Patron
BENEDICT WONG
In a career spanning three decades, Benedict’s notable film roles include Stephen Frears’ 2002 film DIRTY PRETTY THINGS for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards, Danny Boyle’s SUNSHINE, Ridley Scott’s PROMETHEUS and the 7 times Oscar nominated THE MARTIAN, Armando Iannucci THE PERSONAL LIFE OF DAVID COPPERFIELD, Edson Oda’s NINE DAYS for which he earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination and Disney’s RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON.
In 2014 Wong starred as Kublai Khan in Netflix’s series MARCO POLO before journeying from the Mongol Empire to the Marvel Universe to play the recurring role of Wong in DR STRANGE, AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND IF THE TEN RINGS, DOCTOR STRANGE IN YHE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS and SHE-HULK: ATTORNEY AT LAW on Disney +.
His theatre credits include Laertes opposite Michael Sheen’s HAMLET at the Young Vic and his critically acclaimed performances as Ai Weiwei in THE ARREST OF AI WEIWEI at Hampstead Theatre and as Zhang Lin in Lucy Kirkwood’s 5- time Olivier award winning CHIMERICA.
He can currently be seen playing Detective Clarence Da Shi in 3 BODY PROBLEM (Netflix) .He has just completed filming on Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS.
Benedict Wong is the first British East Asian inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science.
Mentoring
“Throughout my early career, opportunities for guidance were limited. It’s an honour to be a Patron of the Rising Waves Mentoring Scheme, where ESEA artists can share their collective experience, and together as a community we can grow, nurture and elevate.”
Advisory Committee
KUMIKO MENDL
FORMER artistic director - new earth theatre
She is a founder member of the award winning British East and South East Asian (BESEA) theatre company; New Earth Theatre (formerly Yellow Earth Theatre) and was Artistic Director from 2012-2024 where she successfully led the company to become a National Portfolio Organisation in 2018. During her tenure at New Earth she established a two year Professional Writers’ Programme to make a step change in British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) writing and was instrumental in setting up the company’s flagship programme; New Earth Academy; the first of its kind to offer free courses for performance, writing and backstage roles specifically to redress the underrepresentation of BESEA’s in the arts. The company now has academies running annually in four cities supported by over 17 partner venues and organisations with over 400+ alumni.
Kumiko recently received an Arts Council DYCP to develop a participatory Living Archive practice with the heritage and theatre sector. She is freelancing as an actor, theatremaker and working as a strategic consultant.
Kumiko is co-founder and co-Artistic Director of A Thousand Cranes, an artistic associate at artsdepot, a Clore leader, Board Advisor to the David Glass Ensemble, trustee of True Heart Theatre and acting Chair of Curious Directive.
Ng Choon Ping
theatre and film director
Choon Ping is an award-winning director and a graduate of both York University, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and the National Theatre’s 2015 Director’s Course. He was the inaugural recipient of the Royal Exchange Theatre Hodgkiss Award for Young Directors and has also been awarded a bursary from the Michael Grandage Company. He is originally from Singapore and has returned for work with the Singapore Repertory Theatre. He has worked as a translator in the Royal Court’s international department, was a visiting lecturer at Central School of Speech & Drama between 2013 and 2018 and was a text associate at Shakespeare’s Globe 2012-13. In March 2021 Ping’s first short film FEMME will premiere at SXSW.
Theatre directing credits include:
Tamburlaine (Arcola); Crocodiles (Royal Exchange); Collision/Carla’s Puppet (National Theatre); Snap (Young Vic); A Magical Place (Old Red Lion); Pufferfish (Vaults Theatre); Sellotape Sisters, Golden Child (New Diorama); 10 Steps 2 Heaven (Tristan Bates); The Truth (Singapore Repertory Theatre); Thatcher In China – reading (NT Studio); Acceptance – reading (Criterion); Dodo (LAMDA); Macbeth (Royal Central); Antony & Cleopatra, Othello (Arts Ed).
Assisting/Associate directing credits include: Troilus and Cressida (RSC – Gregory Doran); Cyprus Avenue (Public Theatre, NYC & Royal Court – Vicky Featherstone); Bakersfield Mists (Duchess Theatre – Polly Teale); Nut (National Theatre – Debbie Tucker Green); Chimerica (Harold Pinter/Almeida – Lyndsey Turner).
Film credits include: Femme (Agile Films) which won the BIFA for Best Short Film in 2021.
Supported by
PRIMARY FUNDER
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
AFFiLIATE
DRAMA SCHOOLS
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Additional
SUPPORT FROM
How to Support Us
Individual
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organisation
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