Nad Zainal picked up Best Drama Actress for playing an autistic person, and Jay Iswazir shined as a handicapped actor
ACTRESS Nad Zainal prepares for every role meticulously, be it film or television.
In order to play an autistic young woman Fatonah Azali in the 2017 telemovie of the same name, she had her husband Muhammad Faliq Amirudin stay away from her for three weeks, as she needed time and space to get into her challenging role.
"I read up about autism, and mingled with the staff of Autism Cafe in Puchong. Gradually observing how these gifted people work and communicate, I transformed myself into Fatonah," said Nad, who won Best Drama Actress for Fatonah Azali at Anugerah Skrin 2018 (ASK2018) last Saturday.
"I didn't want my husband to worry about me, as I had to act strangely and he isn't used to seeing me like this," she said, adding that it was her most challenging role to date.
"Nevertheless I allowed him to follow me on Instagram, and he checked on my progress weekly, giving me the thumbs up all the way."
Nad, 27, said Fatonah was not only autistic, but suffered abuse at the hands of her mother played by Zarina Zainuddin.
"Being a special child, and a long-suffering one was the most difficult part. I had to make myself feel the pain without expressing it in words," she said, thanking director Shuhaimi Lua for casting her.
Nad said winning her first Best Drama Actress in ASK2018 was a great incentive to take on heavier roles, especially those on the big screen.
Best Drama Actor Jay Iswazir Ismail, 36, dedicated his victory for the telemovie Aku Nazmi to young actors who were "big in talent, yet small in looks".
"My mentor Datuk Rosyam Nor deserves my biggest thanks. It was he who discovered me in Pilih Kasih and encouraged me to work hard and shine," he said.
"Even though I graduated from this show, it has been difficult for me to become a leading man, largely because I don't have the looks. Yet I persevered and finally struck gold!"
Jay, whose next film is Polis Evo 2, plays real-life actor Nazmi Kamarulzaman who suffers from cerebral palsy, yet strived to make a name for himself in telemovies, dramas and films for a decade.
"I spent a lot of time with Nazmi, observing his movements and mannerisms. He was friendly, generous and appreciative, and despite it being a biopic, he gave me a lot of freedom to improvise," he said.
GROUNDBREAKING
Amyra Rosli, 27, described her Best Drama Series Actress win for Nur as a breakthrough.
The TV3 drama about a young religious teacher who helps a prostitute mend her ways, also won Best Drama Series and earned its main actor Syafiq Kyle Best Drama Series Actor.
"Initially, I was a little nervous taking on the role of a prostitute who is guided back to the straight path. But our director Shahrulezad Mohameddin explained that Nur was not about prostitution but redemption, so I said ‘yes’ to the title character," she said.
Amyra thanked Shahrulezad for helping her take on more challenging roles, and her co-star Syafiq who played a kind-hearted and patient teacher.
"Syafiq and I are great friends off-screen, that's why we have good chemistry on the set," said Amyra, who hopes to star in more romantic comedies later.
Syafiq, 26, said playing an ustaz (religious teacher) was refreshing, as he had often been cast as the boy next door. "Two great roles I've had this year are in Nur and the romantic horror Langsuir — viewers don't get to see me as an urban yuppie for a change!"
Shahrulezad said Nur was groundbreaking because it exposed the ugly side of religious teachers. "Some of them are devils in disguise, there are many monsters who pretend to be angels."
Veteran actress Fauziah Nawi and popular baddie actor Fauzi Nawawi were delighted, yet amused to win Best Drama Supporting Actress and Best Drama Supporting Actor in the same awards.
Fauziah, who played Datuk Rosyam Nor's long-suffering mother in ASK2018's Best Drama Pendosa Ingin Ke Syurga, said Fauzi was often mistaken as her younger brother as a result of the "closeness" of their names.
"Better still, we both hail from Ipoh! I want to thank my producer Rosyam and director Rashid Sibir for coming up with a beautiful but tragic story. I've worked with Rosyam in many telemovies and he comes up with superb, human interest dramas."
Fauzi, who won for his role as a prisoner in Qalbu said: "I've the utmost respect for Ibu Fauziah, she's a mentor and friend who has taught me a lot about acting. Qalbu had a great ensemble cast, which was headed by the brilliant Faizal Hussein and Fasha Sandha."
He added that playing a prisoner was a dream role, as it was his first drama where jailbirds were shown in a sympathetic light. "Not all people in jail are monsters, this is what Qalbu is about."
GREEK TRAGEDY
Producer Rosyam of Suhan Movies said Pendosa was a "painful, yet realistic story" about a man who accidentally married his long-lost daughter, and became remorseful for his act.
"It may sound like a Greek tragedy, but it is a realistic tale loaded with issues of public interest, such as neglecting one's family, materialism and jealousy which destroys lives," he said, adding that Fauziah was one of his greatest friends and collaborators.
Pendosa also earned Rashid Sibir Best Drama Director in the awards.
Best Film Actor Shaheizy Sam said playing a cancer patient in Pinjamkan Hatiku was not only a challenge, but a scary one as well.
"The experience of preparing for the role showed me how cruel a disease the Big C is. In order to look like a terminally ill young man, I had to become extra slim, skipping a meal, later two a day, till I looked like a refugee," he said.
Best Film Supporting Actress Normah Damanhuri said she is honoured to play Shaheizy's patient and compassionate mother in Pinjamkan Hatiku. "The scenes were painful to film, real tear-jerkers. Nothing can be more painful than being a mother whose only child suffers a slow, painful end before her eyes."
Best Actress Datin Seri Umie Aida, who played menacing female bomoh Diana Dahlan in ASK2018's Best Film Dukun, said it was her sixth ASK win since 1999 when she bagged the Best Drama Actress title for Surah Terakhir.
"It's my first role as a super villainess, and I love it. Diana Dahlan will be etched in my memory forever as my most horrific, menacing role. I want to thank all my co-stars, and director Dain Said for making Dukun a great success," she said.
Dukun also won Best Film, Best Director for Dain, Best Supporting Film Actor for Namron and Best Screenplay.
Umie paid tribute to Nad as a "superstar in the making". "I see a lot of me in her, she works extra hard and is passionate and honest about her craft, a role model to all new actresses."
OLD IS GOLD
A total of 16 films, 12 telemovies and six Bahasa Malaysia drama series, five Chinese drama series and five comedies, were nominated for various categories at ASK2018.
The two-hour event at the Putra World Trade Centre was co-hosted by 12 actors and TV hosts who included Rosyam, Nora Danish, Awal Ashaari, Ayda Jebat, Zahirah MacWilson, Sherry Alhadad and Sharnaaz Ahmad.
Broadcast live on TV3 at 9pm, the evening’s performances featured 13 artistes, plus magician Andrew Lee and dancers the Alpha Movement.
Wany Hasrita, Ernie Zakri and Shiha Zikir paid tribute to traditional music legend Datuk Suhaimi Mohd Zain or Pak Ngah who died last September, by performing a medley of his greatest hits Dikir Puteri, Hati Kama and Cindai, while soulful Jaclyn Victor and Elvira Arul gave a commendable performance of Demi Lovato's hit song This Is Me.
Hip-hop icon Altimet had the crowd clapping and swaying to his medley of Amboi and Bunga, and for the first time he shared the stage with actress Amelia Henderson, who sang along with him, as well as hip-hop singers Shawn Lee and Raja Shahiran.
Singer-actress Marsha Milan Londoh performed her latest single Ku Bersumpah from the horror film 7ujuh for the first time. The song about a vengeful female ghost was a duet with Mentor Milenia graduate Qody.
The saying "old is gold" rang loud and clear when Datuk M. Nasir took to the stage and had the audiences clapping and singing along to his 1990s hit song Tanya Sama Itu Hud Hud.
Last but not least, the energetic Radhi Razali and his band OAG took fans down memory lane with three of their biggest hits Infiniti, 60s TV and Aku Slumber. The five-member pop-rock group was stylishly dressed in retro-style Pop Yeh Yeh outfits, complete with sunglasses and mop-topped hairdos.
The winners
Best Montage: Anugerah Juara Lagu 32;
Best Documentary: Majalah 3 — Ops Bersih Buaya;
Best Talk Show: Halaqah;
Best Special News Report: Buletin Utama — Tragedi Kebakaran Pusat Tahfiz Ittifaqiah;
Best Set Design: Anugerah Juara Lagu 32;
Best Entertainment Programme: Bintang Bersama Bintang Raya;
Best Drama Editing: Qalbu;
Best Drama Videography: Nisaa;
Best Documentary Series: 999;
Best Reality Show: Let’s Cycle Season 3;
Best Awards Programme: Anugerah Skrin 2017;
Best Comedy: Mat Rukun;
Best Drama Script: Aku Nazmi;
Best Film Supporting Actress: Normah Damanhuri (Pinjamkan Hatiku);
Best Film Supporting Actor: Namron (Dukun);
Best Screenplay: Dukun;
Best Drama Supporting Actress: Fauziah Nawi (Pendosa Ingin Ke Syurga);
Best Drama Supporting Actor: Fauzi Nawawi (Qalbu);
Best Drama Director: Rashid Sibir (Pendosa Ingin Ke Syurga);
Best Film Director: Dain Said (Dukun);
Best Film Actress: Datin Seri Umie Aida (Dukun);
Best Film Actor: Shaheizy Sam (Pinjamkan Hatiku);
Best Drama Actress: Nad Zainal (Fatonah Azali);
Best Drama Series Actress: Amyra Rosli (Nur);
Best Drama Series Actor: Syafiq Kyle (Nur);
Best Drama Actor: Jay Iswazir Ismail (Aku Nazmi);
Best Drama Series (Chinese): Green Wall;
Best Drama Series (Bahasa Malaysia): Nur;
Best Film: Dukun;
Best Drama: Pendosa Ingin Ke Syurga