Malaysia’s Yong Zheng Xi on the ‘95% hard work’ behind his Bridgerton fame
Yong talks about his journey from law school to starring in Barbie and Bridgerton, revealing the real hustle behind showbiz success
From a law lecture hall to Barbie and later the glitzy ballroom of Bridgerton, Malaysian-born actor Yong Zheng Xi is quietly carving out a place for himself on the international stage.
He appeared in the period drama as Lord Barnaby, a role that marks another milestone in a journey shaped as much by persistence as by talent.
Yong, 32, began as a singer but it was only after moving to London to pursue a law degree that his career trajectory shifted.
“When I came to London to pursue my undergraduate degree in law, my then singing teacher encouraged me to consider pursuing musical theatre and to watch more shows,” said the Miri-born who has a law degree from King’s College London.
“I became inspired when I saw that. In musical theatre, you could act, sing and dance all at once, which satisfied my multiple interests, so I decided that was what I wanted to do,” he said.
What began as curiosity soon evolved into a commitment to storytelling, a craft he describes as complex and rewarding.