always get something from films, even if it's a shitty romcom, I'm always getting something from it. I just love the movies.
EF You mentioned Harris Dickinson, an actor-recently-turned-director… Is writing and directing something that you're also interested in or are you all in on acting for now?
VE Right now, I would say I’m all in on acting. But in the future, you never know. I grew up reading a lot of fanfiction and I also wanted to be a fanfiction writer, then that translated to simply being somebody who likes creative writing. So, that's a creative output for me as well. I just don't know if I'm capable of doing a whole film script. Will Tracy, who's the writer for BUGONIA, also did The Menu (2022) and a couple episodes of Succession (2018–2023). The way his mind works is bonkers! To be able to come up with such snappy dialogue while also being down to earth and funny. I don't know, a lot of skill goes into making such a thing and I don't know if I have that skill set right now. I think that is something I would love to do way in the future when I've had way more experience.
EF We’re always interested in what everyone else is watching right now. Have you seen any other films recently that you would recommend?
VE There are so many great movies coming out! I just watched House of Dynamite, directed by Katherine Bigelow, starring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, and Tracy Letts. Maybe it's because it's my type of movie – I love movies that get your heart racing – but it was so good. It's probably one of the most stressful movies I've ever seen in my life. It's being released on Netflix but I saw it at the BFI. There's something about watching it on the big screen with a bunch of strangers. That's an experience that you don't always get with a lot of films now so it was nice to be able to see it in that way.
I also saw One Battle After Another in VistaVision at the Odeon, Leicester Square. Don't you just hate when movies live up to the hype, man? I was like, “Surely it's not that good.” Then I sat there and thought, "Oh my god… that was criminally good." VistaVision is so gorgeous. BUGONIA was also filmed in VistaVision.
EF Now, aside from film, is there anything that you're excited about in music, culture, or art?
VE Oh music I can do. I am so excited for Tame Impala’s newest album. That's one. In terms of people I’m listening to… I love Model Man and Barry Can’t Swim. I've seen Barry Can’t Swim twice, the last one being at All Points East. What a performance! He has these sessions that are live and a whole orchestra comes to play with him. It's mindblowing.
I also love physical media. I just picked up this vinyl – Dynasty by Hua Li 化力. This was recommended to me when I went to Paris. There is this record shop that I used to go to all the time. I wasn’t really sure what I was vibing with and the guy there was straight up like, “This girl.” So I picked this up. It's super great. It's also on Spotify but it's been a fun record to play at my house.
I saw Lady Gaga at the O2 not too long ago. That is another actor I would love to work with. I find her choices as an actor very interesting. She’s an allrounder, a total triple threat!
EF She is definitely someone who’s not afraid of saying yes! To bring it home, I’m interested to know if you have any current hopes on where your career goes. Is there anything particularly important to you that may influence the choices you make going forward?
VE In this career, it's so easy to get lost in the sauce, especially when you're in the beginning of it. It's kind of hard to say no to things. You want to take every opportunity that is given to you. But I'm hoping it'll get to a point, at least in the future, where I can have a little more say in the matter. I do now, but it's not to the extent I think I would if I were at somebody's level like Cate Blanchett, as I said before. I hope, as an artist, I will be able to keep learning and keep enjoying what I'm doing. I don't want to do a job just because it's a nice paycheck. Although that is quite nice and that is something that'll be nice to have in the future as well. But I think, at this point in life, I would love to just be able to do it because I love to do it.
BUGONIA is out in UK cinemas from 31st October.
Follow Vanessa at @vanessaenggg