My Day on Set: Filming Emerald Hill in Beautiful Malaysia

There’s something deeply special about returning to a world like Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story. It’s more than a series — it’s a rich, interwoven tapestry of identity, memory, and heritage. Stepping onto set again felt like slipping into a familiar rhythm, yet each moment still managed to surprise me.

I had the privilege of filming one of our most pivotal scenes in Malaysia recently, and the experience was both grounding and exhilarating. It reminded me why stories like these matter — and why I continue to love what I do after so many years.

Morning Light, Warm Smiles

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We arrived on set just after sunrise. The location was an old Peranakan-style house tucked away in the heart of Penang — all shuttered windows, tiled corridors, and timeworn charm. The air was thick with the scent of breakfast from nearby food stalls: kaya toast, kopi, and the comforting rhythm of a community waking up.

The crew was already hard at work by the time I stepped into costume. There’s an unspoken language among people who’ve worked together long enough — a nod, a glance, a shared joke between takes. The camaraderie on this set is something I’ve cherished since day one. It makes long hours feel meaningful, not heavy.

Becoming the Character

Slipping into my character’s shoes again — or more precisely, into her kebaya — was like reconnecting with an old friend. She’s strong but layered, poised yet vulnerable. There’s a quiet storm in her, the kind that brews beneath generations of expectation and tradition.

In this particular scene, my character was confronting a painful memory from her youth — one of those moments when silence says more than words ever could. The director, always thoughtful and intuitive, gave me space to find the emotional rhythm. He didn’t over-direct, which I always appreciate. Sometimes, as actors, we just need a little room to breathe and let the moment come.

We shot that scene several times, each take revealing something slightly different. One with more steel in the eyes. One with more ache in the voice. We landed on a version that felt raw and true, and when the director called “cut,” there was a hush on set — the kind that tells you something just clicked.

Threads of Heritage

What makes Emerald Hill so compelling — especially to someone like me — is that it’s not just historical fiction. It’s a love letter to a culture, to a way of life that shaped our grandmothers and mothers, and still lingers in quiet corners of our lives today.

Walking through the set that day, I was struck by how detailed everything was. The beaded slippers, the heirloom furniture, the faded family portraits on the walls. Nothing was out of place. And it wasn’t just for aesthetics — it was about honoring something real. Something personal.

I found myself thinking of my own family — of stories told in whispers over meals, of strength passed down through generations of women who didn’t always have the words to explain their resilience, but showed it anyway.

In Between Takes

Not every moment on set is heavy with emotion, of course. Some of my favorite parts of the day happened in the quiet in-betweens. Sharing laughs with castmates, reviewing lines under a shady tree, sneaking bites of local snacks (I’m still thinking about that ondeh-ondeh someone brought from a nearby stall).

The makeup team, ever attentive, would rush in to fix a single hair or adjust a bead on my costume. The sound guy teased me about my tendency to hum between takes. The younger actors — full of energy and questions — reminded me how important it is to pass along what we’ve learned, just like our characters do in the story.

A Story Worth Telling

By the end of the day, we were tired — in that good, satisfying way. The kind of tired that tells you you’ve poured yourself into something meaningful. As I changed out of costume and removed the last trace of makeup, I sat quietly for a moment.

It’s not every day that we get to be part of something that carries both artistic merit and cultural legacy. Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story is one of those rare projects. And I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of it.

This story isn’t just about the past — it’s about how the past still breathes through us. How it lives in our values, our kitchens, our relationships. Filming in Malaysia that day brought all of that into focus. The sounds, the smells, the light — it all felt like home.

Until the Next Scene

I don’t know what tomorrow’s script will bring. That’s the beauty of both acting and life — the unpredictability, the constant unfolding.

But I do know this: as long as there are stories that reflect our truths, our roots, and our shared humanity, I’ll be here — ready for the next scene.