These are some serious questions, good lord.
Branson: How have you changed in the past five years?
I have changed more in the past five years than probably any other time in my life.Ā Five years ago, I was an angry, sad, frustrated person.Ā I doubted pretty much everything about myself and my work.Ā I was someone who was constantly apologizing for her presence in the world.Ā I wouldnāt say Iām ashamed of that person because I wouldnāt be who I am now without her.Ā After Romeo and Juliet closed my mom looked at me and said: āYouāve become so poised.Ā When did that happen?āĀ Iām not just happier now, Iām more comfortable in my own skin.Ā Teaching gave me a whole other level of confidence I didnāt know I had.Ā I still have doubts. Iām just better at silencing them now because I know theyāre unfounded.Ā Also, my smile reaches my eyes now.Ā I canāt ask for more than that.
Sybbie: What was your favorite stuffed toy growing up? Do you still have it?
I have a beautiful stuffed bear that I got when I was about 8 or 9 that I definitely still have.Ā My mom kept the vast majority of my toys and the ones that I donāt have with me have been very lovingly packed away for any future grandchildren.Ā And the books were never packed away.
George: Do you feel like your family has too many expectations of you?
This comes with the territory when you have immigrant parents.Ā And I donāt blame them.Ā They gave up everything to come to this country, so of course they expect that my brother and I not fuck up the considerable opportunities we have been given.Ā I would say they have higher expectations for me than they do for my older brother (which is an interesting reversal considering our birth order).Ā My parents donāt just want to see me living a stable life; they want me to be exceptional.Ā Sometimes, itās all a lot to live up to.