DOWN to earth and humorous, Lynn Lim is a local actress who made her debut in the entertainment industry after competing in the Miss Universe Malaysia pageant in 2014, where she won the third-runner up spot. Lim currently has a leading role in the 30-episode 8TV drama, I Court You.
Lim’s next project was set to take place in Singapore, but was delayed due to the ongoing pandemic. Fortunately, she has been keeping herself busy with house chores and volunteer work.
Lim’s parents initially encouraged her to pursue a ‘safe’ career path, which she was not drawn to. Instead, she was fueled by her passion and was determined to pursue the path that made her happiest.
“I am from Nibong Tebal, and come from a Chinese-educated family, so my parents wanted me to be a teacher or something. I was not familiar with the performing arts, and I was exposed to it after joining the Miss Universe Malaysia pageant. I started to read books on acting and watched films, and I realised that I was indeed drawn to acting.
“It took my parents a while to accept my career path. My father and I were sort of in a ‘cold war’ for about a few months and we didn’t talk. But then, my parents saw me on television, and they realised that this is what I really wanted to do. Now, they are very supportive, especially my father.”
When asked to describe her experience as an actress, Lim shared: “Honestly, it is super tough. The audience in Malaysia prefers entertainers from other countries. It is quite sad to see your own local audience not being supportive. The response is quite negative, and it is demotivating. Besides that, the budget for Chinese dramas and films at the moment is quite low.
“Last year, there were about three or four local Chinese dramas produced. However, there are so many actors and actresses in the industry, so it is not possible to fit every talent into each drama. This year is even worse, there isn’t even a single drama planned for production yet.
“Our local audience is into foreign entertainment, and they compare local talents with that. It is unfair as we don’t have the same production budget. From what I see, the performing arts in Malaysia is very understated.
“For instance, in other countries, they have specific platforms where people can attend schools that are established mainly for them to learn. In Malaysia, you don’t know where to start.
“I truly hope that audiences in Malaysia would focus more on the performing arts. If not who will entertain you, especially during times like this? This industry is a part of our lives, and it should not be neglected.”
Nevertheless, having a back-up plan might come in handy, and Lim has a rough idea of what hers is. “If the acting industry here does not work out for me, I might consider trying to act in other countries, like Singapore.”
Lim also shared a life principle that she practises. “Being humble is key. My main goal is to be an actress, and being humble will allow me to be open to learning from others. You need to realise that there is always room for improvement, and you will have to keep learning. Your attitude defines how far you can go in life.”
Initially, Lim did not agree with the importance of social media platforms. However, in time, she realised that they keep her career running, despite any negative connotations.
“From what I see, in Malaysia, social media accounts are essential and need to be kept updated. People believe that they can know more about you through your Instagram profile, and sometimes you might even need to post content that you assume people would like to see.
“Social media helps with my career because it is where I get the most exposure. At first, I was very reluctant to post content on social media because I felt like: ‘I am an actress and I just want to focus on my projects. Then, I realised that social media exposes me to different producers and brands who are looking for talents.”
