Mhia's toil pays off with Golden Horse nod

Rising actress Mhia Firdaus considers her nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 63rd Golden Horse Awards an incredible milestone, and one that caught her completely off guard.

The 20-year-old admitted it took time for the news to sink in.

"Honestly, it feels like a dream. It's such an extraordinary moment for me because I never thought I would be nominated for an award like this, especially so early in my career.

"I keep asking myself, 'Is this really happening to me?'" she said.

Mhia credited her team and family for the achievement.

"My name might be on the nomination list, but I didn't get here on my own," she said.

"It made me realise that things you think are impossible can actually happen if you put your heart and soul into them."

Her role in 'Sayang Sayang' required rigorous physical preparation, including diving lessons and mastering Muay Thai — all while fasting during Ramadan.

"Doing it during the fasting month had its ups and downs. You need real mental and physical strength," she said.

Learning sign language posed another challenge.

"It wasn't just about getting the signs right. We had to make sure the emotion came through. Balancing the language, emotion, and acting all at once was tough, but it made the whole experience so rewarding."

Mhia's mother, established actress Farah Ahmad, helped shape her performance through deep character analysis.

"We talked through the character together. Sometimes, a single conversation can completely change how you view a role."

Addressing early scepticism about her background, as she is also the granddaughter of veteran actress Datuk Fauziah Nawi, Mhia expressed deep gratitude.

"When people doubted me, my family stood by me. They saw all the hard work, struggles and sacrifices behind the scenes."

Directed by Tang Hsiang-Chu, the Malaysia-Taiwan co-production earned five Golden Horse nominations.

The film follows three deaf-mute youths along Peninsular Malaysia's East Coast and opens in Malaysia on Nov 5.