As they say: “Start ‘em young”. Melissa Campbell made her debut in the international movie scene at the age of eight, playing Princess Fa-Ying in the 1990 Hollywood film Anna and the King alongside some notable names such as Chow Yun-fat, Jodie Foster and Tom Felton.
However, her introduction into the showbiz industry was much earlier, when she fronted a toothpaste commercial at the age of six.
Born in Newcastle, Australia, Campbell relocated back to Malaysia with her family as a kindergartener, and went to local schools until the age of 18, when she was accepted into the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts to study acting, before moving to Los Angeles to pursue her lifelong dream of studying acting in Hollywood, staying there for three years.
She shares: “Life experiences come into play when it comes to my practice. When I was in LA, I made it a point to work with different coaches and to learn new techniques. It was very much trial and error and doing this helps me find what works for me.
“However, since moving back to Malaysia, my practice has changed again, and it will rightly continue to evolve as I age and grow.”
The now 29-year-old actress stars in the reboot series of the classic Malaysian sitcom Kopitiam that ran for seven seasons from 1998 to 2003.
Restyled as Kopitiam: Double Shot, the show won the Best Comedy Programme category at the 2020 Asian Academy Creative Awards, and will represent Malaysia to compete with other winning countries later this month.
Campbell won for Best Comedy Performance for her ditzy character Seleb on the show.
What is your earliest artistic influence in life?
“When the Broadway or West End productions were on a world tour, my dear dad, being a fan of the arts himself, would always try to take us to see the popular musical theatre shows like Cats and Miss Saigon when they came to Malaysia, as big productions of this scale were quite the rarity.
“And until this day, he tells the story that little kid Mel would be sitting on the literal edge of her seat. Hands under my chin, eyes wide open, completely absorbed and lost in that world. Looking like I was dying to jump on the stage. From that moment he knew that was what I wanted to do.”
Anna and the King, where you starred as Princess Fa-Ying at the age of eight, is undoubtedly your most notable film. How did you manage to land the gig at such a young age?
“At that age, I had already started doing TV commercials and I was really into prancing around in the performing arts. The team came to my primary school and announced a casting call, in which I eagerly volunteered. I literally put my hand up when they asked: ‘Anyone in this class like to act?’
“Many rounds of auditions later in front of the Hollywood casting team and producers, the final test I suppose was when they asked me: ‘Are you willing to shave your hair for this role?’ It was a period film and the characters’ hairstyle required me to shave my hair, and I agreed without hesitation.
“Young Mel didn’t know the scale of what I was auditioning for but I knew it was big, and I wanted to be an actress and be a part of it. I loved every minute of it.”
Do you consider yourself as ambitious?
“Yes, but I’m also very much a realist. I approach challenges practically when it comes to my career in this industry. I’ve always been the kind that has been unable to not care, because I was raised with the mentality of ‘if you do something you better give 110% or give nothing at all.’
“In this industry, a lot of times you can feel like you’re paddling with no end in sight, so I set realistic targets and goals, and measure my growth in steps, like rungs on a ladder. And also celebrate the little achievements. I also don’t believe in putting all your eggs in one basket.”
What was it like in Los Angeles as a new actress trying to break into the scene?
“It’s extremely competitive and everyone is so much better looking than you and extremely talented, that you feel insignificant.
“It’s easy to succumb to self-doubt, not knowing if you’re going in the right direction.
“So it was important that I kept my head down, drown out the noise by focusing on my craft, keep training and stay grounded.
How did you find your way back into the Malaysian film industry after coming back from the US?
“The scene in Malaysia has changed so much in the past eight years. First thing [I had to do] was to learn the lay of the land, where the industry stands today.
“Then I plugged myself back in, and reached out to old industry friends that I’ve worked with in the past, and just put myself out there.”
Acting is an art form that is very much about expressing oneself, but you only have so much freedom within a role.
“Of course, you can’t go taking it upon yourself to suddenly change the lines in front of the camera when that script has had a team of writers who have specifically and intentionally crafted every word over many drafts. We actors also have to remember we are just a small part in a very big team.
“However it’s on you, the actor, to find freedom within the role, and that is our job – to find freedom within the character. It’s why that actor booked that job.
“It’s a beautiful thing to see, when you witness an actor free in a role, that is when the magic happens.”
You once said that one of the many challenges in the industry is to deal with rejection. How do you cope?
“It doesn’t ever go away, you just get more grounded as you get older and have more responsibilities, perhaps even bigger worries in the grand scheme of things.
“It helps to remind yourself that your entire being isn’t defined by being an actor. Having a life outside of acting is just as important and not defining yourself and self-worth by this job.”
