Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund has been famous for nearly half her life, yet she resists the easy narratives that fame often imposes. She is one of Thailand’s most in‑demand actresses and the country’s first Friend of the House for Louis Vuitton—and now turned official brand ambassador. And yet, ask her who she is at 32, and she answers with the candour of someone still searching. “I have no idea who I am,” she cries. “You know how [people] say that when you’re young, you want to grow up? Now that I’m this old, I feel even more lost. I want someone to tell me exactly what to do, in chronological order, and type it out for me.”
It is this contradiction—goddess and Everywoman, romantic dreamer and rational realist—that makes her such a fitting figure for our September issue. At our cover shoot in Bangkok, Yaya is a delight to be around. She communes with the crew, goofing around, dancing to the music, and is always laughing at something. But the moment you place a rack of clothes in front of her, that easy playfulness transforms into sartorial precision. “She’s serious about fashion and understands clothes,” remarks ELLE Fashion Director Jeffrey Yan. Every time she puts something on, she studies it to know which feature to highlight—whether it is a silhouette, a neckline, or some small detail. If it is a full skirt, she knows how to move to show it off; with a high neckline, she frames her face; with a cinched waist, she angles her body to emphasise it.
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That instinct explains her long‑standing relationship with Louis Vuitton. No doubt, the Maison’s pieces look very good on her. “I see fashion as art, and a form of storytelling,” Yaya says. “When I wear something, I’m trying to portray a certain message. For example, this morning, I wore jeans and a T‑shirt because I want people to feel that I’m chilled and comfortable, and ready to tackle the day.”
Her own values align naturally with the Maison’s ethos. “I love travel. I love fashion. I love heritage,” she shares. “[Louis Vuitton’s] world view is so interesting because sometimes, we forget to think about heritage, and how important it is to travel and open our eyes to our surroundings.” She adds with conviction: “I’m a Nicolas (Ghesquière) girl at heart. His designs capture both my sweet side and my edgier side. When I wear his clothes, I feel confident.”
Born in Pattaya to a Thai mother and a Norwegian father, Yaya grew up in a household where East and West coexist without friction. “When two cultures are integrated into your daily life, everything feels normal,” she says with an American lilt. “Probably one of the luckiest things about me is that I grew up in a very balanced environment.” Her bicultural upbringing gave her both breadth and balance. “I’m really lucky to be who I am; my world view has been broadened since I was a child,” she reflects.
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Her illustrious career began at 13 as a model, and at 16, she made her television debut in Peun See Long Hon (2008). By her late teens, she was starring opposite Thai‑Austrian actor Nadech Kugimiya in Game Rai Game Rak (2011), a drama that ignited a fandom that still burns bright more than a decade later. Their on‑screen chemistry spilled into reality; they are now engaged and planning a 2026 wedding. While Yaya remains tight‑lipped about the big day, she reveals that preparations have been smooth. “Nadech and I have very similar tastes, so it has been very easy,” she shares with a smile.
We completely understand her need to keep things private. After all, having come of age under constant attention, Yaya has had to define her own boundaries. “I think one thing I’ve learnt from being in the public eye is that I’m quite a private person. I feel like it’s in my power to share what I want to share. I feel comfortable with exactly how much, or how little, I want to put out,” she says.
The same applies to her relationship with Nadech, which has been kept mostly under the radar for the past 14 years and counting. “I don’t think we consciously did that though,” she comments. “We live in a world where life moves at hyper speed. So when we’re alone, we’re so engrossed in each other that we kind of forget to take pictures. It’s not that we don’t want to share things on social media, it’s just that we forget to. Honestly, I think that’s what has kept us so happy as well. Because we unconsciously choose to live in the moment. But a part of me also kind of wish we took more pictures or recorded stuff!”
These days, Yaya’s definition of love has shifted into something that is more enduring. “If you asked me [what love meant to me] two years ago, [I would have given you] a different answer. But I think love for me right now is someone who’s willing to push me to be my best self,” she attests. “Love is someone who feels like home. It’s companionship; it’s comfortable.”
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This past year, Yaya took a step back from acting to focus on her wedding, but candidly admits that it left her with an existential crisis. “I guilt‑trip myself so much when I’m not doing anything. I can’t even take a holiday longer than three days without feeling like, ‘What am I doing with my life?’” she confesses. “Working every day non‑stop—the beat was so high tempo—that used to be my idea of success. Now, I’ve realised that success is about the markers in life that make me believe in myself.” Her current measure of success is more internal: “Every character where I felt true to the person I was portraying is when I feel truly accomplished and proud.”
It is clear she has become a sum of the characters she has embodied—whether it is the romantic leads in the TV series Kleun Cheewit (2017) and The Crown Princess (2018), the box office hits Brother of the Year (2018) and Nakee 2 (2018), or the critically acclaimed indie film Fast and Feel Love (2022), which explores a couple’s spiralling relationship. “That [last] film taught me about knowing when to let go,” she says. “At the time, I wasn’t emotionally mature enough to understand that concept. But immersing myself in that role gave me a deeper sense of my own emotions.”
This year also saw her taking on a new genre in her first English‑speaking role—that of the female protagonist Prang—in the 2025 movie Home Sweet Home: Rebirth, marking her Hollywood debut. The supernatural horror film, based on a Thai video game, gave audiences a chance to see a different side of her—one that is more raw, vulnerable, and removed from the glossy romantic archetypes she is known for. Despite being seen as poised and confident, Yaya disagrees with that perception. “I don’t think I’m either,” she says with a laugh. “I’m just very self‑aware—and maybe that awareness is what helps build my self‑esteem.” And perhaps it is this knowing of her strengths and weaknesses that makes her so good at what she does.
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Her advice to younger women trying to meet impossible standards of perfection: “What is perfect? There’s no actual definition. If you want to be perfect in your own way, you already are.” It is not a manifesto, just a plain truth spoken with conviction. To her, when it comes to social media, you control your own narrative. “If you feel like today, you’re not feeling great, it doesn’t have to be a day that you post something. Whatever you put out there can be your best self because it’s in your hands,” she expounds.
We ask her what she thinks is the most empowering thing about being a woman today, and she lovingly replies: Women supporting women. “I’ve never felt unempowered, because I’m just so lucky to be surrounded by people who support me.
But I think one thing that’s really empowering as a woman now is sisterhood, in a global sense,” she shares, pointing to the communities she has discovered online. “There’ve been times I was going through difficult periods that people around me could not relate to. But now, through social media, I’ve found other women who’ve shared those experiences. I feel seen, I know I’m not alone—and honestly, it’s life‑changing.”
Looking back, is there anything she would have done differently? “I’m quite a steady and rational person. Sometimes, I wish I were a little bit more irrational!” she says, laughing. “I need to remind myself to take a moment and appreciate success while it’s happening.”
If she could write a letter to her younger self, she would tell her to relax more. “Stop measuring success only in hours worked,” she elaborates. “Take more holidays. Sometimes, it’s good to let yourself enjoy the fruits of your labour. One dialogue I keep having with myself now is that it’s not about how much work you do—it’s about collecting experiences along the way.”
These days, she finds calm and intention in the small rituals of everyday life, like whisking the perfect cup of matcha or journalling her thoughts. “I’m not very good with rituals,” she shares, “but I’ve been trying to journal more. It might sound hoopity‑boopity, but it grounds you and gives you good realisations.” Ten years from now, she hopes her legacy will be clear. “I want people to remember me for my exceptional work ethic,” she says, before breaking into laughter. “But also, I’m pretty. I would love that compliment!”
What makes Yaya unforgettable is not simply her beauty, talent, or even her discipline, but the way she embodies the Romantic spirit: To live with intensity, to embrace love and imperfection, and to let every role, every relationship, every moment deepen the story of who she is. And that, to us, is a true romantic at heart.
Make‑up Artist VINIJ BOONCHAISRI
Hairstylist PONGSIRI PORNPIJAIPAK
Producer SOPHANA TANMANATRAGUL
Photographer’s Assistants NATTAPONG AMKHAM; PASSAPON KHEMMANIPITPON; PURINUT KUNSUK; WIRAPHON PHANCHAROEN
Stylist’s Assistant RATCHAPHON CHAROENKUSOL