Actress Mhia Firdaus considers her nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category at the 63rd Golden Horse Awards for her work in Sayang Sayang a huge responsibility.
Mhia – who turns 20 on Nov 29 – admitted that being the first Malay actress to receive a nomination at the prestigious awards has made her aware she has to be extra careful to uphold the country's reputation.
“Actually, it is not all sunshine and rainbows. When I was given the title of being the first Malay actress nominated at the 63rd Golden Horse Awards, it came with a huge responsibility in terms of how I would represent my country and also the Malay community.
“Because if I say something wrong, make the wrong facial expression or use the wrong body language, everything will reflect on me because I am representing the country.
“But I am very grateful that my efforts and what I have been trying to bring to the industry, as well as the way I have been trying to establish myself in the entertainment industry, are finally being recognised by the public,” she told mStar – The Star’s Malay-language portal – during a press conference for the film Sayang Sayang recently.
The daughter of actress Farah Ahmad and the granddaughter of acclaimed star Datuk Fauziah Nawi further stressed that she has never viewed acting as a platform to chase trophies or seek recognition.
“I am not the type of person who acts just to make sure everyone notices me. My intentions have always come from the heart because I love acting.
“Winning or losing does not determine everything. If I lose, it does not mean I have nothing else left in life.
“Even if I win, it does not mean I have reached the pinnacle of my career. That is why, from the very beginning, I have never used acting as a means to seek validation, popularity or awards alone,” she explained.
Furthermore, she credited her nomination to the production crew of Sayang Sayang, whom she described as the backbone of the film.
In her view, international recognition should serve as a catalyst for the local entertainment industry to show greater appreciation for the contributions of behind-the-scenes crew members.
“I hope our industry will continue to grow, not only in terms of success but also in the relationships between everyone involved, including the crew, actors and audiences.
“Sometimes, behind-the-scenes crew members do not receive as much recognition as actors, even though when you look at a film's credits it shows just how many people have put in their time and effort into it.
“The fact that I got this nomination, and whether I am fortunate enough to win, it’s been a team effort. It is about all the people connected to one another and the hard work contributed by the entire team,” she said.
The Malaysia-Taiwan co-production Sayang Sayang is directed and written by Taiwanese filmmaker Tang Hsiang-Chu, with Yeh Jufeng and Jin Ong serving as executive producers, while Nicole Teoh takes on the role of producer.
Sayang Sayang is showing at cinemas starting from Nov 5.
