Jessica Gomes opens up about growing up Asian in Australia

Rebecca Shore | May 6, 2014

AS PART of the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment's #IAm campaign, Swimsuit seven-timer Jessica Gomes offered her story of growing up Asian (her mother is from Hong Kong, by way of Singapore and her father is from Portugal) in Perth, Australia, where Asians make up less than 3% of the population.

Jess says that the first celebrity she considered a role model was Lucy Liu after Charlie's Angels came out in 2000. Any other role models, Jess admitted, came in the form of Disney princesses.

"It was hard in Australia because I didn't really have any Asian role models," says the Swimsuit veteran. "Maybe Pocahontas because I felt like she looked like me."

The video is sweet and Jess looks gorgeous, per usual (also props to whoever did the lighting, and chose that lip gloss). It's just one more reason to love the girl.

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MORE JESS VIDEOS ON SWIMDAILY:

Jess and friends in Air New Zealand's inflight safety video

Jess and other friends on location in her part of the world for Swimsuit 2012

Up close on her 2013 shoot in Guilin, China

Part I

Part II