Joining the Showbiz Industry at 28: Yunis To’s Journey

Yunis To, 31, joined the showbiz industry as an actress in 2022 at a time when many might think it’s too late. However, she believes that it’s an advantage and not a disadvantage. “I don’t think I am worse off than others. Not that I am overconfident or anything, but I feel I have done quite well,” Yunis, who plays Xiao Hui in the popular series Emerald Hill — The Little Nyonya Story, told AsiaOne in an interview. Her journey of entering the entertainment industry was a series of coincidences. In 2018, while working as a sales and marketing executive for a car dealership in Johor Bahru, she was asked to appear in online videos and commercials for the business. This experience helped her gain confidence and consider becoming a host. Despite this, Yunis had never thought about joining a broadcasting company until one day when she was filming a commercial and delivered her lines in one take, impressing the client with her articulation. The client asked if she had ever considered becoming a host, and Yunis started to think about it. She had always been a fan of local blockbuster The Little Nyonya (2008) and was excited to audition for the spin-off series Emerald Hill — The Little Nyonya Story. “When I first heard that I would be auditioning for Xiao Hui, I was excited because I had watched The Little Nyonya when I was young and seen it more than once because I think it’s a good show. I also watched the China adaptation,” Yunis recounted. Her journey to joining the industry was not without challenges. When she was asked to travel to Singapore for the radio DJ talent competition, she was worried and struggled to decide whether to go. “I was definitely worried… To be honest, I struggled whether to come here,” Yunis shared. However, she was given an opportunity to meet good mentors and participants, and she decided to take it. She finished ninth place in the competition and was asked if she was interested in acting. Although she had no experience, she decided to take up the challenge. When asked if her parents were worried about her stepping into a different career path, Yunis shared that while they were initially surprised, they were supportive of her. “I was an introvert when I was young. I wouldn’t be the centre of attention at family gatherings and would stay quietly at the side. So, when my parents, including our relatives, heard that I became an actress, they were quite shocked,” Yunis said. She has since had a steady stream of supporting roles in local series, including Oppa, Saranghae! (2023), Stranger In The Dark (2023), My One and Only (2023), 321 Action! (2024), The Blockbusters (2024), and I Believe I Can Fly (2025). Currently, she is seen in Emerald Hill — The Little Nyonya Story and in the upcoming drama The Gift of Time starring veteran actors Xie Shaoguang and Chen Hanwei. Yunis believes that her age and life experiences are beneficial when stepping into a new role. “The experiences that I have gained throughout the years helped me a lot when I entered showbiz, especially in understanding my characters and their relationships. It also helped in my relationships with my colleagues because I’m not a workforce rookie; I understand well about the working environment and how to get along with others,” she explained. Yunis acknowledged that she has much to improve in her acting skills, but she has been working on it. She has also been learning from veteran actors, including Shaoguang and Hanwei. When asked if she would consider acting as a long-term career, Yunis replied: “Before acting in The Gift of Time, I wondered to myself whether I was suitable for acting. It was only after a month into the filming that I realised I quite like it actually.”
“In the past, acting was stressful because I didn’t have any experience. When I go to a film set, I would always think whether I could meet the director’s expectations and not hold anyone back. But while acting in this drama with Hanwei and Shaoguang now, I find that I like it and that acting is actually fun… So at the moment, I still want to be an actress,” Yunis said. Yunis finds enjoyment in experiencing what her character goes through and the ability to touch the hearts of audiences with her performance. “It didn’t matter how much screen time I had,” Yunis said. I also watched the China adaptation.”
She has also been working on her skills by watching performances by actresses who had played tragic characters, such as Joanne Peh in The Little Nyonya and Chinese star Zhao Liying in the movie Article 20 (2024). Filming for The Gift of Time is expected to end in June. When asked about her experience working with veteran actors Shaoguang and Hanwei, Yunis said: “Shaoguang is a jovial person, he loves to laugh and gets along well with everyone on set. He shared a lot of life and acting advice with me.”
“It seems like he could see immediately that I was thinking about the same thing; I think it’s incredible. I pondered about it before and didn’t say it out loud. So, when he said this, I asked him how he knew, and he sat me down to talk about his own experiences.”
Yunis is grateful for the opportunities she has had and is proud of what she has achieved. “I am very lucky to be working with two veteran actors because not everyone has such a chance,” Yunis said. She also strives to maintain normality in her personal life and continues to use the same Instagram account she had before joining the industry. “Although I am in showbiz, I am still me, so I would continue to use that account… Usually, I would just post some of my photos, there isn’t any difference for me as compared to before joining this industry,” Yunis said. Yunis hopes to continue acting and expanding her skills. “I hope to be able to perform well and leave a memorable impression for the audience. That’s what I really hope to achieve, to make people remember I am a good actress,” Yunis said. She also hopes to try out hosting and expand her skills. “I was part of the hosting team for (Chinese New Year festival) River Hongbao this year, but that was presenting through skits. If there are other hosting opportunities in the future, I hope to challenge myself.”

Yunis To, 31, is a Malaysian actress who joined the showbiz industry in 2022. She plays Xiao Hui in the popular series Emerald Hill — The Little Nyonya Story and is set to star in the upcoming drama The Gift of Time alongside veteran actors Xie Shaoguang and Chen Hanwei. She believes that her age and life experiences are beneficial when stepping into a new role, and that she has gained valuable skills from her time working in the industry. It was only after a month into the filming that I realised I quite like it actually.”
Yunis finds enjoyment in experiencing what her character goes through and the ability to touch the hearts of audiences with her performance. She has also been working on her skills by watching performances by actresses who had played tragic characters, such as Joanne Peh in The Little Nyonya and Chinese star Zhao Liying in the movie Article 20 (2024). Yunis is grateful for the opportunities she has had and is proud of what she has achieved. If there are other hosting opportunities in the future, I hope to challenge myself.”

“I am not sure what the future holds, but I am excited to see what opportunities come my way.” — Yunis To

Yunis To, the 31-year-old Malaysian actress, has come a long way since joining the showbiz industry in 2022. Despite facing challenges and doubts, she has persevered and has been making a name for herself in the industry.