In his short 35 years, Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor Godfrey Gao (高以翔) achieved what many spend a lifetime seeking. Even as animosities among nations deepen, Gao was an exceedingly rare example of someone who not only seamlessly bridged cultural divides, but also helped pave the way for greater Asian representation in Western media and countered stereotypes about Asian men.
As Gao is laid to rest on Sunday, Taiwan should celebrate the legacy he is leaving behind and ensure that part of that legacy includes a reckoning with the culture of overwork that led to his passing on Nov. 27.
Born Tsao Chih-hsiang (曹志翔) in Taipei in 1984, he spent his formative years in Vancouver. After college, Gao returned to Taiwan, where he signed with JetStar Entertainment.
He came to international prominence in 2011 after French fashion house Louis Vuitton selected him to be the first Asian model in its 157-year history. The Guardian’s premonition at the time that the gig would be a “fast-track toward becoming an international household face” proved accurate, as he thereafter earned the title of Asia’s first male supermodel and helped usher in a new Asia-facing era for the fashion industry.
The next trail he blazed took him to Hollywood, where he starred as Magnus Bane in the 2013 film The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. His casting created no small amount of shock, not only because an Asian man was cast at all, but also because he was a romantic interest in an industry infamous for whitewashing.
For all the glamor surrounding his life, he was consistently described as one of the kindest people in the industry. He would regularly participate in charity events and even sat on the board of the FilmAid Global Artists Council.
Gao was part of a generation of aspiring bilingual stars who departed for the nascent Asian market to try their luck, but was one of very few who were able to nurture careers on both sides of the Pacific. As such, he served as a valuable point of connection, allowing Western fans to better appreciate the Asian entertainment industry and Asian fans to see themselves represented internationally.
The foundations for Asian representation that he helped lay are starting to bear weight, as the Crazy Rich Asians phenomenon attests to. It is safe to assume that Gao would have achieved even greater heights as the wave continues to gain ground.
While celebrating Gao’s life, it is also important to cast a critical eye on the circumstances of his passing. Many people have blasted Zhejiang Television and the Chinese reality show Chase Me (追我吧) for putting participants through inhumanely strenuous tasks and attempting to evade responsibility for the tragedy.
The show has since been pulled from the air, but it is certainly not alone in pushing its participants to the brink. And this is not just an issue for China or the entertainment industry — Taiwan’s culture of overwork also damages health and claims lives, from drivers to office workers.
Gao’s case is a clear example that could serve as impetus for real change if rallied behind: According to reports, Gao had the flu and still worked for 17 consecutive hours completing strenuous tasks. Research published last year shows that people are six times more likely to have a heart attack up to a week after contracting the flu, while stroke risk increases for up to a month. Clearly, rest is not a luxury or a privilege, but a human right.
As society continues to discuss this tragedy, people should not forget either Gao’s contributions or that countless people are facing the same fate every day. Let his loss become a rallying cry for change.
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