NOT too long ago, actor Ernest Loh was busy pursuing a different career path. Upon graduation, he made a great impression as an interior designer, creating sophisticated concepts for interior spaces. From serving prominent clients to winning design competitions, he was building a name for himself in the field.
Despite his success, Ernest was craving alternative platforms to further expand his creativity and talents. This led him to rediscover his passion for acting.
“I had always fantasised about action movies when I was a kid, watching things blow up and how cool it was,’’ said Ernest, who embarked on his acting journey in 2017.
“But when you are a kid, you do not know what that entails.”
Ernest says he experienced that transition periods were always clouded by uncertainty.
“And for me, that was definitely scary. Because there is no straight path to becoming an actor.
“You need to figure out on your own what you need to do on a daily basis to become a better actor.”
But he seems to have everything on track, considering his recent achievements and projects.
What are the highlights of your acting career?
One of them would be playing a lead role in a short film. I was also involved in the post-production of the film, which was submitted to Short and Sweet Malaysia, a film festival. And it won two awards, one of which was for Best Actor, which was me. This was when I first enrolled in acting school. Winning that was validation for the entire team and myself. It was pretty cool.
And the first thing I thought of was that I could finally tell my mum that I am an actor. I have a cool little trophy to show for it, which is a small validation that you sometimes need in life to keep you going when you embark on a new endeavour.
What is the best character you played on screen?
The best so far was for an AirAsia commercial. I played an “Ah Beng” character, and it was my second commercial. I remember wanting to bring my A-game, thinking I had to put in a Hollywood kind of effort. So, a week before the shoot, I kept practising in front of my desk.
When I arrived on set, I was ready to play the character and was not overwhelmed by any pressure, unlike other times when I would get anxious, especially in new environments. It was fun!
Which actors do you look up to?
I like Ryan Reynolds for his acting chops and the way he runs his marketing company – he creates his own commercials for his projects.
I also like Kevin Hart for the roles he plays, and his work ethics, which he puts in so many projects. Others include Dwayne Johnson, Will Smith, Tom Hardy, Killian Murphy and Matthew McConaughey. If I were to pursue a career, I want it to be like theirs.
Has it been difficult working as an actor during the pandemic?
Yes, it is hard. But thank God, I have a little bit of savings as back up. I maintain my sanity by working on various things. I was doing a lot of TikTok videos, painting and working out. When you are doing stuff like that, your brain stays focused. When you are preoccupied, you have no time to think negative thoughts. So, the content that I have been putting out during the pandemic has been fun.
Where do you see your career in five years?
I would like to have some capabilities so I can have control over the scripts and projects that come my way. I would also like to write and produce projects. In terms of social media work, I would like to have a small content team working with me to produce videos and short clips. And finally, more work as a presenter on television, especially in the travel adventure segment.
