LSA100: Rising Ace Sharifah Rose is on a mission to manifest her ‘higher’ self

Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. As the saying goes, budding young actor and entrepreneur Sharifah Rose has always been rooted in where she is, taking things as they are. But this year, she’s ready to take on bigger challenges — and she’s planning to start by looking within herself.

When Kekasih Hati Mr Bodyguard first aired back in 2021, there had been a lot of buzz about its lead actress — then unknown within the industry — and how, juxtaposed with many familiar faces on-screen, she was ‘too pretty’ to portray the archetypal TV heroine. I have heard of the myth, how beauty can often work against a woman. But sitting across from Sharifah Rose as she’s being prepped for our shoot, barefaced and smiling into the vanity mirror, I fully understand it. She is, undeniably, that pretty.

Sharifah Rose — who prefers to go by ‘Rose’ in her day-to-day — carries herself with as much grace as you might expect. She is the picture of elegance on the studio floor, fitted in a floral-print Superdry dress and evening gloves to match, her dark hijab trailing behind her like a cape. She’s twisting the cap of a YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick loose, in the exact shade of her lips. It’s all very old-Hollywood, right down to her bearing: she is reserved, almost taciturn. Her smiles are few and far between — though it is in no way due to shyness or haughtiness.

“I’m just really not an expressive kind of person,” she confesses. “Like, I rarely cry. It’s hard for me to cry — I keep a lot of it suppressed.”

I’m surprised to learn this, because Rose’s breakout role is anything but unexpressive. Slotted into the TV3 weekend roster, Kekasih Hati Mr Bodyguard was your typical popcorn flick — the undemanding, ‘turn off your brain’ urban drama that you would tune in to after an exhausting day — but in some ways, it also wasn’t. Perhaps it was the chemistry between her and Redza Rozli, who played the humble, brooding goat farmer opposite Rose’s upper-class, ‘aristocrat’s daughter’ role, which made for an unlikely yet intriguing pair. That made up for the sugary and, at times, cringeworthy lines. (I had just finished Sanditon on Netflix when I picked up the show, so I completely understand the appeal. Online, there have also been comparisons made to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Kissing Booth films.) It could have been the show’s execution of the ‘Grump and Sunshine’ rom-com trope. Rose’s character — loud, quirky and ‘adorkable’ — is also a refreshing contrast to the ‘tortured heroine’ role that we see far too often.

Kekasih Hati Mr Bodyguard was initially met with negative reviews — Rose took the criticism with her head held high. As quickly as she had risen, she withdrew too, with grace. She focused on improving her craft, she chose her acting projects sparsely; and, in between everything, she embarked on a brand-new venture: Harīrose, her own hijab brand as well as her pride and joy.

I catch up with the 25-year-old actor and entrepreneur as she brings me up to speed with her year thus far, which looks closely at Rose reclaiming her self-confidence; taking control of her life; and connecting with her true, ‘higher’ self.

I know you first made your acting breakthrough in 2021, but it honestly feels like you’ve been around for much longer! Tell us how you first got into the entertainment scene.

I started off with modelling, and then I joined the ‘influencer’ industry. I did YouTube for a while, but I didn’t continue ‘cause I was still studying. And then, I got an offer to do acting two years ago. And I thought, ‘Why not give it a try?’ Because I became an influencer while I was still studying, I felt like my career was stagnant. It wasn’t growing. So, the reason I joined the acting industry was because I wanted to ‘level up’ in my career. And when I started acting, I was still studying. But then, I got barred. I stopped my studies and decided to just fully focus on acting. And because I stopped studying, I thought I should also have a backup plan, so I started my own business, Harirose.

Since taking up acting fully, how would you describe your journey in the industry so far? Any moments in your career that you feel meant a lot to you personally?

I guess I would say the ‘moment’ that stood out to me the most was the first drama that I shot, Kekasih Hati Mr Bodyguard. I got so much backlash — it was my first time acting. A lot of the backlash was that I was stiff. I didn’t have experience, and yet I got the heroine role. But then the drama actually went viral. And because of that backlash, people actually started watching the drama. The show was being aired while I was shooting at the same time. So, that was a benefit for me, because I got to improve during the shooting. And — you know, this show that people were criticising even ended up winning a few awards. We won the Anugerah Telenovela Popular, and I won Pelakon Wanita Popular. It’s crazy, because from getting backlash, people ended up loving you, and the show. Sekejap je they can switch like that. I think it was the first drama that really changed my whole perspective [about the industry]. You cannot live your life only based on what people tell you. You should just focus on what you do — and improve, improve, improve. And then you’re gonna make it.

Mm-hmm, definitely words to live by. So, what was the backlash actually about? Was it just the ‘stiff’ acting, or…?

The stiff acting, yes, and — actually, the first one was the whole, “influencer becoming an actor”. It was a lot of, “Influencers don’t deserve to become actors. Because ramai orang with theatre backgrounds are more deserving of the heroine role.” And then suddenly now, there are so many influencers who have become actors anyway, you know? So, I guess it’s nice that the industry now welcomes more of the influencers, more talents who are new and fresh. Because we’re the pelapis-pelapis who are new, right? And I think we should always be welcoming that.

No, yeah, I think it’s good to make it ‘diverse’ in that sense, too. Like, it doesn’t have to be so linear all the time. Otherwise, how is the industry going to grow and have more talents who were unheard of before?

Kan? I agree. I agree, and I do think we have ‘enough’ characters for everyone in this industry. Banyak je. I feel like in this industry, a lot of people always ask, “You tak risau ke that you have to compete with other artists and actors, newcomers?” But I don’t see it like that. I think that we should let everyone shine in their own way. Because when it’s your time, it’s your time to shine. When it’s their time to shine, then it’s their time to shine. So, you know, it’s okay.

Yeah. It’s a big world, and it’s a big stage. So as an actor, being in this business, how would you say you’ve grown since you first started?

I think I’ve changed a lot compared to the first time I joined the acting industry. I was super naïve, ‘cause I was still new, right? So, I ikut je what people say. Because I thought that was the only way to fit in with other people, especially in the industry. Tak nak lah you just join the industry and people are like, “Oh, dia ni diva.” So, my first experience was that I just followed through with everything. Even if I got bullied or something, I just took it all. But now, I think I’ve changed in that sense where I always, always put myself first. If I don’t feel comfortable in certain situations, or if I really don’t want to do something that makes me feel uncomfortable, I would just say it. Right now, I would say I’m more ‘blunt’. Straightforward. I think if I don’t protect myself, no one will.

Exactly! And I feel, especially with this generation — and not just here — a lot of people are being more outspoken about what they’re okay with and what they’re not.

I think it’s a good thing. ‘Cause the culture in the industry is always about how the young must dengar cakap the seniors. But I really think if you’re not comfortable, you should speak up for yourself! You have to be firm lah in this industry. You have to be firm about what you want, and you have to keep your focus.

In these few short years, you’ve acted in a few notable TV dramas. What do you make of your roles so far?

Out of all the roles that I’ve gotten, my favourite one would be the first drama, [Kekasih Hati Mr Bodyguard]. ‘Cause she’s cheeky, she’s young, and — I feel like myself. And honestly, acting really taught me a lot about emotions. Because in real life, I don’t really express myself. So, with acting, I learned how to channel my emotions better. The first drama was my favourite because it taught me so much.

And what kind of role would you like to take on in the future?

A character that I want to try, mmm, maybe an antagonist role. Because I’ve always gotten roles of women who are very ‘nice’, kind, and well-behaved. So, I’ve always wanted to try something that’s completely opposite. But horror, I would never do it. Because I’m such a penakut, so horror movies — not my thing. (laughs)

I feel like it could also be because your general demeanour is just very sweet. You have a sweet face.

Maybe. (laughs) But I feel I can make it work if my character is sweet but also a little bit psycho ke, you know? Maybe it’s something that I can explore more of. But what I really want to try is to get into theatre. ‘Cause I have stage fright. I’ve tried it once, during the Sepahtu reunion. That was my first time acting in front of a crowd on stage, nervous gila. I was like, “Oh my god, I can’t.” I’m just someone who can’t perform live in front of people. I had to sing with a live band. And I could barely hear my voice, I could barely hear the band. But it was the kind of thing where, after that, I thought, ‘Okay, I can actually do this.’I was just a bit nervous then, I didn’t know what to expect. And after I’ve tried that, I want to really try going into theatre.

It is quite scary, yeah! And plus, with theatre, you can’t mess up. Like, at least with TV, you can do multiple takes.

Kan? You have to be perfect, basically. You just have to do everything on point, and you have to ‘play’ really big, too. Yeah, theatre is something that I really want to try next year, hopefully.

So, have you ever encountered difficulties playing certain characters? Or when you’re channelling certain emotions, seeing as you have to be a lot more ‘vulnerable’ than you might let yourself be when you’re acting?

I think the challenge for me, especially in the beginning, was that it was really difficult for me to cry. ‘Cause it’s hard for me to really feel that sadness, to the point of keluar air mata (tearing up). So, it took me a while to learn how to cry. But then I realised that you have to really be in the situation and channel it as the character, and then just let it out. It took me a while, but now I dah okay. Dah boleh nangis. (I can cry now)

Do you have a specific technique that works for you when it comes to that?

Not really. I just rasa sedih tu, and I think what triggers me would be touch. So I would rasa, and then hold myself, and it just comes — like, ‘Okay, I can feel it. Now I can let it out.’

That’s so interesting! And when you’re acting, do you have any inspirations that you draw from? Who or what inspires you in your craft?

I really, really love Rachel McAdams. My favourite movie is The Notebook. And then in the same year, she was also shooting for Mean Girls. And I love how she can pull off both characters so flawlessly. She’s one of my icons. She can pull off any character. And she looks so different every time! I love her.

What are your thoughts on creative expression in Malaysia, especially within the last couple of years of being in this industry? What have you observed so far?

It’s always changing. You can never find your authentic self if you always try to fit in. So, I guess you just have to experiment with a lot of things. But through all that, never try to be something that you’re not. And I think I express a lot more in the ‘creative sense’ through my business, Harirose. I love working on my business because I like to experiment with a lot of designs. And it’s fun when you get into the design process and then watch it come to life.

Following that, tell us a bit more about Harirose. How did it come about, and what inspired you to start it in the first place? I know you studied business previously, so, was the idea always on the back burner?

Mmm, yes, I studied business at UOW Malaysia KDU University College. It was always a dream of mine to have a business of my own, but I knew I couldn’t pull it off by myself. I also knew that if I just stayed as an influencer and I started my own business then, I would just end up being another local ‘influencer-turned-business-owner’. So, I joined the acting industry also because I wanted to widen my opportunities and grow my network. That’s how I met my partner, Veen Dee — she’s from Hanya. I did some content for Hanya, and she came up to me and said, “Don’t you want to start your own business? Because I’ve seen you hijab-modelling for so many years.” And I was like, “Yeah, I do!” I just didn’t know where to start. I gave her my ideas, and she was the one who helped me start it up, and she taught me a lot about the business industry. Because when you study [about business] versus when you actually are in the industry, it’s totally different. And I’ve always wanted to do a hijab brand that’s not ‘just another hijab’. And I realised that Gen Zers are more experimental in terms of style, not the typical ‘classic’ type of tudung. So, I really wanted to do an ‘urban’ hijab brand, with a ‘Gen Z’ kind of vibe.

Talk me through the whole design process of Harirose. How do you plan and think up the design, and how does that get translated onto the hijab?

Normally, my designer and I would sit and really focus on what we want to do for our next launch. What the inspo is, it can be monograms, it can be flowers — or maybe a mixture of both. And then my designer would sketch it out, and I would choose what I feel would be the best pick for the hijab. I’ll choose the colours, and we would just experiment with combinations of colours and patterns. We would proceed to sampling, I would even try them on myself. I’d pick the best materials for them. Best lah! (Laughs) It’s like a game, you know? Choosing the fabric, and the colours. It’s like you’re playing a kind of dress-up game, but you’re actually selling it. And when I see a lot of people wearing it, it’s just the best thing ever.

I can imagine! It’s always so fulfilling to see your ideas come to life. And to wrap it up, what’s next for you? Do you have any expectations for the upcoming year?

I think next year, I want Harirose to have a physical store. ‘Cause right now, it’s all fully online. And I’ve realised that people like to go out and shop. I personally love to go out and shop rather than shop online. So, next year we’re actually working towards that. It’s coming, somewhere in the Bangsar area — it’s still in the designing process. And hopefully, we can have one in Singapore as well. ‘Cause we have so many Harirose girls in Singapore. We joined Celebfest and there were so many people who suka Harirose. So, there’s a market in Singapore. And also, maybe have a place of my own kot. I really want to try to live on my own. (chuckles) Currently, I’m living with my parents. I’m the first child and the only daughter, so my parents susah sikit want to let me go. But I really want to try to learn to take care of myself — maybe next year.

Just before we end, you mentioned earlier, before we spoke, that you were looking to find your ‘higher’ self this year — what did you mean by that?

I seorang yang introvert. I find it really hard to get comfortable with people. Especially when I go to places that have people who are higher in the ‘hierarchy’, like at events or other places. So, I feel more insecure when I’m surrounded by that. I mean, I do go to events, but I always just feel so small! And then when certain people know me, I’m like, “Oh! You know me?” So, that’s something I want to get comfortable with this year. I really want to learn how to be successfully confident. And… I’m getting there! (Laughs) But sometimes when I go on set, I get too focused to the point where I forget how to be myself. It’s like I have to start from zero again. ‘Cause when you’re on set, you have to ‘switch on’ the character. You have to leave everything else in your life behind. So, when we’re shooting every single day for, like, two months, you kind of forget how to be yourself. And that’s one thing that I want to learn this year: how to be confident, as myself.

LSA100: 100 Malaysians, 100 Milestones

Lifestyle Asia KL presents LSA100, an annual list that recognises Malaysia’s most influential names and celebrates their talents, contributions, successes and milestones. As the bellwethers of style, travel, design, entertainment, business, sports, and more, these 100 Malaysians represent the next generation of go-getters who are paving the way for sharing their know-hows with the world through the power of digital media. LSA100 comprises five categories namely The Rising Aces, The Trailblazers, The Disruptors, The Navigators and The Tastemakers. Find out more about LSA100 Class of 2023 HERE.

editor-in-chief & creative direction MARTIN TEO | interview PUTERI YASMIN SURAYA | assisted by RONN TAN & MALLIE MARAN | photography ERIC CHOW (BLINK STUDIO) | videography POR JIA JUN | makeup SHIYO JOO using YSL BEAUTY | hair CODY CHUA | stylist AZZA ARIF | wardrobe SUPERDRY