Emma Wallace Women Series
Choosing the Less Certain Path - From Finance to the Screen
Choosing the Less Certain Path - From Finance to the Screen
The Journey

Yvonne Chapman is a Canadian actress with deep ties to Hong Kong, known for roles that carry strength, complexity, and quiet intensity. From Zhilan Zhang in Kung Fu to Avatar Kyoshi in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, and more recently Madeline Wong in The Season, she has built a body of work that feels both powerful and deeply human.

Born and raised in Calgary to a Hong Kong father and Singaporean mother, she grew up between cultures and spent time modelling between Canada and Hong Kong before leaving a career in finance to pursue acting full-time. That decision has shaped a path defined by range, risk, and reinvention. Filming in Hong Kong for The Season brought her closer to family roots — including a grandmother who was a celebrated soprano in the city — and added another layer to a career already shaped by identity, courage, and a growing connection to the places that formed her.

Yvonne's Definition of Empowerment
Empowerment to me is having the courage to take up space in pursuit of your goals, ambitions, and the life you envision for yourself. To own who you are, trusting your voice, and not shrinking to fit someone else's narrative. And empowerment isn’t only about the self, but a collective. It also shows up in creating space for others to also stand fully in who they are, to feel seen, supported, and confident in pursuing their own path.

Yvonne's style is rooted in classics, but she's always drawn to pieces with an unexpected twist. She loves an architectural cut, a bold pop of colour, unique details that make something distinctive... Timeless style with a little edge.

A Moment of Reflection
What is one ritual that fuels your demanding schedule?
I feel my best when I get an early start to the day. I spend the first hour doing a mix of journalling to set my intentions for the day, reading, and integrating a bit of movement; as a walk with my pup or a stretch.
A Favourite Moment?
One of my favorite moments was holding my dog for the very first time. I remember falling completely in love instantly and I said out loud, “I’m doomed!". But I meant it in the absolute best way possible. It was that immediate realization that this little furry potato had completely stolen my heart, and there was no going back. That first moment together is something I’ll always cherish.
Piece of Inspiration
"Whatever meaning life has must be assigned to it by the individual." — Alfred Adler (as quoted in The Courage to Be Disliked)