Qasrina Karim hopes to be recognised as a versatile actress. — SHAARI CHEMAT/THESTAR
Actress Qasrina Karim is always up for a good challenge.
Since making her breakthrough in director Teddy Chin’s 2022 comedy film Kongsi Raya, Qasrina has constantly been on the lookout for fresh roles.
“When you get too comfortable, it can become boring. It’s always nice to push yourself out of your comfort zone, try new things and grow.
“At the end of the day, I want to be known as a versatile actress,” the 27-year-old said.
Qasrina’s most recent drama, My Famous Ex-Boyfriend, which aired from Oct 23 to Nov 30 last year, presented just the type of challenge she was looking for.
She’s set to star in an upcoming special of the 24-episode series, which will air on Astro Ria (Ch 104) on the first day of Hari Raya.
Qasrina stars opposite Hael Husaini in 'My Famous Ex-Boyfriend'. Photo: Qasrina Karim/InstagramMy Famous Ex-Boyfriend tells the story of Sameera (Qasrina), who goes viral on social media after getting dumped by her celebrity boyfriend Haque Zuhal (Hael Husaini). As Sameera struggles to move on amid scrutiny from Haque’s devoted fanbase, she gets acquainted with a mysterious man named Jamie (Nadhir Nasar).
Despite sharing some similarities with Sameera, Qasrina still found it a bit difficult to step into the shoes of a character who faces intense emotional turmoil.
“Sameera and I are both similar in a sense that we’re both quirky with a girl-next-door kind of vibe.
“But since it was my first time leading what I consider to be a more ‘mature’ drama, there was pressure to effectively convey my emotions to the audience,” said the Selangor-born star.
One of the most challenging scenes Qasrina had to tackle was filming in the “rain”.
“We called a fire truck over to create artificial rain in the middle of Kuala Lumpur for both the series and the telemovie.
“I was drenched and cold because both scenes took place at night. Thankfully, everything went smoothly with the help of my co-stars and crew members,” she recounted.
Despite the challenges, Qasrina – who made her acting debut in the 2021 comedy series Salam Squad 3.0 – is grateful for the positive experiences she gained while filming My Famous Ex-Boyfriend.
“I was given the opportunity to improvise with my character. In a way, it allowed me to grow as an actress and I’m thankful for that,” she said.
When asked what role she wants to try next, Qasrina said she wants to be in a horror film.
Although the actress has dabbled in the genre when she starred in the 2021 horror movie Siapa Tutup Lampu?, it was a very small role.
“I haven’t had the chance to do proper horror yet, so I’d like to try that out someday. Most of my roles are cutesy and lighthearted, so this will definitely be a good challenge for me,” she said.
Presently, Qasrina is gearing up to reprise her role as Puteri Qaseh in the second season of Legenda Puteri Qaseh.
The first season, containing nine episodes, ran from Jan 9 until March 6 last year on Astro Ceria (Ch 611). It won a bronze medal for Best Kids TV Programme Made in Asia at the 2023 Content Asia Awards last August.
“Filming is still ongoing and there are lots of preparations.
“In this show, I play a princess so I have to take lessons on the way I carry myself, as well as the way I walk and talk.
“I had to go for lots of costume fittings, too, which was tiring but also fun.
“The drama will be aired some time in June or July, so I hope to show audiences some new sides of me then,” she said.
