Model Jessica Gomes reflects on the ‘uncertainty and fear’ she experienced while living in Los Angeles in 2020 as she shares her relief at being back home in Australia
Australian model Jessica Gomes was able to return home to Australia back in November from Los Angeles.
And on Saturday, the 35-year-old reflected on the ‘uncertainty and fear’ she experienced while living in her adopted home in California.
‘It was a heavy year. Having that fear lingering over you for so long, it’s quite heavy. You don’t realise what you’ve been through and then you kind of come out of it and go “Oh wow”,’ she told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday.
‘It was a heavy year’: Model Jessica Gomes reflected on the ‘uncertainty and fear’ she experienced while living in Los Angeles in 2020
‘In LA everyone was really worried and not working, scraping kind of the barrels, and going “Oh god, what’s happening?” There was a lot of uncertainty and fear,’ she added.
While she was still in the US, the Portuguese-Chinese beauty – who hails from Perth – shared photos of herself wearing a facemask and encouraged her followers to do the same.
Despite calling LA home for a decade, she told the publication that she decided to leave at the end of the second lockdown because she no longer felt safe.
Safety first: While she was still in the US, the Portuguese-Chinese beauty shared photos of herself wearing a facemask and encouraged her followers to do the same
Luckily for her, she was able to get on a flight back home to Australia where there are barely any cases Covid and productions for film, TV and fashion have thrived.
‘Obviously it’s a very different situation here in Australia, and different environment, and I’m really happy that I’m back and it’s great that things are open and people are working and being productive,’ she said.
Jessica has recently been spending time in Byron Bay, where she has been pictured out and about with her model pal Gemma Ward.
‘It’s so Aussie and salt of the earth’: In an interview with Vogue Australia in October, Jessica revealed she had discovered a newfound appreciation for her home city of Perth
She spent her quarantine period at the Meriton Suites hotel on Sussex Street, in Sydney’s Central Business District.
In an interview with Vogue Australia in October, Jessica revealed she had discovered a newfound appreciation for her home city of Perth.
‘Now, at this time of my life, I have to say I really love Los Angeles and I really love Perth,’ she said.
Home sweet home: She told the magazine, ‘I realised how much I loved Perth over this past summer holiday’
‘I would never have thought that’s what I would say about Perth, but it really is so special – it’s so Aussie and salt of the earth.
‘I realised how much I loved Perth over this past summer holiday.’
Jessica is one of dozens of Australian models and actors who have left America and returned to their home country during the Covid pandemic.
She’s back: Jessica is one of dozens of Australian models and actors who have left America and returned to their home country during the Covid pandemic