KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Josiah Hogan believes all actors should be given equal opportunities to demonstrate their acting abilities, rather than having roles allocated based primarily on popularity.

The 40-year-old actor said that given sufficient room to perform, an actor could deliver a performance that exceeds expectations.

Referring to his own experience of rarely being a production’s first choice, Josiah said he had worked hard to prove his capabilities, as demonstrated by his portrayal of SAC Kamal in the film Takluk 2: Op Daulat.

“I am often the second, third or fourth choice for a role. Even for SAC Kamal, I was the fourth choice, but my scene with Datuk Eman Manan went viral.

“We do not necessarily have to cast actors whose schedules are packed (popular actors). We can also consider those who are available, because an actor who is less busy may be more focused and deliver a much better performance,” he told reporters after the pre-launch of Takluk 2: Op Daulat here recently.

Josiah said a similar situation was common in Hollywood, where actors who were not the first choice had managed to create magic on screen, turning films into major hits.

Sharing his views on the craft of acting, he said the key to successfully portraying a character lay in an actor’s ability to understand the character’s mood and demeanour when delivering lines, rather than merely memorising the dialogue.

“As actors, the challenge lies in understanding a character and switching according to the situation. When we focus too much on the dialogue, we sometimes forget the character’s own mannerisms,” he said.

Directed by Zulkarnain Azhar, the film is inspired by the 2013 Lahad Datu incursion and Ops Daulat, during which Malaysian security forces defended the country’s sovereignty. It is a continuation of Takluk: Lahad Datu, which was released in 2024.

Takluk 2: Op Daulat, scheduled to hit cinemas on November 26, also stars Syafiq Kyle, Datuk Remy Ishak, Kamal Adli and Sara Ali. — Bernama