ENTERTAINMENT: Media’s dream girl

2009/11/09

HIZREEN KAMAL

Pretty Paula Malai Ali lends glamour and expertise to her broadcasting jobs, writes HIZREEN KAMAL.

WE see her on television brushing shoulders with big names in sports as she attends exclusive sporting events and interviews the who’s who of the sports world.

A former VJ for Channel V, Paula Malai Ali is the Eurasian beauty who has been described as “a walking, breathing, media dream”.

Fast becoming a familiar figure in Asia, thanks to her four-year stint in Channel V, and now as a presenter on ESPN Star Sports for three years, Paula has not been in the local news much since setting base in the Lion City.

But in that time she has added glamour to sports entertainment.

Growing from strength to strength in the broadcasting industry, this Brunei-born TV personality has proven her versatility by involving herself in as many projects as she can get. Over the years she has conquered television. Now she has added another feather to her cap — she is to host the first original pan-Asian reality TV series, HP Space. The show premieres tomorrow over Channel V (Astro Channel 714) at 8pm. A thrilled Paula views her new job as a refreshing change from sports. “It’s nice to get back to something familiar. I miss the entertainment-related TV shows I used to do — the energy is different.” “As the year is coming to an end, I thought it would be good to take just a couple of months to do something else besides sports. So, HP Space is just perfect!” she said in an interview in Singapore recently. But this does not mean Paula is leaving ESPN Star Sports. She still calls Malaysia her home, commenting that in Kuala Lumpur, “Everyone seems to know you and talks to you on the streets. Singapore is something else. When I first got here, I went about doing my things without anyone recognising me. They just don’t know who I am. “That opened my eyes and I now learn not to take anything for granted.” But every time she is in Kuala Lumpur covering sporting events, she gets a lot of love from her friends and fans alike, something which she appreciates very much. Paula is planning to take a couple of weeks off early next year to stay on a bit in Kuala Lumpur to reconnect with the city and the people. Having been the face of many international brands like Longines, Redken and Nescafe, she did not rule out the fact that she would one day make Malaysia her base. “My heart will always be with Malaysia. The country has been very good to me. I owe everything that I have achieved today to Malaysia.” She stopped taking jobs in Malaysia when she secured the job at ESPN Star Sports, which initially “frightened” her. “I was no expert in sports. It was a big task for me and I needed to learn the ropes. I couldn’t afford to be greedy and take on other jobs at the same time.” She also needed to know what it’s like to be out of her comfort zone.

There were people who questioned her knowledge on sports when she moved from Channel V to ESPN Star Sports.

But Paula worked very hard at it and is now at ease with her job. “I was a little hard on myself at first because I knew sports fans would not take it lightly if a presenter was not well-versed in a sport.

“Sports fans are not an easy audience to please and they can be very emotional. Don’t mess with them!” she jokingly warned, adding that she has learnt to respect them and the games she’s presenting.

Paula also used to be a radio presenter and an accomplished stage thespian, having appeared in contemporary plays and Shakespearean productions. Her previous works in theatre include Twelfth Night, The Merchant Of Venice, Educating Rita and Hip Hopera.

Despite her success in broadcasting, Paula keenly misses theatre acting.

Paula Malai Ali, a former VJ for Channel V, is now a presenter on ESPN Star Sports.

Her last appearance was in M! The Opera in 2006, which went on to receive rave reviews.

“I miss it very much, especially the camaraderie with the cast. And now that I am able to manage my time better, I hope there will be offers,” said Paula, who made her film debut in The Leap Years alongside one of the first VJs on MTV Asia, Nadya Hutagalung, and Thai actor Ananda Everingham. Paula was formerly married to local film producer Tunku Azudinshah Tunku Anuar whom she divorced in 2006.

But Paula revealed she is now in a relationship. Without divulging much information on her new beau, she said that he is of Persian-American parentage, and hails from Los Angeles in the United States.

An executive producer, his work brought him to Singapore, which he is planning to make his base. “I think it is easier to date someone who is in the same industry as you are, as they understand your work better,” she said.

Will wedding bells be chiming again for Paula? “There are no such plans. For now, I just want to enjoy the moment.”