Yahoo Lifestyle Jessica Gomes Opens Up About Facing Her Fears and Starring Opposite Bruce Willis
Jessica Gomes on the runway at last night David Jones spring/summer 2015 fashion launch in Sydney. Photo: Getty Images
How have you prepped for this year’s show? Has it been any different to previous shows?
I'm usually a workout fiend before and so strict on myself, I’m not allowed to have sugar,not allowed bread etc but to be honest with you I’ve been so busy working and have been so much more relaxed about it this time and I feel great – I feel better. I’m just not stressing out too much, not trying to be so perfect, and I just feel good. Obviously You know that you’re up for criticism when you’re out there, but you know I’m just like yeah, cool.
Do you think you'll now go into future shows with that same mentality?
I’ve just come out of filming a new movie in LA and I was so busy doing that and I had hurt my knee actually so I was doing a lot of hot yoga leading up to this and I couldn’t do anything throughout the movie. So I got on a plane and came straight here so I’m just rolling with it, and you only do what you can. You just have to do the best that you can. I make sure that I am eating healthy and all that stuff, I mean that’s my lifestyle anyway, I love eating healthy food. But that said, obviously you know we're all eating lollies and on the champagnes because it’s a celebration, we've all worked so hard to get here so now were just wanting to enjoy it.
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The movie you mentioned, that’s with Bruce Willis, and you play his love interest, is that right?
Yeah I just shot my first big movie! It’s a comedy with Bruce Willis – yes I play his love interest and it was so amazing, such a great experience and I cant wait to see it. I just had the best time working with Bruce, he was so incredible. I mean he’s one of the biggest movie stars of all time and I was such a fan of his - he’s a legend. He really took me under his wing and made me feel comfortable.
Is acting something you want to pursue further?
Definitely. I really enjoy doing films. I really enjoy being an actress and it really made me want to pursue it. I have some other projects coming up when I go back to LA and there's very exciting things to come!
We applauded you for speaking out in support of Adam Goodes last week.
Growing up I know what it feels like to be racially discriminated against and I just felt like supporting him, I'm just over it. I can only imagine how tough it is for him and I just feel like we're all the same and I'm just over people judging people for the colour of their skin. We really need to think about our actions and really think about things that we're saying, because you never know what someones going through and how hard it is for them. You never know what struggles they’ve come from and it just comes to a point where it's not a joke - it’s very serious. I just felt like I wanted to support him and stand with him because I know how it feels.
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Jess opening last night's show in a design by KITX. Photo: Getty Images
In your comment on Instagram you wrote ‘especially in Australia? Your modelling takes you all over the world and you're based in LA, how do you find we compare with the rest of the world?
Yes, especially in Australia. I find that people just say things and don’t think before they speak and it’s often a case of the tall poppy syndrome in Australia. We really need to move on.
What do you think needs to be done?
We really need to educate not only the younger generation but everyone, and have people speaking out and coming together, and just have compassion and love for people and not a separation of hate. People that have a presence in the media need to stand up, we’re all one and we’ve got to step up and realise that. I do think that it’s happening - the world is becoming a smaller place. Australia is a very multicultural country, I'm half Chinese, half Portugese, and in the DJs show we’ve got a lot of ethnicities in the show, which is amazing - we all just need to come together.
You recently had a prank played on you on the Sports Illustrated set with a fake snake.
Yes OMG! I’m so petrified of snakes and Sports Illustrated knew that so the camera guy decided to put a fake snake by his foot and is was petrified!
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Jess on the David Jones red carpet. Photo: Getty Images
Are you usually the pranker or the prankee?
I’m usually getting pranked by somebody else because I wish that I could be the pranker but I normally don’t have the courage to follow through, I feel too bad! If a prank went wrong that would be terrible like the Paris Hilton one recently, that was really bad...
So you faced a snake, sort of, you're forging an acting career and you're about to step on to the catwalk in a bikini - what advice do you have for people facing their fears?
You’re always going to be ok. Before I went on set with Bruce Willis I was like ‘this is it, you’re fine’. Acting was a big thing, for me to take that next step, I was scared. I’m a model, it’s what I've been doing for 10 years and you think ‘I want to be really good’. Working with someone like Bruce Willis – it’s big. But then I realised it was fine. And after you do it [face your fears] you release you can do anything, and you grow. From every fearful experience you just grow and it’s an amazing rush, it makes you feel alive.
Do you still get nervous walking the runway?
Of course! It’s scary up there! I get little butterflies before it’s starting and I have to breathe a lot because you just want it to be amazing, and there’s so much going on, people are shouting and you're running around getting dressed and you're thinking 'omg does my butt look ok, how's my makeup, is the zipper going up', it’s full on! But its all worth it, it's such a rush and I love what I do.
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