KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — Fresh off the success of her first fantasy film Damsel, Malaysian actress Tasha Lim’s career is taking an exciting trajectory.
Petaling Jaya-born and bred Lim began her acting career when Hollywood was facing its two biggest challenges: the Covid-19 pandemic and the industry’s longest strike.
Her cinematic journey, however, was already in the making when she started dancing at the age of four, following the footsteps of her mother and grandfather.
“Performance was always my strong suit. Whenever I danced, people would say that I really enjoyed playing my part as a dancer,” the 25-year-old said to Malay Mail.
After receiving her primary education at SJKC Puay Chai, Lim went to the Alice Smith School for her secondary education, where she attended her first drama class.
And, when she was only 14 years old, Lim took adult acting classes at Enfiniti Academy from theatre veterans, Tiara Jacquelina and Joanna Bessey.
After graduating from high school, Lim’s drama teacher encouraged her to take part in an international audition held by the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama based in the United Kingdom.
She was accepted into the school in 2017 and graduated during the pandemic in 2020.
Fortunately, Lim had already signed with a talent agency and landed her first role for an episode in the world’s longest-running medical drama series, Casualty.
That was when her smooth-sailing journey hit the first stumbling block.
“I was offered the role of a ballerina who broke her ankle and joined the shooting in November 2020.
“We did not have much time to rehearse because TV dramas are shot quite fast. So, it was a good learning curve.
“Few months later, the producer told me that I did not make the final cut since the running time was shortened due to the pandemic.
“Unfortunately, this happens very often. You go through hundreds of rejection to get one job.
“I learned to process the loss, pick myself up and keep auditioning. Consistency is key in this industry,” she said.
Lim finally debuted in Caribbean Summer (2022), a Hallmark Channel original movie, as a New York-based assistant journalist.
She also made her mark through two sensational films, Saltburn (2023) and Damsel (2024) and has joined various television series such as The Canterville Ghost, The Power and Significant Other.
The Casualty team also welcomed her back for another episode this year.
Describing Damsel as a “dream come true”, Lim said she banked on her childhood memories of playing princess for her brief role in the movie’s climax.
Lim acted as the third bride of Prince Henry (Nick Robinson), who was saved from being sacrificed to a dragon after Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown) prevented her marriage.
“The costume, hair and make-up helped me to hold my character and her backstory further solidified the character.
“I thought to myself, if I was a child playing a damsel in distress with castles and dragons, what would I do? And, I drew inspiration from there,” she said.
Lim will be seen next as a news reporter in Afghan Dreamers, directed by two-time Oscar winner Bill Guttentag.
The film is inspired by the true story of the first all-girls robotics team from Afghanistan.
Now that she is getting considered for exciting projects, Lim hopes to land a good supporting role or a lead character, especially in fantasy-based films and series.
Eventually, she wants to get more stories from Malaysia heard and seen.
