Six weeks ago, when we kidnapped Henry Golding for a day trip out to Joshua Tree National Park—a good two-and-a-half hour drive east of downtown Los Angeles—for our September cover shoot, we were punting on him becoming big news. After all, he'd nabbed the lead role in the landmark all-Asian movie, Crazy Rich Asians, and was following that up with a Paul Feig-directed suspense thriller, A Simple Favor, in September. Clearly, this Singapore-based hairdresser-turned-TV-presenter-turned-Hollywood-actor was going to be the talk of the town. It wasn't rocket science. (Also, he's such a darn nice guy; how can you not support the fella?!)
But what we didn't bank on was just how crazy rich Crazy Rich Asians would become. At the time of writing, the movie has amassed over USD100 million in ticket sales (more than triple its production costs of USD30 million) and has topped the US box office for three weekends in a row. In short, Henry is not only big news, he is freaking supernova.
News on the street: promotional posters for A Simple Favor initially only featured the film's two female leads, Blake Likely and Anna Kendrick, but given the success of Crazy Rich Asians, the posters are being reshot to include Henry's handsome mug (who plays Blake Lively's husband). Henry, you're not in Kansas anymore.
We shot Asia's hottest new star for Esquire Singapore on a blistering hot day in Joshua Tree—a cheeky cover story to contrast the leading man in Crazy Rich Asians against a well-worn vintage trailer and a desolate desert backdrop. Why? Because #thatsfashion.
Check out the fashion film by Pedro Correa above for a respectfully intimate, yet disarmingly escapist, video shoot in the Californian desert. It's a little teaser for our Henry Golding cover story that anchors the September issue; which, we are are proud to announce, is our thickest thicc-est issue yet.
I know what you're thinking: what happened to the signature colourful Esquire Singapore covers? Well, for the September 'Eye Spy' issue, we decided to do things a little different and go monochrome. Notice the white spine? It's oh so fa-shun.
What are you waiting for? Head down to your friendly neighbourhood newsstand to get your September issue of Esquire Singapore now. Not in Singapore? Subscribe to our digital version.
Editor-in-chief and creative direction: Norman Tan
Video: Pedro Correa
Photography: Mitchell Nguyen McCormack
Photography assistant: Jalen Turner
Fashion assistant: Tyler Headlee
Groomer: Robert Bryan
Shot on location: Bungalow in the Boulders, Joshua Tree
