In March last year, Thai actress and cover star Nuttanicha “Nychaa” Dungwattanawanich (pictured above) found herself having an Elsa moment: She ended her contract with Channel 3, Thailand’s national broadcaster, and stepped “into the unknown” so that she could explore something new. She has said in previous interviews that it was a decision that took six months of deliberation. But if she had any doubts about whether she had made the right move then, she doesn’t now. Her horror film Halabala just ended its run in theatres, and she has a new zombie apocalypse Netflix Original film, Ziam, that is slated to air sometime this year.
“This decision came from the fact that I wanted to try something new; to step out of boxes, and to challenge myself so that I don’t regret it later on in my life,” she tells us in our cover story on page 40. “That’s why I went independent—and it has been fun! I try out things on a wider scope, I make mistakes, but it has been very fulfilling because I learn new things.”
The risks have certainly paid off. But, back then, with no knowledge of what lay ahead, it was a lionhearted move that required courage and self-assurance—qualities that the women featured in this issue commonly share.
Chinese-born, London-based fashion designer Yuhan Wang (page 30) forged ahead with her own fashion language to create a “visual psychology” that’s now being retailed at Dover Street Market, Farfetch, and Moda Operandi. Homegrown musician Jean Seizure (page 151) braved the odds and left her comfort zone of camera lights and film sets to find herself in music and on the billboards in New York’s Times Square and LA’s Sunset Spectacular. The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood (page 52) overcame an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, and the pressures of conventional beauty standards to become one of the more interesting actresses we have today.
And then, there’s Preeti Nair who has continuously honed her voice into one that this country has to contend with. At times funny and self-deprecating, other times contentious and thought-provoking, she holds our nation accountable for its actions, even when it results in public ire at a personal cost. Read what she has to say about staying true to oneself, even if it means having to stand alone. “Courage isn’t always loud. It isn’t about never messing up; it’s about showing up and still believing in yourself, especially when the metrics don’t,” she says on page 148.
We couldn’t express it more eloquently. So have yourself a courageous life ahead and leave the metrics behind.
Photographed by ATHIBODEE SUWANNACHOT
Styled by JEFFREY YAN
Make-up Artist HIRUN BOONKARNWANIT
Hairstylist HARIT PUNYAAIY
Producer VORRAKAMON TECHASARATHUN
Set Designer THANAWAT SAETAN
Photographer’s Assistants KANAPATR TANTIWORAWONG; PIRASAK CHITSOM; ASAWIN ROOPNGAM
Stylist’s Assistant RATCHAPHON CHAROENKUSOL
Production Assistant PRIMPRAEW CHAOTANAPONNON
Set Design Assistant JARUNIPA KEERATIJEERANAN
Lighting Technicians TEAM FIRE
Location Scout CHATRAWAT ASSAWASOPHONKUL