Melissa Campbell: ‘Pursue your Goals with Passion’

Actress Melissa Campbell shares her message for Malaysia Day as well as her self-care and beauty tips.

With over 25K followers on Instagram (@heymelbelle), Melissa Campbell’s popularity – as an actor and social media persona – is undeniable.

Born in Newcastle, Australia, Melissa left the city at the age of five and grew up mostly here in Kuala Lumpur. “I don’t feel like I’m Australian at all because I grew up in Malaysia,” says Melissa with a laugh.

After high school at Sri KDU in KL, the budding thespian moved to New York at the age of 18 to pursue her education at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. After five years there, Melissa moved to Los Angeles for three years to go after bigger dreams as an actress.

Having been away for eight years, the Scottish-Malaysian decided to return to KL as she had started to miss home and family. “I wasn’t sure if it was necessary for me to settle down in the United States. I started to miss my family and I was getting burned out.”

More well known as a child actress who made commercials, Melissa’s biggest claim to fame was the role in Hollywood epic ‘Anna And The King’, when she was cast as the little Princess Fa Ying opposite Chow Yun-Fat and Jodie Foster.

“It’s enforced me in terms of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” she recalls of her experience filming the 1999 movie. “I remember everything that happened – from the casting process to the end, until the movie premiere. I was very aware, into it and in control of what I wanted to do at eight years old.

“Everything I did was carefully thought out, and it was my decision and my parents always asked me if I was sure about it and yes, I was all in. But, being on that scale at that early age, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Melissa, 30, can be seen in the new season of ‘Keluarga Baha Don’ on Viu. She also starred in ‘Kopitiam Double Shot’. The reboot of the popular Malaysian sitcom ‘Kopitam’ sees Melissa as Seleb, childhood bestie of Alia (Sharifah Amani), a newly-retrenched millennial who runs the coffee shop.

Here, the soon-to-be-married Melissa opens up to myeppo….

We will be celebrating Malaysia Day (Sept 16) soon! What does being Malaysian mean to you?

Being Malaysian to me means looking out for other Malaysians. I find that Malaysians have an understanding like no other. We have an immense love for one another and look over each other’s shoulders no matter what country we are residing in.

Despite our current state of affairs, I am proud to say we are a community that takes care of one another.

How has the pandemic and lockdown affected you?

A lot of work projects were delayed; everything came to a standstill. Also, my wedding has been postponed twice, from January to June and now December.

What was the biggest lesson learnt?

That you don’t have to live up to this pressure to always be busy. When we were younger, we sometimes got validation from others when we were younger, it helped me to transition to a phase where I don’t need external validation and focus on my own internal growth. I got to realign my focus and goals

As a public figure, how important is social media to you?

It is a useful tool for me to keep in touch with people, especially during the lockdown. I have been having fun with Tik Tok and getting to know my audience, while connecting with followers and other creatives on social media.

What is your beauty regime like?

I do have a set routine; in the morning, I use cleanser, toner, essence, moisturiser, eye cream, sunscreen and finally makeup. At night, I make sure to remove my makeup completely and use a different set of products as well.

As you enter your 30s, has skincare become more important to you?

Absolutely! I wish I cared more about it in my early 20s. Now I am starting to look into anti-ageing stuff.

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A post shared by Melissa Campbell (@heymelbelle)

How do you self-care at home?

This year I decided to focus more on spirituality, on seeking calmness and zen in my life. Home is my space to de-stress and relax. When I wake up, I ease into my morning by switching on the humidifier and making a cup of coffee. As a way to relax, I do my skincare routine. Working out is important. When I was younger, I exercised to achieve a certain type of body. But now my goal is to let loose and focus on wellness.

What is your advice to young people who want to follow in your footsteps?

Whatever your ambition is, focus is definitely important. You need to pursue your goals with passion and be really determined; passion is everything. You have to put in the legwork and knock on as many doors as possible.