Malaysian actor Hun Haqeem is more than just a heartthrob. Photos: Azlina Abdullah/The Star
As we sat down for StarLifestyle’s interview with Malaysian actor Hun Haqeem, he quickly asked us to list our favourite films.
He was unable to contain his excitement as we touched on the topic of 1980s and 90s cinema.
It’s from here that we learned that the Gen Z actor is an old soul at heart when it comes to his movie choices – a trait shaped by the tastes of his parents and three older siblings.
“The Back To The Future trilogy and Star Wars are just some of my favourites,” Hun, 26, said.
“I like sci-fi and also fantasy because of how it convinces us to believe in that world when, at the end of the day, it’s just a movie.
“Filmmakers back then had miniature technology, yet they were able to make galaxies and all. I started diving deeper into filmmaking as I grew older, and my passion for movies naturally grew with each passing day,” added the actor.
For someone who sees movies as an escape but avoids romance films because he “doesn’t fancy cliches”, it’s easy to assume that acting would be a top career choice for Hun.
However, the Sarawakian shared that it was never on his list to begin with.
Hun took a leap of faith when he left his full-time job for a career in the entertainment scene.He pursued a career in corporate communications at a local news company but felt something amiss.
“While I loved my job back then, I was looking for something else I could do full-heartedly,” he said.
So he decided to go for a casting and that marked the start of his showbiz career.
Meteoric rise
Trading his job for an uncertain future was a huge gamble, but one Hun courageously took to pursue his dreams.
The young celebrity made his debut in the 2019 telefilm Tasbih Usang and followed up with the TV3 drama Cari Aku Di Syurga that same year.
He had his first taste of fame in late 2019 when he starred in the popular comedy series Kampung People and later solidified his status as one of Malaysia’s emerging stars with Angkara Cinta (2020) and Chinta Wrong Direction (2023).
Hun has been on the rise since then, amassing a legion of devoted fans affectionately known as Huniverse.
He also took home the prize for Men Style Icon at the Nona Superhero Awards in January this year.
Hun confessed that transitioning from a regular guy to celebrity status hasn’t been easy.
For one, people are now invested in his private life.
“I’m personally an introverted person, so the most stressful changes are people knowing you and my privacy is basically non-existent now. I still get anxious whenever I go outside, like I’ll be wearing a mask and all,” he said.
And then there’s juggling multiple projects, all the while trying to find some free time.
Hun is still trying to find that balance between work and personal life. Photo: Hun Haqeem/Instagram
“A few years ago, I went to my sister’s engagement reception but only stayed for 15 minutes as I had to work.
“I don’t have the answer to balancing work and personal life. I’m still trying to find that sweet spot between the two,” he said.
Despite it all, Hun is grateful for where he’s at today.
Rather than dwelling on the negatives, he actively leverages his influence to foster positive change within society by conducting a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project each year.
In March, Hun forked out money from his own pocket to host a buka puasa event for an orphanage in Rawang, Selangor.
He also helped paint the surau of a school in Petaling Jaya last year.
“Something I learned is to be grateful in the present moment.
“Being able to be where I’m at now, I’m able to do a lot of things, and that includes giving back to the community, so fame is really not all bad,” he added.
No bad blood
Hun’s ability to remain optimistic in tough situations is admirable.
When faced with conflicts, the TV star handles them gracefully without holding any grudges.
This was evident in his response to the legal conflict with renowned producer David Teo.
In February, Teo, the managing director of Metrowealth International Group (MIG), said his company suffered significant losses when Hun exited the agency with two years left on his contract.
Consequently, the Court of Appeal ordered Hun to pay RM613,950 in damages to his former management company for the breach of contract.
Hun admitted he was surprised by Teo’s public disclosure of the case details, as he had remained silent about the dispute since his departure from MIG.
Hun was ordered to pay RM613,950 in damages to his former management company earlier in February. Photo: Hun Haqeem/Instagram
“I didn’t release any statements because I didn’t want this issue to affect the image of our film industry.
“This case has been ongoing since 2020 and nothing (got publicised), so I was wondering why it resurfaced this year,” he told local media in an earlier interview.
Hun has since moved past the issue and maintains a good relationship with Teo.
“I believe that our industry is very small, and we’re bound to meet each other again. Everyone in this industry has the same goal, which is to put Malaysia on the map.
“We have an Oscar-winning actress (Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh), and our industry is moving ahead but not so much.
“The only way to change that momentum is for everyone to be united, and having beef (arguments) isn’t helping anyone at all,” he told StarLifestyle.
Hun credits his friends for his ability to handle conflicts effortlessly. Photo: Hun Haqeem/Instagram
While Hun may seem to handle conflicts effortlessly on his own, he affirmed that it wouldn’t be possible without his “circle”.
To him, having good friends, his family and supportive people by his side is assurance that everything is going to be OK.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for them,” he said.
Pushing his limits
Career-wise, Hun said he is interested to dabble in music.
He’s in the midst of writing a few tracks and hopes to release his first song this year.
But first, he needs to prioritise his health as he had undergone surgery to fix a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in his knee last October.
He sustained the injury while filming the remake of the Korean drama W: Two Worlds last year.
At the time, Hun felt the need to not “screw things up” as the main star of the show, with many people on set counting on him.
“We still had another 23 days left, and I tore my ACL completely. It’s difficult, but I realised I can’t pull out as the production team would be affected. So, we decided to tie up the knee and carry on with the shoot,” he recalled.
Hun postponed his ACL surgery so he could film his remaining scenes for the action drama, W: Two Worlds. Photo: Handout
For his role, Hun went from over 80kg to 70kg – his biggest body transformation for any acting project to date.
“I’d eat only one meal a day to speed up the process (of losing weight). This isn’t the right way to lose weight, and I don’t encourage it.
“The reason I did this was because time wasn’t on my side then. If I had more time, I would have definitely used other healthier methods,” the actor said.
Booked and busy
Presently, Hun is filming two shows.
The first is a TV series called From Saga With Love 2, which is expected to be released in October.
The romantic comedy was shot on location in Saga, Japan.
During his time in the Land of the Rising Sun, Hun – along with his co-stars Siti Khadijah Halim, Ikmal Amry, Sophia Albarakbah and Fimie Don – had the opportunity to meet the governor of Saga prefecture, Yoshinori Yamaguchi.
Hun (first from right) and his co-stars had the opportunity to meet Saga prefecture governor Yoshinori Yamaguchi in Japan. Photo: mStar
“It’s a surreal experience. Japan is a really nice and beautiful country. If I have the opportunity, I’d love to expand my career outside of Malaysia... perhaps in Japan someday,” he said.
Additionally, Hun is set to star in his first feature film Game Of Life, which is expected to be released next January.
Directed by Syafiq Yusof, the movie chronicles the journey of Muhammad Faris Zakaria – famously known as Soloz – who rose to prominence as one of Malaysia’s most popular esports players, particularly in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
Since this was Hun’s first time portraying a real-life person, he was determined to give it his all.
“As someone who doesn’t really play online games, I had to get into the habit of doing so.
“So I started watching a lot of game streaming, tried playing Mobile Legends and eventually got very invested.
“One Mobile Legends game usually takes about 30 minutes but I often find myself playing for hours... sometimes, I’d even play for up to six hours straight!” he exclaimed.
Loving himself first
Hun is in no hurry to marry.When it comes his his personal life, Hun said he hopes to get married someday. However, he isn’t in a hurry to find that special someone just yet.
“I don’t want to rush because these kinds of things take time and commitment. I’m still looking for the right one,” he shared.
In the meantime, there is someone Hun is learning to love: Himself.
“It’s kind of difficult to love myself at the moment because I’m always in and out of a character... always working on different emotions, and it’s very contradicting.
“Sometimes, when I’m having a bad day and need to go on a comedy set, I have to force myself to be happy... I can’t even find time to cry because I need to nail a (funny) scene.”
To manage his emotions, Hun has started giving himself more “me-time”.
He hopes that his efforts will pay off one day and bring him a step closer to loving others better.
“I believe that self-love is important because once you understand how to love yourself, you will naturally know how to love others properly. I really hope I’ll be able to love myself more.”
