‘Vanity has no place in what I do’ says Pontianak star Nur Fazura

Nur Fazura may be considered one of the most beautiful celebrities in Malaysia.

But when it comes to her craft, taking pride in her appearance is of low priority.

In Singapore filmmaker Glen Goei's new period horror-romance Revenge Of The Pontianak, which is currently showing here, the 35-year-old actress plays the titular character from folklore.

While Fazura looks gorgeous in flashbacks, she does not shy away from appearing quite the opposite as the spine-chilling spirit of a pregnant woman who was killed by her lover (Remy Ishak).

Transforming into the Pontianak took three hours, but she enjoyed the experience.

She told The New Paper when she was in town for the movie's gala premiere last week: "It's not always I get to dress as such a character. I don't care much about looking pretty on-screen. I love when directors request (a bare face), because so many directors love made-up, beautiful actresses on screen.

"Being an artist, you have to be raw and vulnerable. When people look at me in real life, they think I'm untouchable.

"But when I'm acting, people can actually see my vulnerability and I love that. Vanity has no place in what I do."

For Fazura's more glamorous scenes, she is clad in a figure-hugging red lace kebaya - a colour which can be interpreted as a symbol of her character's ardour in love and anger in vengeance after her beloved's betrayal.

She admitted getting into the traditional outfit was a challenge because there were "lots of corsets and girdles underneath" and "padding on the chest and buttocks".

She said: "Women occasionally opt for (shapewear), especially when wearing certain types of dresses. At certain times, it is required - to help you stand taller and keep (the) shape.

"The kebaya is so iconic, I loved wearing it. I had so many different colours during the whole film."

Fazura's own style evolution has come a long way since her early days in showbiz in 2002.

She now seeks the sweet spot between femininity and functionality when it comes to her fashion choices.

Said the founder of her own fashion line Fazbulous, who has 4.7 million followers on Instagram: "I went from being a girly, sexy teenager to grungy badass woman (in) loose jeans and baggy stuff. I feel so comfortable in loose clothing. Nobody can tell if I'm fat or thin. I can eat whatever I want.

"I used to wear more revealing dresses. As I grew older, I realised it is unnecessary and prefer to leave more to the imagination."

Although she is all about "dressing for the occasion", Fazura said she tends to be more fashionable overseas.

She said: "I'm comfortable wearing jeans and tees back home, like when I go out to buy groceries. Although I do dress up when my husband (Malaysian actor Fattah Amin) takes me out on dates.

"(And) I love dressing up when travelling. It's the time when you relax and walk your runway."

GLAM FAZURA

Fazura glammed up in an elegant black pantsuit boasting a dramatic purple feathered neckline from her favourite designer Rizman Ruzaini to accept the Asean Most Inspiring Female Actress of the Year accolade at this year's McMillan Woods Global Awards.

She said: "Rizman and I think alike when coming up with an outfit. I wanted the pantsuit, and he suggested the feathers to go with it."

FASHION WEEK FAZURA

She "threw together this outfit spontaneously" for the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week Ready To Wear 2019 press conference.

Everything came straight from her wardrobe, and she topped off the black belted shirt with white piping with a head band as a quick fix for lazy hair days.

FEMININE FAZURA

It was summer in Los Angeles, and Fazura felt this printed maxi frock suited the season.

She said: "I should have worn sandals, but I went shopping so wanted to put on a nice heel. The dress matched the bag too."

CASUAL FAZURA

Fazura wanted a look that was both casual and chic, as she had a full day of business meetings in Beverly Hills.

She said: "One of them was with a friend, so I didn't want to look too formal."

She ended up throwing a white blazer on top of a slogan tee, jeans and Fendi shoulder bag.