My 2019 in AsiaOne: I asked Captain Marvel Brie Larson a damn good question

As the year draws to a close, it's always a time for reflection and introspection.

I used to do it quite often in the past because I wanted to sound insightful and thoughtful. Like I was the Ghost of Christmas Past with pearls of wisdom to share, when in fact, I've come to realise that even in adulthood, we're all just a bunch of kids running around the playground.

Now, I only do it for work.

I'm not one to take compliments easily. I get nervous, my mind goes blank, I feel flushed, and I think I'm going to hurl. Yes, I get awkward when someone praises me for something.

But as a few close friends and even my sister have said to me, I have much to be proud of because I have become what I wanted to be when I decided to join the media industry — an entertainment reporter.

Sounds simple, eh? Yet, my journey here was anything but, and that's a story for another time.

My crowning glory is a little more personal and it actually happened pretty early in my journey with AsiaOne. I was very excited to be assigned the Captain Marvel press conference. This was my only shot at writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that I grew up with and I wasn't about to blow it.

Not to mention the thought of seeing Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians) and Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson. It was so precious, so sacred, and people might hate me for making this comparison, but it felt like my bar mitzvah as an entertainment reporter.

I had prepped a bunch of questions, including some that would get them talking about Singapore, and I was prepared to stick to those because it would probably resonate with the readers more. Remember, I was still new and I didn't want to sabotage my first big assignment.

Yet, when the press conference started and the emcee began rattling off some basic questions, I felt bored.

Honestly, I really did. It wasn't exciting. I was a fan of Marvel, of the MCU, of Gemma Chan and Brie Larson, and even I wouldn't have wanted to read that piece. When it came round to the Q&A portion, I started to freak out because some journalists had tried the Singapore angle and the cast weren't giving us good quotes.

So I decided to trust my gut (as my favourite writer, Shonda Rhimes, once advised) and went against the logical choice of yet another question about Singapore. I had one shot, they had called on me, and I only had a split second to make this decision but I knew in my heart of hearts that this would work.

I asked Brie what she gleaned from preparing for the role since both she and Captain Marvel went through a similar transformative journey.

I really don't remember much about what transpired because everything was a blur (think anxiety, excitement and a rollercoaster of emotions all wrapped together) and I even watched the video a couple of times just to see if I came across like a moron.

And thank god I did not look like a complete fool. My gambit also worked because Brie gave me the most personal, genuine and insightful quote of the conference. The organisers and some other reporters told me it was the best question of the event.

Frankly, I couldn't have been more proud because I wasn't just there to garner personal cred as an entertainment reporter — I was there as a reporter for the new AsiaOne and I showed people that we have potential and promise.

It was tough holding up the Entertainment desk alone in 2019, but I had the help and guidance of amazing colleagues and this is the dream team. No joke. The editorial team at AsiaOne is like a family — we have each other's back and we never throw anyone under the bus.

I was even encouraged to start up my own video series, Thirstdays, with a fellow producer with whom I vibe very well. I simply wanted a fortnightly gossip sesh with one of the loudest people (don't hate me, Le En) I've ever known.

As we step into the new year, I am very grateful that we have expanded the Entertainment desk to take it to newer heights.

After all, one of my favourite singer-songwriters, Sleeping At Last, sang: "We'll build new traditions in place of the old. Because life without revision will silence our souls."

The AsiaOne that you know and love is still here but we're working on giving you more.

Thank you for your support and happy holidays!

xoxo,
AsiaOne's Gossip Girl (Bryan)

bryanlim@asiaone.com

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