Cover Story: Daniel Fong, Hazeeq Dean & Mierul Aiman on traversing the road from model to actor

Our May digital cover spotlights three of the ‘hottest’ TV stars right now — Projek: High Council’s Mierul Aiman and Hazeeq Dean, and Bintang’s Daniel Fong — but before they began gracing our screens, they had their fair share of mugging for fashion ads and playing the photographer’s muse. We dive into their journey in making that natural step and being ‘next in line’ in the acting world.

If — as Shakespeare had once put it — all the world’s a stage and its men and women merely players, then Daniel Fong is your quintessential romantic hero. When he arrives at the doors of the studio ten minutes ahead of schedule, Daniel greets us with a warm handshake and a sunlit smile. He has the gawky charm of a classic love interest, vaguely reminiscent of his character Thirak in Bintang, his latest TV drama.

While Bintang is not Daniel’s first foray into the Malay acting scene, it is his first ever leading role — after portraying the dashing Laksamana Andika in Legenda Puteri Qaseh alongside Qasrina Kasim — and he’s already booked and busy for the rest of the year. With his good looks and sweet disposition, it is unsurprising that he often finds himself inclined to the ‘boyfriend’ role.

“I do consider myself a romantic person,” Daniel admits halfway through hair and makeup. He’s wearing a Tommy Hilfiger polo — a vibrant red take on its 1985 collection, a simple classic made timeless. The slicked-back hair accentuates his elfin face, making his features appear sharp and strong. “I really love doing romantic gestures. I still remember when I was in college, one of the reasons I started singing was because I was trying to serenade the person I liked. That’s how I started my singing journey.”

Just as I’m about to dive into Daniel’s musical career, our joint digital cover star Hazeeq Dean makes a boisterous entrance into the studio, joining us on the sofa. His presence — much like his on-screen roles in Do You Love Me Captain, Cinta Amnesia and most recently, the acclaimed Projek: High Council — is understated yet leaves a lasting impression. Tall, lean and clad in a black varsity jacket with ‘KUDRAT’ across its back (the fictional boarding school in Projek: High Council), Hazeeq looks the perfect antithesis to Daniel: the mischief-maker, your regular Danny Zuko.

“Most of the characters I’ve played are antagonists,” Hazeeq opens coyly. Understated as his on-screen presence may seem, the sapphire blue Tommy Hilfiger polo he changes into for the shoot offers him a vivid pop of colour, making him stand out in the studio. “I’ve just wrapped filming for two dramas — and I play the antagonist in both. I don’t know why, actually.” I ask him what the directors tell him about his performance. “They say, ‘It feels real’,” he laughs. “I guess I just pull off the role so well.”

The arrival of our third digital cover star, Mierul Aiman, finally gets things properly moving on set. As the youngest of the bunch, Mierul exudes the kind of energy you’d expect from a rising star: peppy, enthusiastic and happy to be here — but if you had, like me, just finished bingeing Projek: High Council, it comes as a surprise. Despite being new to acting, Mierul is a true thespian. His dedication to the craft is stunning to watch, something often only achievable after years within the industry. He regards his acting talent as ‘God-given’ — a duty he performs, in the same way that those with other professions carry out their work. There’s something noble about hearing it from such a young, up-and-coming actor.

Making the leap from still-life to drama

Decked out in various pieces by Tommy Hilfiger — including the latest polo shirts in vibrant colours and monogrammed denim jackets with a modern cut — it’s easy to see that the boys are very much at home posing in front of the camera. With minimal direction, they each fall into their own rhythm, making our cover shoot a breeze to get through. Combine Daniel’s history in commercials, as well as Mierul and Hazeeq’s modelling gigs prior to Hero Remaja — and you get to see the little nuances in their shots.

There’s a scene in the first episode of Projek: High Council where Mierul’s character, Fakhri, experiences a wild outburst of anger before he reins it in at the last minute — a feat that takes a lot of control, to school a bitter expression back to calmness — and he does it flawlessly and subtly.

Subtle is an appropriate word for Mierul, who absolutely nails the ‘show, don’t tell’ aspect of the art. Even during his stint as a model for Ridduan Ismail (more affectionately known as TTFGA), Mierul went beyond just posing for the camera — he learned how to play the muse. “When you’re modelling an outfit, it’s about how you carry it,” he expresses. “You become a character. There’s a reason why you were picked to model it. It could be because of your face, your walk, your personality. I learned that being in front of the camera means getting in touch with that character.”

It goes without saying that Mierul’s jump from model to actor is seamless. After he successfully booked himself a cover shoot with a local magazine, he felt ready to take it to the next step. “I felt that I needed to put emotion in front of the camera — with dialogue, body language, sparring partners,” he recounts. But instead of jumping straight into showbiz, Mierul decided to hone his skills and techniques in a theatre class for six months.

“I feel that when people act on the stage, they have the strength to perform with their whole soul, directly to the audience,” he enthuses, and I catch the awe in his eyes. “How the audience can cry there and then, watching the whole story happen on the stage — that’s a kind of magic for me. So, I joined the theatre to understand how acting works.” Acting, according to Mierul, is time-travelling: he ‘travels’ to different moments in his life and grasps the emotions he had, to capture exactly what his character is feeling. It’s a delicate process, and to hear it described by a budding actor like Mierul is refreshing.

Being aware of one’s own strengths in the art is something that Daniel understands very well. Now inching toward thirty, he’s become something of an all-rounder: filming commercials in China and Taiwan; joining a boy band competition; becoming a pro bodybuilder; and now, embarking on his first starring role on TV.

“I want people to perceive me as an actor first,” Daniel admits, after giving me a rundown of his colourful career. Singing is still a part of his life but for now, it’s taking a backseat. “I want to have my own identity first. I know where I stand with music. If I go to karaoke with my friends, I might be the best singer there. But on stage, I might not be the ‘best’ — and for me, it’s important to know where I stand.”

“What I’ve learned [in this industry] is that everybody has their own journey, and their own luck. It just depends on whether you want to grab on it or not.“

Daniel on making it in the entertainment world

(Daniel wears Tommy Hilfiger.)

Daniel’s model-to-actor journey is a non-linear narrative. He had started out with commercial modelling (“I did do runway once for a hair show, but at the time I was just being a nice friend”) while juggling his studies. He’d tried acting once when he was 19 — a local Chinese sitcom for TV2. Then, pressing pause on showbiz, he flew to Australia to complete his studies in economics, which took him home to Malaysia to pursue a corporate job. But for a high-flying dreamer like Daniel, an unfulfilling desk job isn’t enough to keep him sated.

“So, I started doing commercials again,” he says. “I went for castings, and throughout the first few castings I actually stumbled across people. I think I’ve been very lucky to always be able to stumble across people.” His luck brought him right to his first agent, who took him to China and essentially kick-started his entertainment career. After he’d gotten some good exposure in the Chinese market — his commercials spread across the Beijing railway station — he came home to appear in shows on Astro Shuang Xing, tried out singing, and built his body up enough to be placed in the local Men’s Physique Competition. “So, that’s when I decided to quit my day job,” Daniel jokes, alluding to his recent foray into the Malay acting scene, “and to really go all out in this industry.”

For Hazeeq, the transition from modelling to acting proved a bit of a challenge. While he learned to be comfortable in front of the camera, the technicalities that come with acting took him some getting used to. “In modelling, you don’t have to talk,” Hazeeq says with a laugh. “There’s no script or anything like that. And the acting industry is challenging because you not only need to learn body language—you need to master expression, intonation and so on. Everything is taken into account in the world of acting.”

For all the cool suaveness that Hazeeq radiates on set, he is quite courteous and soft-spoken off camera. It’s hard to believe that this is the same face I only just watched on Projek: High Council with the boyish, defiant smirk before a brutal fight. “The ‘me’ in real life and the character I bring on-screen are total opposites, by the way,” he reassures me, after we talk about his role on the show.

“Getting to be the antagonist, embodying someone bad — that was tough because honestly, I’d say that I’ve never done anything as bad as my character has done. I’ve never stepped on someone or beat someone up. And even the language that these villains use, I’ve never used it in real life. Like calling someone a pelacur (whore). I’ve never called someone that in my life! But in acting, when you say it, it has to come from the heart. So, I would say that training myself to say and do those things was the biggest challenge for me.”

The highs and the lows of showbiz

Mastering the art is one thing; learning the ways of the world is another. Daniel, who’d already had a good grounding in China and flirted briefly with fame, already learned the inner workings of showbiz. But entering the Malay acting scene was a brand new thing altogether.

“I’ve been polishing up my Malay language a lot,” Daniel says. “I mean, of course we all learned Malay in school, but conversational Malay is very different. It’s not something you can really learn. And I went to an international school, so I didn’t get to really speak the language. I think I stopped speaking it when I was like, 13. I thought I would be able to pick it up just like that, but it’s a lot tougher than it seems.”

The feedback he’d gotten from his recent dramas have been really good — a testament to his triumph. His gradual improvement means more to him than anything else, and something even as small as intonation or proper pronunciation is a marker of success for Daniel. “In this field, I always compete with myself,” he confides. “I don’t compete with other people. That‘s why I love reading the manuscripts when I get them, ‘cause for me, it’s like, how can I make it better? If I couldn’t say a particular Malay word in the last show I did, then I’ll learn to improve for this one. Which I did! So, that’s an accomplishment. When I first started acting two years ago, I was stressed at every scene — and now I can just wing it and improvise with the language.”

In the public eye, Daniel has been compared to the likes of fellow actors Alvin Chong, Sean Lee and Keith Foo (who happens to be his co-star in Bintang) and he is simply mollified by the flattery. “It means that they have accepted me,” he chuckles. “People would tell me, ‘You’re the next one [in the group]’. I know those three personally, so I’m okay with it. And based on the comments I’ve gotten on Bintang and Legenda Puteri Qaseh, it’s more than just, ‘Oh, this guy looks good.’ They comment about my acting as well, which I’m really grateful for.”

“Every script is a story of the world and its systems that have long existed. And as an actor, it’s my responsibility to tell that story—and to tell it right.”

Mierul on the importance of telling ‘untold’ stories

(Mierul is dressed in Tommy Hilfiger.)

Mierul and Hazeeq — who’d had no inkling that Projek: High Council would reach the level of fame it did—are both overwhelmed by the praise the show has received thus far. Before each episode after the Projek: High Council title card comes on, we’re told that the series is inspired by ‘untold Malaysian stories’, which become the show’s main appeal. The script, production and cinematography have been compared to that of Netflix‘s original series, and to see its actors carry out the story just as masterly, it’s really no surprise that it would be so well-received. But with everything popular, public backlash comes hand in hand with praise — and because of the dark themes portrayed in the show like bullying, violence and very loose use of cigarettes — it comes strong.

“The thing is, this kind of ecosystem has existed in schools for a long time,” Mierul says in response to the backlash. “With a film like KL Gangster, did it really ‘teach’ people to become gangsters? Or drug trafficking in many Hollywood movies. There’s a reason why these stories are still being told. Has drug trafficking been happening for a long time, or did it only start happening after the movies are out? Every script is a story of the world and its systems that have long existed. And as an actor, it’s my responsibility to tell that story — and to tell it right.”

“The story of Projek: High Council is really just very different from anything I’ve seen, even internationally,” Hazeeq adds, agreeing. “And I really hope there’s going to be more of these kinds of stories, and with a high-quality production at that.”

On navigating an unpredictable future

For these three models-turned-actors, to be able to break into their respective acting circles is a big feat they’ve already achieved — but of course, that doesn’t mean it stops there. A first leading role is bound to take them places, and chart the course of their acting careers in the near future.

Coming out of the nationwide acclaim that is Projek: High Council, Mierul is — as his arrival on set — ultimately just happy to be here. He’s keen to try out everything he can and experience all that acting will bring, one role at a time. He’s currently starring in Astro Ria’s Imam Instant Ustazah Scammer, a complete one-eighty from Projek: High Council — but his role as the comedic Ronaldo is perhaps a much-needed breather after all the heavy training he’d had to undergo for the former.

Coming up, he will also be starring in a Malaysian adaptation of the popular K-drama W: Two Worlds alongside Elizabeth Tan on viu. “I’m playing a character that’s quite a fan favourite, so there’s a bit of pressure there,” Mierul says with a laugh. “It’s a localised adaptation, so we’re bringing the Nusantara vibes and putting a Malaysian spin to the show.”

Hazeeq, who has yet to get his turn at playing the lead, yearns for a starring role that will allow him to showcase his sensitive side. His role model is the action legend Faizal Hussein, whom he considers tidak akan ditelan zaman (timeless), but being the secret romantic that he is, Hazeeq has his eye on any opportunity. “I’ve never had the chance to play a romantic lead yet,” he says casually, though the desire is clear in his voice, “which I feel would actually be closer to who I am in real life.”

“Acting is challenging because you not only need to learn body language—you need to master expression, intonation and so on. Everything is taken into account in the world of acting.”

Hazeeq on the newfound challenges of acting

(Hazeeq is decked out in Tommy Hilfiger.)

“I’ve definitely thought about going overseas,” Daniel muses. “I think a big reason why I got into acting was because I was curious, and that curiosity pushes me to want to explore more places. But it’s a different ball game — it’s all about strategy. There are a lot of young, up-and-coming actors now. And I’m already thirty, and although that’s still young, I have to play it a different way. I can’t venture as a new artist, I have to go out there as an established actor. That’s why I’m so happy that people are very accepting of my involvement in the industry and with the reviews. It definitely gives me more motivation to get out there and make it.”

We talk about the recent hype surrounding Michelle Yeoh and her revolutionary Oscar win, and the potential to totally change the ‘game’ of the industry. “She is everybody’s idol right now, and it’s understandable — she actually worked really, really hard,” Daniel adds. “And she didn’t start out that early either; she joined the Miss World pageant around my age, and was a bit older when she started out in acting. What I’ve learned is that everybody has their own journey and their own luck. It just depends on whether you want to grab it or not. The older I get, the more I’ve realised that nobody is really ‘better’ than another. It’s all your own journey. Good things will definitely come. What Michelle Yeoh has achieved is definitely something I want to strive for as well if I get the chance to.”

Our final group shot of the boys has them linked arm to arm, pulling at different directions — representing each of their journeys toward their next steps. Despite Daniel meeting Hazeeq and Mierul for the first time at the studio, the three of them don’t hesitate for a moment to do this ‘trust fall’ exercise, and it’s refreshing to see the budding actors not only supporting each other but also playing off the strong energy that they each emanate — that would no doubt continue as they flourish in the industry.

interview PUTERI YASMIN SURAYA | editor & creative direction MARTIN TEO | assisted by RONN TAN, MALLIE MARAN & LOW SUE MAE | photography ERIC CHOW (BLINK STUDIO) | videography POR JIA JUN & STANLEY LOH CHEN DONG | makeup ERANTHE LOO | hair styling CODY CHUA | styling AZZA ARIF | wardrobe TOMMY HILFIGER

Find out more about Mierul Aiman, Daniel Fong, and Hazeeq Dean in the latest issue of LSA Digital Cover Vol. 009 HERE.