IN CONVERSATION WITH JESS KHAN-LEE

interview by JANA LETONJA

Chinese-Canadian actress Jess Khan-Lee is having a breakout moment. She recently lit up the big screen as Marine Sergeant Rivera in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’, and this autumn, she brought her talents to the small screen in Prime Video’s ‘Hotel Costiera’, which premiered this September. Beyond film and television, she has built an impressive career in video games like ‘Apex Legends’, ‘Fort Solis’, and ‘Directive 8020’, as a BBC ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ choreographer, and as a versatile performer with skills spanning dance, combat, and extreme sports. 

Landing a role in a ‘Mission: Impossible’ film is a dream for many actors. What was your first reaction when you got the part?

Shock. I remember my whole body flushing and just bounding around my flat. I couldn’t keep still. It didn’t even seem real. I had auditioned months earlier and there had been a code name for the film, so I hadn’t known what I had auditioned for. So at first, I was just thrilled to hear I booked a role on a film franchise. And then I found it it was ‘Mission Impossible’ and I nearly blacked out.

Prime Video’s ‘Hotel Costiera’ has just been released. What can audiences expect?

A bit of everything. It has a mystery, drama, action, and comedy. The 6 part series has an overarching plot line centred around a missing girl. But each of episodes 1-4 also have their own self contained storylines, which are all very different. And a range of international cast, who are all great actors, that brings a dynamism to the series.

‘Hotel Costiera’ blends glamour, mystery, and danger. What makes this series stand out from other dramas set in luxurious locations?

We have all those ingredients, but also comedy and action. It’s an enjoyable ride. A lighter tone. Escapism. And the international cast adds a wonderful and unique dimension. A mix of cultures and languages. You get the sense of a broad world in this very specific, contained setting. The storylines shift between silly, fun escapades to dealing with serious humanitarian issues.

Your character April Mackenzie (‘Mack’) is a Marine with a playful streak. Did you draw from your own military-style training and physical skills to shape her?

I train martial arts, so I did all my own fight stunts. It was great to put that to use during the motorcycle chase scene, where Mack and Daniel fight the baddies back-to-back style. The chase scene with Ferdinando was so hectic, and I threw myself at it even though I was running in boots too big for me. I tripped over some props that Giovanni threw in my way, and almost decked it. It’s the take they kept in. If you watch closely, you can see it. I’m also a trained dancer so it was a lot of fun working out the bar scene with the director, Adam Bernstein. He talked me through where the camera would be, but we didn’t rehearse anything. He told me to just go for it, so I did. When he yelled cut, we were all laughing because no one had known what to expect. We only did one take.

Mixing these elements was an opportunity to show different sides of Mack. She’s a soldier, yes, but she’s also lost, and wild. She’s messy and makes mistakes, which is not what you would expect of a Marine. I loved that it humanised her, so she wasn’t just ‘the job’. I also got to play a lot of comedy, which was a stark contrast to the very serious role I had in Mission Impossible.

The show plays with themes of identity and secrecy in a paradise setting. How much of April is performance, and how much is her true self?

She thinks she hides things better than she does. She uses bravado, impulsivity, and alcohol to cope with her feelings of disappointment and pain. On the surface she is confident and brazen. She doesn’t let anyone control her, a rebellion to the life she has led in the Marines. She’s tough, but the cracks are starting to show, and everyone can see it but her. Although flawed, at her core April is good. She’s loyal. You realise when you meet her she’s complicated. There’s still so much to discover about her.

The Amalfi Coast is practically a character itself in the series. Did the setting ever influence how you played a scene?

There’s a scene where Danny and Mack go to meet a contact in this vibrant, bustling market. It was bright, colourful. Jesse and I rode up on the motorcycle through these narrow cobblestone streets into this little square. It was so charming. So I let it affect Mack too, I let her be charmed. It’s the only moment you see her let her guard down and be settled, happy. Enjoying life the Italian way.

What do you hope audiences feel when they finish Season 1 of ‘Hotel Costiera’?

Feeling like they’ve had a really good time. That they are a part of the team. And that they want more.

You’ve also had a strong presence in video games. How does voice or motion capture acting compare to film and TV?

Performance capture and motion capture requires complete imagination. There are no sets, no costumes, nothing of the usual world building you get in film or TV. For me, it’s the closest I can get to being a kid again. It’s the ultimate make-believe.

As a ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ choreographer, you’ve mastered so many styles of dance. Which has influenced you the most as an actress?

Ballet. It taught me discipline, resilience, attention to detail, body control and artistry. I’m so grateful for the foundation it gave me. I don’t think there is anything that demands such dedication as ballet. The pursuit of perfection knowing it will never come. Specificity. Yet paradoxically this has sometimes worked against me. The habit of rigidity of ballet and never making a mistake sometimes means I have to be conscious of trying to get something ‘right’. I’m working on being messier.

You’re also skilled in martial arts, aerial, climbing, and scuba diving. How do these physical disciplines fuel your confidence on set?

This actually reminds me of something Tom Cruise said to me while we were filming ‘Mission Impossible’. “The opposite of fear is not confidence, it’s competence.” The more you train in things, the more you push yourself to grow, to learn, to face fear, and chase mastery, you will inevitably bring that energy into all aspects of your life.

What excites you most about this current moment in your career?

It’s an inner thing. I feel ready. Focused. I’m fully in it. And this time is presenting opportunities to work with actors and directors that I hold in such high esteem. Which means I get to learn more. And working in different disciplines means I get to express myself in varied creative outlets. It’s all just fun.

As you continue balancing acting, dance, and gaming, what’s the big dream that drives you forward?

There’s no one big dream. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that this is the big dream. To continue having opportunities and platforms to work as an artist. To keep meeting people who are excellent at what they do, are passionate about it, and to create together. To inhabit characters, bring them to life, connect to audiences and tell stories. Stretch the imagination. Also I wouldn’t mind playing opposite Cillian Murphy, so I’ll just put that out there.

TEAM CREDITS:
photography JESS WHAREHINGA
styling BORNA PRIKASKI
makeup MEGAN MCPHILEMY
hair CANDICE DANIELLE DEAN