KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — Taiwanese actress Vivian Sung is no stranger to taking on different roles, but her latest film presented a challenge that required her to immerse herself in Malaysian daily life.

In the Malaysian-Taiwanese production The Age of Goodbyes, Sung plays Du Li An, whose story unfolds against the historical backdrop of Ipoh.

In an interview with Malay Mail she mentioned her biggest challenge was mastering the Malaysian Mandarin accent, which she worked on extensively before filming.

Besides working with an acting coach to practise her lines, Sung immersed herself in everyday Malaysian life to become more familiar with how locals spoke.

“I moved to Kuala Lumpur a month before filming.

“Every day, I went outside to markets and shops to talk to local people.

“I tried having casual conversations with them to practise,” she said.

She even tested her progress by seeing whether locals could recognise her Taiwanese roots when she spoke in a Malaysian accent.

However, her attempts did not always go as planned, as many people quickly identified her as Taiwanese, much to her disappointment.

Despite this, she persisted with her daily conversations and gradually became more comfortable with the accent over the course of the month.

Although Sung had visited Malaysia several times before, her previous trips were mostly for film promotions, which usually lasted only a day or two.

Working on The Age of Goodbyes gave her the opportunity to experience the country beyond the usual tourist attractions and brief promotional visits.

She also spent a month in Ipoh, where most of the film was shot.

“I felt Malaysia was so beautiful, especially Ipoh.

“The nature and lakes were wonderful, and I had a great experience filming here.”

Sung also praised the professionalism of the Malaysian actors and spoke fondly of the local dishes she had the opportunity to try during her stay in Ipoh.

Directed by Edmund Yeo, The Age of Goodbyes also marks a rare foray into art-house cinema for Sung, who has previously appeared mainly in leading roles in youth romances and romantic comedies.

What drew her to the role of Du Li An was the character’s charm, emotional struggles and transformation from a young woman into adulthood, as well as the film’s Malaysian historical backdrop.

“I just felt that Du Li An was such a charming character.

“When I read the script, I knew I had to play her.”

The film is adapted from a novel by Li Zi Shu, which Sung read approximately six times before filming.

Each reading gave her a different perspective on the character and the story.

She said she was surprised and fascinated not only by Du Li An but also by the wider storyline and its 1960s setting.

Although she had never experienced that era herself, the novel introduced her to numerous stories that she felt were worth sharing with audiences through the film.

Sung, who has watched the film three times, said each viewing offered her different lessons and perspectives.

“Every time I watched the movie, I took away different lessons myself.

“I hope audiences will understand through this movie that no matter what happens in life, no matter how difficult things may be, we all have choices.

“I hope we can bring love into our lives and turn our vulnerabilities into strength,” she said.

The Age of Goodbyes is now showing in Malaysian cinemas.