"I'm a very private person," said Sharifah Amani as she pulled a staggeringly ugly face for the camera - in contrast to her normally sweet demeanour, "Very few people know the 'real' Amani... sometimes I'm not sure who the real Amani is."Printing Instructions: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --- Article Information --- This article was printed from Sun2Surf Article's URL: http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=14177 ---------------------------
"I'm a very private person," said Sharifah Amani as she pulled a staggeringly ugly face for the camera - in contrast to her normally sweet demeanour, "Very few people know the 'real' Amani... sometimes I'm not sure who the real Amani is."
"I hate it when people tell me to 'by myself'. I don't wanna be myself, I don't know who 'myself' is! But I know who I'd like to appear like - Gwen Stefani, she's strong, edgy, sophisticated, and yet cute."
Amani may not be sure of who she is, but this girl's opinions pack a punch. Well-read, mature and educated, she talks passionately and intelligently about social issues both international and local.
"I really respect and admire our former prime minister (Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he was a man of vision and purpose. He did his best to advance the cause of the Malay community and I support his appeal for them to better themselves," she said seriously.
A self-confessed bookworm with omnivorous tastes, from childhood favourite Roald Dahl to feminist author Silvia Plath, Amani adores reading and delves into her books every night before hitting the sack.
"Books allow me to delve into my imagination, they give me something to think about and I discuss what I read with my mom. At the moment she's not around and I miss her terribly. There's no one to take care of me, no one to talk to..."
"I owe everything to my mom"
Amani's mom, acting coach and actress Fatimah Abu Bakar is the mainstay and foundation of her family.
"My family misses her like crazy. The last time she went away (overseas) was five years ago, and now we're completely lost without her. Everything is just huru-hara (a complete muddle) since she left," mourned Amani, cradling her face in her hands.
Amani attributes her acting career entirely and completely to her mom, "I owe everything - all my career, all that I am - to my mom. I'm very close to her - my entire family is very close-knit.
"My mom and dad are soul-mates, I'm deeply grateful for that and I hope to find someone who understands me as well as they do each other someday."
Amani isn't the only one who adores her mom, Fatimah is the sort of person people naturally love to confide in and be with.
"Random strangers pour out their hearts and souls to her, she's just that sort of person. People adore her - which makes me jealous.
"I'm actually a jealous person and I don't like anyone to get too close to the people I like. I don't like them taking up my mom's time," she confessed.
How I fell into acting
"For me, acting was the secret wish I never told anyone. It's something I thought I did well, something I practised in secret alone in my room, but never performed in public because I was afraid no one else would agree.
"Sort of like singing in the bathroom. You think you sound great, and you dream of being a great singer one day, but when you walk out and audition for Malaysian Idol... shkrrrriikh!" she drew her finger across her throat for emphasis.
"When people asked what I wanted to be, I'd say 'teacher, lawyer' - actually my ambition was to be a lawyer!
"Without my mom that's what I'd probably be. But because of who she is in the industry, and who she knows, I'm now an actress.
"I grew up in the industry, from about five I was the little kid running around in the background of Shuhaimi Baba's (director of Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam) films, but I'd never featured in any prominent roles.
"One evening we were in Hartamas Square for dinner with family friend Jit Murad, and he brought along his good friend, Yasmin Ahmad.
"Normally I'm reserved around strangers, but because Jit's someone I'm familiar and comfortable with I could clown around him and be myself, joking and teasing him.
"Yasmin saw me and liked my personality - seeing in it the character she wanted for Orked, so she asked Jit to get me in for an audition and I got the job in Sepet," she concluded with a grin.
"Aiyo, I've been asked that story so many many times, I'm so tired of telling it but I have to. I owe it to my mom."
Acting is my life
"I dream of being a really great actress," said Amani wistfully, "I'm told I'm good but I know I've got so much more to learn.
"I hope to go into theatre one day. I'd love to someday perform the ultimate love story - Romeo and Juliet. Better yet, I'd love to be in broadway - what I'd give to be Christine in Phantom of the Opera!"
Broadway, ah but can she sing?
"People ask if I'm going to try singing or something else but I don't believe in branching out into a hundred things but not being really good at anything. What's that saying? Oh yes, I don't want to be a 'jack of all trades, master of none',"
Much as she adores her work, everyone needs a break now and then.
"Acting is my life. It's what I love, what I do best, but I confess that it's such a marathon right now that I'd like to have a break."
Life is indeed hectic for her, she has two films in the works: Puaka Tebing Biru by Tayangan Unggul both by Osman Ali and Cinta by Grand Brilliance and directed by Kabhir Batia, as well as a late-night music talk show she's hosting with older sister Aleya called "Latido" currently screening daily at midnight on TV9.
"'Leya and I are one of the teams hosting the show - we're two sisters, and we're mad!" she laughed tossing her signature long black hair which I admired unreservedly.
"You'd think some shampoo brand would want me as a brand ambassador wouldn't you? But so far, no takers! At least Silkygirl appreciates me, I'm their ambassador, which is great 'cos I love their products."
Social life? What social life?
"I have NO social life!" wailed Amani, "None! I'm too busy, and actually I'm also too private a person to mix around with a lot of people.
"It's fun to hear of actresses getting drunk, going crazy, getting caught in raids... but with my background and my beliefs as a Muslim that will never be me.
"I mainly hang around with close friends and what do we do? We sit around and drink teh tarik, exciting, no? I swear I've drunk enough teh tarik to flood the Nile!"
There was some talk of Amani pursuing further studies but work has put that idea on hold, "I'm very interested in taking up a degree in performing arts. It would be such a good break from acting (but without having to stop it entirely) and a chance for me to pick up a social life.
"But life is just to hectic right now, I don't think I could balance studies and the workload right now and I can't bring myself to stop.
"Acting is more than just a passion. It is a career for me, it is a means for me to be independent and not burden my parents who have already done so much for me. Even if I'm on scholarship they'll still have to pay for my food and clothing,"
The desire for independence and freedom is strong, "I love swimming because of the absolute freedom I feel. One of the best times in my life was when we sailed in St Tropez, we could swim whenever we want, raise anchor and sail into the sunset - it was wonderful."
Things I must do before I die:
1. Meet Sharukh Khan (my idol!)
2. Go bungee jumping, sky-diving, and base-jumping.
3. Buy my parents anything and everything they want.
4. Take my entire family and all my friends on a long vacation.
5. Have a chat with Oprah Winfrey.
6. Swim around the world (I really love swimming)
7. Go truly, truly, nuts.
8. Spend a day with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
9. Go to Mecca.
10. Hold a great standup comedy concert.
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