SINCE new actress and social media influencer Hannah Qiassatina Herman, 14, was a child, she loved the arts and always being in front of the camera, but she never thought that such interest would eventually become her career.
The adorable actress, who goes by the stage name of Kiky Hannah, said in an interview that she is fortunate to have made her way into showbiz slowly, as it gave her more “space” to be mentally and physically prepared for stardom.
“Taking time to enter the world of showbiz is a blessing, really. It gave me time to think things over and decide if showbiz was really what I wanted to do.”
Kiky’s parents have often told her about the pitfalls of early stardom, and how many child stars in the West “got into trouble” later on in life.
“Not everyone who starts early, as a pre-teen or teen, grows up to become a success story. For every Elizabeth Taylor, Petrina Fung or Fauziah Ahmad Daud, there are several sad and tragic stories of ruined lives.”
Kiky strongly believes that the most important ingredient for a child star to make it in life is family support.
“You must stay close to your parents and elder siblings, even if they do not manage you. Staying close to them means you do not forget your roots, and you do not easily mix with the wrong company which can lead you down a dark path,” she said.
Kiky started acting when she was 7 but soon decided to become a social media influencer.
“On social media, I often share lifestyle, beauty, fashion, and fun content. My favourite influencer is Sofimanassyan because she is creative and inspiring. She communicates in simple language and is always cheerful and friendly,” she said.
What made her become a social media influencer is her love of meeting friends and sharing positive messages with others.
“By engaging with fellow netizens, I feel good because I get to make people happy and engage in positive thinking. My main aim in life is to be happy with myself and make others happy,” she said, adding that happiness gave her confidence and courage to rise high in life.
“As for acting, I did dream of wanting to appear on TV. Not necessarily in a drama, even a commercial or public service announcement would do. I’ve mostly acted in minor roles on TV, the kind that won’t be easily remembered, or even missed with the blink of an eye,” she said.
“It was not about fame and recognition, but the experience of it.”
Kiky admits that her early exposure to TV helped her handle “meatier” roles, which she is currently dealing with.
“From an anonymous kid, I’m slowly taking on roles of mischievous and even long-suffering youngsters. I call this ‘taking baby steps’ in my work, but nevertheless it is a natural progression, just what my parents advised me,” she said.
Kiky’s first drama was filmed two years ago, and it “meant a lot” for her.
“This opened doors for bigger and better opportunities. I thank God that my family supports me 100 per cent, and they’re proud of me for being the first one involved in entertainment.”
Kiky, who is a middle child and still goes to school, loves family-oriented comedies as well as coming-of-age dramas.
“I enjoy roles that challenge emotions and allow for character development. For endings, I like happy ones, but sad endings sometimes leave a deeper impact. It would be good for me to star in happy stories, with a few tear jerkers here and there,” she said.
Kiky’s favourite actress is Fasha Sandha, whom she “hero worships” and deems her role model in life.
“Over the last two years, I have acted in several dramas with Fasha, and she always shares a lot of acting knowledge with me, from intonation, delivering lines, to reactions.
“Even though she plays mums who can be hard and strict with me, as a co-star she is very friendly and easy to work with. That is why I feel comfortable working with her, and it’s also why she is my role model amongst all Malaysian A-list stars.”
Kiky’s biggest dream in showbiz is to become an actress who is respected and, one day, win a major award in the industry.
“Malaysia has many talented actresses whom I look up to and besides Fasha, there is Fazura, Nadiya Nisaa, and Nabila Huda Suhaimi. What I love about all of them is they are humble, friendly, disciplined and versatile,” she said, adding that they were always willing to share their knowledge and experiences with new actresses.
If Kiky weren’t an actress, she would probably continue being active as a content creator or pursue singing, as it is part of the performing arts.
“I like to sing with friends and family, though I admit I’m not really a good singer. Nevertheless, I always follow the local music scene, and I love Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, Shila Amzah and Yuna best.”
Right now, Kiky is preparing for several dramas and films. She was also delighted to have been nominated for Popular New Artiste in Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 37.
“I’m very excited because these new roles come with many challenges for me. My next major project is exciting. It is the film ‘Memoir Seorang Guru 2’, which continues the inspirational story of Cikgu Sunan, the stern but compassionate teacher played by Datuk Rosyam Nor,” she said.
Kiky explained that the movie sees Cikgu Sunan’s students transition from their childhood to teenage years.
“I believe this project will be eagerly awaited by all viewers and ‘Memoir Seorang Guru’ fans.”
dchua@nst.com.my
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