Archived from March 6-12, 2008 MALAYSIAN TODAY

Unleash Your Confidence!

What does it take to make it in showbiz? Confidence. That's the first thing you need. Passion will follow and then you're on your way. So say three talented young women who share with us their experiences and their ride to stardom.
Sharifah Aleya Syed Zainal Rashid
Actress, radio DJ, presenter Sharifah Aleya breezes into the Banquet restaurant , Kuala Lumpur looking bright and cheerful; not bad for a person who had to stay up late the night before working on a late recording for Hot fm. Even dressed in a t-shirt, casual pants and Crocs, she has got a presence that makes people sit up and take notice. It could be due to the X-factor that many stars have about them, or simply because she's a regular face on TV. Aleya first got a taste of stardom at the young age of 18 months when she appeared in a commercial for baby food. Then in her teens she hosted several children's programmes. She soon graduated to writing scripts for the shows. Now at the age of 25 with over 11 years of experience in the industry, Aleya can be considered a veteran who has grown from a child star into a charismatic and confident young woman. The self-professed workaholic is a radio announcer on Hot.fm and also one of the hosts on ntv7's Breakfast Show. "I wake up at 5.30 am on days when I have to do The Breakfast Show. And then I get ready for my radio show," says Aleya. Both these shows go out ‘live' and would be nerve-wracking for a lot of people... but not for this young lady. "Malaysian Idol was my first ‘live' show and it was scary but I don't really get nervous anymore as I'm used to it. I do occasionally still get a bit star-struck though. I once hosted Anugerah Industri Muzik's Red Carpet session and I was doing fine until I had to interview Siti Nurhaliza. I love her and I felt like such a groupie, stuttering and stammering!" she laughs. Apart from hosting, this energetic young lady also acts and has won awards for her work; namely ‘Best Newcomer for TV3's Anugerah Skrin 2003' and also ‘Best Supporting Actress for the Malaysian Film Festival 2004'. One would think that she'd be cool about being in front of the camera but apparently even seasoned actors still get the attack of the nerves. "I don't get nervous doing my ‘live' shows anymore but acting still makes me nervous. My nerves keep me on my toes so I just focus and make it work for me," she reveals. "You can't let it get to you. You just need to be confident." "Being ‘live' on radio is something that I've gotten
used to but there are still times when I'm completely blank! I'm lucky that my co-host is there to fill in the silence," she grins. "I make my living talking and as such, I tend to be a little quieter outside of working hours. In fact, I think my PR skills are quite bad," she confides quite inaccurately. "I am a straightforward kind of person although I have learned to think before I say something. My sister,
Amani, is actually the more outspoken and controversial one!' "I am the eldest of four girls and all my siblings are involved in the industry," she says of her family. Her mother is also an actress and a known acting coach; talent definitely runs in this family. Performers have been known to be temperamental so a whole household of actresses sounds like it could be mayhem at the dinner table every night. "Oh yes, we do have fights and they can be massive ones too. But at the end of the day, we're a really close-knit family and we're there for each other," she says with affection. "If we were to work on a project together, I see us having a lot of fun... with screaming matches thrown in!" she laughs. She no longer stays with her parents though as this newlywed, who tied the knot end of last
year, has set up house with her hubby. Aleya and her husband make for a classic case of opposites attract; she is like a ball of energy who can't sit still while he seems a calmer personality. "My boss
always says that she can't see it, constantly asking me how is it the two of us are married," she laughs. You can see the chemistry between them though as they tease each other and she steals his food (pasta wasn't enough!). Watching her eat, you can tell that she's not one of those girls who suffer from an eating disorder. It does make one wonder though how she maintains her slim figure. As she attacks her pasta with gusto (no dainty bites for this girl; she really enjoys her food!), she reveals that she doesn't really have an exercise regime. "My husband goes to the gym quite often but I rarely do, although I really should. I am quite lucky though as I tend to lose weight quite easily," she says sheepishly, much to my disgust. Being in show business means being in the limelight and Aleya is surely one of the more recognizable young talents in the industry. Does this amount to pressure to look good all the time? "People don't realize that the industry puts a lot of emphasis on looking good. You just have to not take it all so seriously. I know that a lot of people feel the pressure to be thin and fit
the mould but I haven't bowed to the pressure," she reveals. "I think looking good is subjective lah. My idea of looking good is looking clean, energised, confident and smelling good. What you wear on your face or body just serves to enhance all the other things," she adds. Does being a celebrity make her more conscious of the way she looks? "My personal style revolves around comfort so I stick to that. I'm a pants and trousers kind of girl but of course I like to occasionally dress up," says Aleya. "Every now and then, I'll put in more effort with makeup and clothes just so that I'd feel more feminine. Now that I'm married, it's fun to play dress-up for my husband. It sounds clichéd but I feel proud when my husband is proud," she says smiling. "I tend to not pile on the makeup too. I believe that makeup enhances the way you feel; a little makeup can make you feel sexier, prettier, thinner and so on. Although I don't wear heavy makeup, for an event I would put on a little foundation, powder, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, blusher and lipstick," says this SILKYGIRL spokesperson. "I love SILKYGIRL products because they're light. Whenever I have my makeup done professionally,
I always bring my own stuff. " With two jobs, this popular host rarely has any free time so what does she do when she has a moment to breathe? "I love staying home or going out to eat. I am
a food-lover and I eat a lot!" she admits ruefully. What is her secret to having healthy and clear skin?
"I am anal about cleansing my face! I have my cleanser at both my workplaces so that I can wash my face whenever I feel like I need it. My advice to anyone would be to always wash your face before you go to sleep. Wear as much makeup as you want but please wash it off. After all, you wouldn't attempt to paint a masterpiece over another painting, right? You should always start with a fresh canvas," she advises. So what words of advice does she have for the aspiring performer? "Always surround yourself with family and friends so that you remain grounded. Take criticism as part and parcel of the job scope. Take a week off to rejuvenate every now and then, stay positive and don't get involved in petty gossip or fights. And always thank God for everything He's given you. Make sure you love what you do; the moment you start doing it only for money, you may want to consider another job!" Sharifah Aleya seems to have her head screwed on right and seems destined for greater things. Watch out for this one, she isn't even close to reaching her potential yet.
Melissa Campbell
Model, actress
This 17-year-old already has a list of impressive credentials to her name. Born of Scottish-Chinese parentage, Melissa got her first taste of showbiz at the age of six, starring in TV commercials and print ads. Her ‘big' break came though when she was eight and won the role of ‘Princess Fa-Ying' in Anna and the King alongside stars such as Jodie Foster and Chow Yun Fat. "They had many girls audition for the part and narrowed the field little by little until it was just the two of us left. I think what secured me the role was the fact that I was willing to cut my hair!" says the modest teen. This talented teenager is an example of beauty with brains. Not only is she blessed with good looks, she also happens to be a very good student. Melissa confides, "I'm not one of those people who gets As without having to try though, I work hard at it. I set my priorities straight and set high standards for myself. I do it not to please other people but rather for self-satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment." Being the captain of the cheerleading team at her school, competing and winning the district netball championship with her school team, being passionately involved with ballet all sound rather hectic for a 17 yearold.
How does she do it? "It hasn't been that difficult really. Like I said, you just have to know what is important. My dad is also very supportive and understanding. As long as my studies don't suffer, he is all for it," she says. Melissa's father runs his own production house and her younger brother is also a talent. "My brother has yet to develop a passion for it though although he can act pretty well," she says. The pretty teen reveals that she has something on practically everyday and it certainly sounds like she's busier than most people her age. "I love it though and I'm trying to make the most of my school days. Although it is a SPM year, I know that if I juggle things right, my studies won't have to suffer," she says rather wisely. Although she started out with modelling, Melissa's main interest is in performing. "I love how diverse acting can be," she says. Melissa's most recent acting stint was a TV Malay drama ‘Kasih dari Syurga' where she played a spoilt, stuck-up girl. "It was a bit difficult as
I had to master delivering my lines in Malay. I was so nervous the first day but I eventually got the hang of it and it was so much fun!" she reminisces. What did she do to prepare for the role? "I had to
really study the lines and the intonation and delivery to make is sound as natural as possible. Speaking in Malay in a drama and the Malay I learn in school are two completely different things! As it isn't my first language, adlibbing was out of the question as I would have sounded so awkward. It required quite a bit of study and practice, but it turned out fine," she says gleefully. This self-proclaimed ‘girly-girl' has a style that suits her age. Clad in a denim mini skirt and Converse shoes (her wardrobe staples), her slim figure is certainly enviable. How does she maintain it? "I don't work out much but I get enough exercise from my other activities. It's a good thing too as I love to eat, especially Japanese food! When I do get some free time, I tend to just vegetate at home in front of the TV and watch DVDs, maybe go to a movie with friends," she reveals. "I also keep active with my other interests like paintballing. Most people look at me and think that I'm one of those delicate girls who never do anything active but my interests are quite varied; I love ballet but I also love paintballing, I love cheerleading but I also love cars! I don't think one should be stereotyped but that's how it works."
Being very active, Melissa needs to take care of her skin, "I am in the sun a lot so I put on sunblock and drink lots of water. I also make sure that I moisturize my skin. I make sure I cleanse my face after my sporting activities and of course, after my photo-shoots. I scrub all the makeup off." "My usual makeup would be concealer for areas that need it, powder, eyeliner and lipbalm. You will find these in my handbag! My advice for girls my age would be to not pile it on, and make sure you take all of it off
before you go to sleep. Whatever you do, don't sleep with your makeup on; that's a big no-no!" she stresses. And what does this young star have planned for her future? "I hope to be more involved in the performing arts. I love being onstage and performing. With an audience, you get an immediate reaction and that's very gratifying. The adrenaline rush is amazing!" she enthuses. "I might also want to get into advertising as I think that it's an interesting field and you get to work with lots of people."
If Melissa carries on with the same determination, passion and level-headedness that she has so far, she will have no problems achieving her goals. She has only just begun... \

Puteri Sarah Liyana Megat Kamaruddin
Actress, model
It was the year 2005 when Sarah made her entrance into the entertainment industry by participating in a model-search reality television show, "I was so freaking nervous!" She caught the eye of an editor and was instantly featured in a sports magazine. The same editor introduced her to film director, Ahmad Idham, who immediately cast her in ‘Tipah Tertipu - The Movie'. Since then, Sarah has been a regular in print and electronic media, one of which is SILKYGIRL's television commercial. "My first acting experience required me to act and sing as it was kind of a musical film. It was okay though and I asn't too pressured as I wasn't the main character," she recalls. "For my big upcoming film, ‘Aduh Saliha', I have been working with an acting coach." Having been thrust into the limelight practically overnight, how does this talented young woman find show business? "It's pretty tough and competitive but at the same time, it's fun. It's a new experience for me and I'm enjoying it," she says. "Both acting and modeling are fun but acting is a bit tougher; it requires expressing emotions and delivering dialogues whereas modelling is less taxing." This fun-loving girl reveals that although she has been having a ball with her stint in show business, it hasn't been without its embarrassing moment. "While filming ‘Tipah Tertipu - The Movie', I took a tumble getting out of a van and scrapped my knees pretty badly. It was so embarrassing!" she cringes. Being a rising star, Sarah has had to make minor adjustments. "Before I got involved in show business, I could go out in public without makeup and I didn't really have to worry about my appearance. Now though, I have to be prepared all the time as people may recognize me and expect to see someone who looks nice, not a slob!" she laughs. "Having said that, I believe that one should take pains with one's appearance as first impressions are important; you will be perceived as how you appear initially." So does she ever go out ultra-casual? "Of course! There are days when I just need to wind down and relax. On my lazy and chill-out days, I sometimes just want to wear jeans, baby tees and flip-flops; it's all about being comfortable." Her usual style though? "I would describe my style as lady-like, elegant and sexy. High heels or wedges are a must! And I always have my compact powder, lip gloss and mascara with me for touch-ups" says the student of Hotel Management. Being a model and actress means that Sarah must take pains to maintain her good looks and figure. Does she have any health and beauty secrets to share with
us mere mortals? "I exercise every morning and I eat healthily. I have to make sure that my complexion stays healthy too. To maintain a clear complexion, I make sure that I cleanse it regularly and also remove my makeup before I go to bed. I also put on sunblock whenever I go out," she shares.
How does she prepare herself before each job? "I pray to God, that's a definite. And hearing my mum's and my darling's (winks) voices before I start my job is good enough for me," she says cheekily. "I also make sure that my priorities are set straight; like completing my assignments and homework before I go to work," she adds. "My advice for anyone who wants to get into this business is to just be yourself and not copy others. Trying to be someone or something that you're not just won't work and you'd just end up being pretentious and ridiculous," says the rising star. Armed with such wisdom, Sarah seems set to be a regular in the entertainment industry. Watch out for more from this talented young woman; you definitely have not heard the last from her.