Act the Part

A beloved personality in Singapore's entertainment scene, actress and host OON SHU AN reveals herself as a profoundly deep thinker as she speaks her mind about allyship in art. She opens up to Nafeesa Saini about her versatile acting career and finding satisfaction in theatre.

- Nafeesa Saini

It's a sleepy Monday morning when Oon Shu An walks into the studio for our cover shoot, surprising us with her brand-new hairdo. In place of her long locks is a short, shaggy cut. The effect is transformative. Today, her hair is artfully mussed. She gazes into the camera through gaps in its textured layers. She looks like a rock star. A glamorous, Chanel-clad one.

In a body-hugging dress with strategic cut-outs, Shu An moves fluidly between poses. Like all good actors, her body is her instrument of expression. A vision of sultriness, she twirls her hands as she gazes at the camera, aligned in movement and breath. She's alluring and enigmatic.

But when the camera stops clicking, she breaks character and dramatically belts out the Adele ballad playing on the speakers. This is Shu An at her most natural self the Shu An I met just days ago, and the one I grew up watching.

If you're a millennial woman in Singapore, you might remember her as the host of Tried and Tested, the popular series by Clicknetwork. The web show covered beauty and lifestyle reviews, and was launched at a time when YouTubers were at their prime. With her perky onscreen personality and relatable charm, Shu An quickly endeared herself to viewers, many of whom make up her loyal fanbase.

In person, she is as effervescent and affable. She peppers her texts with star emojis. She thanks every single person at our photoshoot. She insists on sharing her lunch with me when I forget my own order.

During our first meeting, we get on like a house on fire. Our conversations go off on tangents, zigzagging through comfortable silences (when we ponder difficult questions) and squeals (as we gush over HBO's hit series The Last of Us). She asks about my favourite shows, my work and the highlights of my year - going well beyond trivial small talk. Shu An appears to be an expert conversationalist, but deep down, she is an introvert.