Malaysian Actor Yong Zheng Xi is Stealing the Scene in the UK

As Malaysians, there’s always a sense of pride and excitement at seeing one of our own make a name for themselves on the international stage—especially in an industry where Asian, and particularly Malaysian, representation has historically been limited. Even more so is when it’s someone I’ve personally watched perform on stage since high school.

Before becoming an actor in the UK, Yong Zheng Xi was a regular in our school’s annual talent shows and stage productions. Whenever there was a chance to perform, you could bet he’d be there, showing off his trifecta of talents in acting, singing and dance. It was clear to me—and anyone watching—that performing came as naturally to Yong as breathing. The stage was where he felt most at home.

But, like many Asians raised by strict parents, I assumed this passion would eventually take a back seat once he entered the “real” world and pursued a more conventional career. So imagine my surprise when I spotted Yong in Barbie, and later saw him as the dashing Lord Barnaby in Bridgerton season four! Beyond his screen credits, I was delighted to see that Yong has also built an impressive theatre résumé, leading a London West End production at the Harold Pinter Theatre and performing at the world-renowned Globe Theatre.

Since 2016, Yong has pursued his dream of performing with unwavering determination, despite graduating from King’s College London with a law degree. His blossoming career reflects years of dedication, resilience, and perseverance in one of the world’s most competitive entertainment industries.

While there are still relatively few Malaysians making their mark in major Western productions, Yong is part of a growing generation proving that talent from Malaysia can thrive on the global stage.

Ahead, I caught up with my fellow alumnus to talk about his journey across film, television and theatre, his Bridgerton break, and the battles that still lie ahead for Asian actors in the industry.

First off, it’s so delightful to see how far you’ve come since high school! I remember watching you on stage all the time. How did your love for performing come about?

“Thank you so much! Wow, what a blast from the past. [laugh] With performing, singing was always my main thing when I was younger. I started doing singing competitions when I was around eight years old. As you know, our high school had a lot of opportunities for students to explore their creativity, such as talent shows and annual school productions, so I really enjoyed that.

But it was when I came to London to do my undergraduate in law that it all changed for me. I had a singing teacher who teaches the MA musical theatre program at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM). He said I should consider musical theatre and encouraged me to watch some shows, which I did. I was really amazed by how in musicals, you get to act, sing, and dance. You do all of it. 

Since my interests were and still are very broad, I knew I wanted to pursue musical theatre because I wanted to be able to do everything. This included film and TV since acting training was also included in musical theatre. I realised how much film, TV, and theatre impacted me a lot emotionally as an audience member, and I felt very inspired by that.”

When did you realise you wanted to switch from law to musical theatre?

“I was very set on a law career in my first year, but it was in my second year that I had a serious conversation with myself. I always wanted to perform growing up, but it felt out of reach. Even in law school, I never gave up performing. In my first year, I was part of the all-male a cappella group at Kings called the Kingsmen. We did competitions and toured to New York, LA, Milan, and Edinburgh. Every week, we would meet up to rehearse and practice. 

After meeting my singing teacher and realising there are things like drama school in the UK where you could get training, it made it feel like my dream was within reach and possible. 

You only have one life at the end of the day. When you reach a certain age and look back, what would you have wanted your story to be? I knew the rates of success are really low in this industry, and it’s not guaranteed; even today, I’m not in a safe position in my career.

But I think I couldn’t come to terms with not having tried. I don’t want to have any regrets. If I fail, at least I don’t have ‘what ifs’. That’s a motto I live with. I’m gonna give it a go, and if it doesn’t work out, fine, but at least I tried. So while I was trying out for bar school, I was also auditioning for musical theatre and drama schools post-grad.” 

How did that conversation go down with your parents?

“I only told my parents after I got in. I didn’t want to have this whole discussion or potentially an argument with my parents when I had nothing to show for it or prove that I could do it. I wanted to let them know there is potential, and I wasn’t delusional, shooting my shot, you know what I mean? [laughs]

“And I think that offer from RAM showed my parents that I was really serious and that I had some form of talent that is recognised overseas as well. They were actually really supportive. It wasn’t particularly surprising because they’ve always been supportive, but I was still worried about how they would receive it. But they were so supportive, and the fact I got into RAM proved to them I was dedicated to this.”

So you go to drama school, train, and graduate. What happens after? 

“Because it’s such a big industry, agents are very important in the UK, especially for actors. One of the big benefits of drama school in particular is that agents go there to scout talent. At the end of your training, you will have a final show. It’s what we call an industry showcase. These events are organised to invite casting directors and agents to see the students perform. It’s very high pressure.

“In musical theatre colleges, everyone does it differently. Your main thing is your song. Our showcase was an hour long, and there were 30 students in my year. I was the only Malaysian in my cohort. Each of us had a minute to a minute and a half of solo. It’s directed kind of like a sceneless show, and we all pick which solo song is best for us. I sang ‘She’s a Woman’ from Kiss of a Spider Woman. I honestly think I was okay, not particularly amazing. [laughs] I feel quite lucky that my first agent took me on.

Once you sign, they make money by commission. No one pays anyone any fees; they earn money when you book a job. So as an actor, you do have pressure to book jobs. Because if you’re not making any money and your agent is pushing for you, then after some time, you might part ways.

In early 2022, I was a part of the Spring Awakening production in London. It had a lot of industry buzz, so that was when I decided to change agents. I wrote a bunch of emails, and now, I’m signed with my current agent, who is amazing. That was also a very important point in my career as well.”

You’ve been keeping busy across the screen and stage. What have been some of your career milestones so far?

“Miss Saigon is special because it was my first job in an ensemble for a musical. We were part of the UK and international tour, and I did that for a year. There were a few theatre productions after that.

I finished an eight-week run of American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre playing Luis Caruthers. The musical did really well critically, and the show sold out within hours because it was a limited run. I really enjoyed playing a fun character like Luis.

“In the UK, you can get boxed in as a musical theatre actor and have to prove you can also do screen. Around 2019, I nabbed my first screen appearance in an episode of a long-running British soap called Doctors. My first recurring role where I’m in nearly every episode is a BBC series called Borders. It’s set in a boarding school, and I play a student. We just wrapped the final season of that. 

Bobby was my first feature film appearance. I filmed it in 2022, and it came out in the summer of 2023. And, of course, there’s Bridgerton season four, which premiered in February this year. It’s been a series of little breaks here and there.” 

Speaking of Bridgerton, talk to us about the audition process for that.

“Our agents submit us to push for an audition. To secure one, you’ve kind of already won the first round because not everyone gets that. With any audition, you get the character details and audition sites you need to tape. I did my self-tape, sent it to my agent, and forgot about it. 

For every one job I book, I get way more rejections. You give your best for every audition, and you don’t take it for granted, but once you’re done with your tape, you try your best to forget about it because it’s out of your hands. You either get a no or don’t hear back at all. 

A few weeks later, I found out I got the part, and I was really excited that I was going to be a part of such a beloved and amazing project. I auditioned for the show before, so for me, it was like a full-circle moment.”

How was it on the Bridgerton set?

“I didn’t know that I would be dancing in the ballroom scene. For these kinds of projects, unless you’re one of the leads, you don’t really see the full arc. I had to attend dance rehearsals with the choreographer. That was really fun. I think we did about three or four days of it. 

The person I saw the most obviously was Isabella, who plays Posy Li, and she was just really lovely and supportive. I think I filmed towards the end of the whole process, so I was like the newcomer. But everyone on set was so welcoming. I was also able to meet Yerin and Luke, the leading couple, and they were both so friendly. 

What was your favourite moment from filming?

“Rehearsing and dancing with Izzy was a lot of fun. We both have dance backgrounds, so we just really enjoyed it, and we got on so well.” 

What was it like seeing yourself in Bridgerton?

“A lot of the bigger characters had seen it during the premieres. They told me nice things about my scene, but I didn’t see it until everyone saw it. I was a bit nervous. I’m always nervous watching myself back on screen because I don’t know how I come across, or which take they decide to use. But I was so happy with how it all turned out, and the scenes looked great.” 

What was your reaction to all the love you were receiving on Instagram?

“To be honest, I was a bit surprised by the reaction online! [laughs] It was lovely and heartwarming, but I really didn’t expect it. It was such a heartwarming surprise. I’m always very grateful for the support from home.

It made me realise why it was important to everyone to see someone like me on a show as widely watched as Bridgerton. It means a lot to them and by extension, it also means a lot to me.”

As a Southeast Asian actor, how has it been navigating the world of showbiz in the UK? Do you feel like challenges in stereotypes and representation have improved?

“It’s still a battle. I think the UK has improved a lot, even since I joined the industry. But I still think there are huge battles to be fought. Sometimes it can get really frustrating. In the past, I have dealt with auditions with characters that are so stereotypical, like, “Why is this still happening?”, and I didn’t want to do it.

Stereotypes aren’t all bad. I don’t mind playing a nerd, but that can’t be all there is to the character. If they are complex and there’s depth, I would be open. 

As for representation, there’s still a lack of Asians in leading roles in the UK, and I think there’s still a long way to go. I think shows like Bridgerton have been an amazing step up for representation. But as we speak, it is still something I deal with daily. Asian actors here, British-born or not, all part of the same battle.”

What kind of characters are you drawn to?

“After being in the industry for a few years, you kind of see a pattern in the roles you get cast in. I think I’ve been lucky enough to play diverse roles such as villains, students, and adults. The more complicated and different the character is, the more exciting it is because I like the challenge of it.”

What advice can you share to Malaysians who have the same dream as you?

“On a general note, you have to be really thick-skinned and resilient. I think any career in the arts is going to be super tough. There are a lot of rejections and uncertainty which never ends. Even now, I don’t know what’s going to happen to me in a year. 

For actors who want to make it abroad, to be very grounded, I am quite privileged that I managed to come to the UK. This isn’t the only pathway. There’s Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, China. Just be resourceful and brave. I think it’s all about taking the courage to do it. Everything is cringe until it works out. Be brave to put yourself out there.”

How do you deal with rejection?

“It definitely gets easier with the years. Rejection is redirection, right? Having a strong support system around you who will constantly reassure you, and a supportive agent, always helps. It’s just a lot of self-belief, self-positive talk, and not giving up. You need to develop a resilient mindset and get to a point where you don’t take things personally. 

At the end of the day, acting is a subjective art form, as all art is. When you get rejected from a role, rather than feel dejected, you can try to learn from the process and ask yourself what you could’ve done better.

Some people just might not like the way you perform. But it’s not necessarily a mark of your talent. Another mantra I live by is that you can only do what’s within your control. That applies to anything in life. It’s the same with rejection. The only thing you can control is your level of skill and preparation. Once you’ve done it, it’s out of your hands, and you learn to let go.”

You just wrapped up another production, love you long time (already). Do you have anything lined up?

“No is the honest answer. That’s the reality of an actor’s life. But I think it’s exciting as well to not know. A lot of people are scared of the unknown, but you can overthink the good stuff as well. It just means I’m available for whatever projects.

With that being said, I do want to start writing music this year. I released my debut single ‘One Day’ in May, which is super exciting. Pop is still something I’ve always wanted to do, which is funny because I’m an actor first now. I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself and am taking baby steps to nurture this on the side. So do keep your eye out for more music!”

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