ASPIRING actress Enara Qistina has been a go-getter in life since she was a young girl, much like her Potter-verse idol, Hermione Granger.
The 22-year-old KL-born Mass Communication and Media Studies student decided to pursue her passion in entertaining and interacting with people when she was 15, and has since added a few interesting experiences to her growing resume – which includes hosting a radio show – and appearing as the bubbly Fiona on season six of Astro’s Oh My English!.
“I started with small roles [such as being an extra] to see how things work. I wasn’t really focusing on [wanting] to become an actress. I just wanted to experience it, and know how things really go first,” said the Xenorocks Entertainment talent.
Possessing an equally bright mind to match her effervescent personality, a post she shared on social media offering tutoring services after her SPM examinations (in which she scored 7As) garnered some press due to her relatively young age.
Another unique thing one should know about Enara is that she also spent time running whimsical shows as a ringmaster at Big Kid Circus and The Amazing Russian Circus.
What exactly does a ringmaster do?
“A ringmaster is basically a leader of the troupe. A ringmaster is the one who conducts the whole show and they dance, they act, they lip-sync, they introduce the acts, they communicate with the audience.
“So if anything goes wrong, the ringmaster has to come up with something very fast, on the spot. Like go, go, go [snaps fingers]!
[Once] one of the artists had an unfortunate accident. I had to quickly come up with an act, so I had to go out in the ring and communicate with the audience, like, to keep the show going and act as if nothing is going on, that nothing bad is happening.”
What drew you to working with the circus?
“They discovered me through Instagram. They saw my videos and my pictures and they thought that I suited the characteristics [of] a ringmaster, because I was like crazy and out there - very outgoing, friendly, cheerful, that kind of stuff, so they decided, okay, why not try to bring her in and see how it goes.
“Everything went well ... because I love trying new things and just exploring new things, and I thought [joining] the circus was a good thing, you know. It was a good idea. And it was a very rare opportunity as well.”
What did you love most about being a ringmaster in a circus?
“Getting to tour and explore new places, meeting new people, getting to communicate with the audience, interact with the audience, make them happy, that [is] the best.
“And learn Russian! I can speak basic Russian now. I was surrounded by Russians every single day. I would ask: ‘Oh what is this? What is this?’ They don’t really speak English, so I had to learn their language.”
Where is your passion focused at after the circus?
“I was doing the VJing on Peace Yall FM. Peace Yall FM is basically an online radio station with visuals. It is owned by Datuk AC Mizal, and I was one of the VJs there [and] I hosted a show.
“My passions [are] acting, hosting, and also travelling. [If I] I get the chance to host a show, it would be something like a travelogue or something like that.
“Previously, [when] I did the hosting on Peace Yall FM, I gave out private tutoring at the same time, [and] I was studying as well. So I do like multiple things at the same time.”
Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished?
“Emma Watson. Oh my God, she inspires me so much because not only [does] she act, but at the same time she studies as well, and then she finished, she graduated.
“She’s smart. If you watch her interviews, you can see that she is smart. But yeah, Emma Watson, she inspires me a lot. Since I was little I would just copy her ... since seeing her star in Harry Potter. And I can really relate to her, you know, I’m a big Potter-head.”
What is one thing you think everybody should do at least once in their lives?
“I think everyone should travel, and see the world. And not just travel in Malaysia, but abroad too. Just see the world, experience everything, you know, understand the culture, understand how people work, see how people live so that you can be more open minded and understanding.”
