Despite her busy schedule as an academic, former Malaysian beauty queen Dr Soo Wincci’s love for the arts has never faded.
According to the “Kau Yang Satu” actress, her passion continues to drive her return to the screen, especially when offered challenging and quality roles.
“I still see myself as an artiste. If I’m offered a good role, I will definitely return. For me, it’s no longer just about payment, but about the challenge, the quality of the script, and the satisfaction of performing.
“Many lecturers, once they enter academia, completely leave the industry, but I don’t want to do that. I believe we must remain active in our field so the knowledge we teach is more practical and relevant,” she said when met at the Worthy Wonder Women Award 2025 recently.
At the event, Soo received the Worthy Community Impact Award for her contributions to the community and her dedication to inspiring the younger generation.
Most recently, Soo returned to the screen through the drama “Kerana Seorang Lelaki”, directed by Michael Ang, currently airing on Astro Prima. It marks her first local drama appearance in almost 10 years.
“This offer came last year when Michael himself contacted me and explained the strength of the script and storyline, which is full of cultural conflicts and plot twists, similar to a Korean drama. I am very selective with scripts, and when I knew this concept was different from the usual cliches, I immediately agreed.
“This time I had to take a year’s unpaid leave to give my full commitment because this project is big and requires sacrifice,” she said.
Soo also revealed that she is currently planning music projects, including releasing a bilingual single (Malay and Mandarin), while also hoping to break into the Indonesian market next year through song collaborations.
“I’m interested in producing dramas or films with legal themes because we don’t yet have such works that can educate society. That is one of my dreams,” she said.
The versatile artiste, who recently completed her second Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Artistic Production at the Polytechnic University of Spain, admitted she faces personal challenges in balancing her academic and artistic careers.
“I barely get enough sleep, and I’ve lost nearly seven kilogrammes due to the pressure. But for me, as long as I can still walk, I will keep going,” said Soo, who also serves as an adjunct professor at several local universities. – BERNAMA
