Actress Jasmine Sim Is Not Your Average Girl Next Door

Free-spirited and calm, yet cool and collected—that’s how rising star Jasmine Sim comes across IRL. On screen, she veers towards a moody disposition, so it’s refreshing to see that she’s quite happy and smiley in person. Despite her new-found celeb status—in part thanks to her Best Newcomer win for her role in 2018’s Doppelgänger at last year’s Star Awards, which gave her profile a huge boost—the model-actress has no airs about her. With all the allure and charm of the girl next door, she exudes a star presence that turns all eyes on her the minute she walks into a room. We chat with her about life after fame and discover that the 26-year-old is simply focused on living her best life as a young woman. 

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Winning the Best Newcomer award at the 2019 Star Awards really raised your profile—would it be a stretch to say it’s the highlight of your career?

Not at all. That show (Doppelgänger) really pushed me to improve rapidly and I think that made me go one big step up. But I also have this upcoming Chinese production that’ll be shot in Taiwan, which is another high for me—the prospect of shooting overseas excites me. It’s a collaboration between Singapore and Taiwan, and will be released next year on ViewTV. 

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In the meantime, what are you busy with? 

I’m currently shooting Kin, a long-form English drama. I’ve been doing that for about two years now and will be shooting that for a while more. 

How do you balance your work and your social life? 

I spend ample time studying for my scenes, but also make sure to put aside time for my friends. I meet up with friends from my university days quite regularly, as they’re the ones who keep me sane! 

Is there a particular role you’d like to play in future? 

A villain or a criminal... any character in a crime drama. 

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That’s quite the departure from your usual roles. 

Well, I like the challenges that different roles bring, and I actually enjoy watching crime and prison documentaries such as Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons and Inside the Criminal Mind. 

That’s surprising. What’s something else people probably wouldn’t guess about you?

I cross-stitch to de-stress and take my mind off things. Oh, and I meditate. I started the practice during circuit breaker and now kick off my mornings with a 10- to 15-minute session; it helps me centre myself and start the day with positive energy. I’m also quite a daring person—I went for a prison tour in the middle of the night in Australia once; it was meant to be a spooky experience, but I thought it was all right. 

Apart from acting, you also model. How would you describe your style?

It’s simple. I like staples I can style up or down—blazers, a nice pair of trousers, things like that. But I also like to try different things, which is why I enjoy photo shoots, because I get to try on stuff I don’t usually wear. 

Style loves? 

Yoyo Cao , and Taiwanese influencers Molly Chiang and Kiwi Lee Han have the coolest styles. 

What would your perfect day entail? 

Waking up, but not to the sound of an alarm. Cooking a simple breakfast. Chilling out with Mum and then meeting friends for a nice dinner. Heading home and watching Netflix for a bit before going to bed.  

Makeup: Aung Apichai using Estée Lauder
Hair: Calvin Gan/Hairloom
Photographer’s assistant: Muhammad Halid bin Ibrahim
Styling assistant: Navin Pillay