Former beauty queen, Susan Manen, talks to Phoon Chi Ho about her start in life and what she is dabbling in today.

With a “Queen of Malaysia” title under her belt, a long, lucrative career in television, a happy marriage and four children to boot, Susan Manen could not have asked for more.

Fresh from a “TV Special” shoot, Susan turned up for our interview bearing the genial glow she is known for, showing no signs of stress, as one might expect from a mother of four.

She won the “Queen of Malaysia” pageant (now known as “Miss Malaysia Universe”) back in 1993 at the age of 19, and is just as fresh faced as she was then, though now she also bears the additional qualities of wisdom and the sensuality of a confident woman, comfortable in her own skin.

After claiming the tiara, her life chart ascended with roles in television commercials and local movies such as Sedarah, Bintang Tiga, K.L.U., and KAMI: The Movie, including a starring role in Aziz M. Osman’s Penyu.

More than just a pretty face on the silver screen, Susan, who is of English, Portuguese and Singhalese descent, has also acted in more than 20 local TV drama series and countless commercials including a Silkygirl advertisement (directed by the late Yasmin Ahmad) – the one where she plays an “ageless mother who allures her daughter’s boyfriend”.

Susan has acted alongside stars such as Vanida Imran, Yantzen, Azhar Sulaiman, Ogy Ahmad Daud, Datuk Jalaludin Hassan, and many more; and even found love with popular local movie star, Mustapha Kamal of Sembilu fame, whom she married in 1998.

Today, her husband is still a fixture in the local TV and movie scene, while she spends most of her time raising their four kids and juggling photo and movie shoots. This may sound like a difficult task for many, but not Susan, who appears to handle everything in her stride. CS&B caught up with her.

I started very young, as a child model and actress for print ads and TV commercials in the late 70s. I think there was a time when I played the “little girl” in almost every commercial back in the day!

I remember shooting a commercial for McDonald’s® fried chicken – back then, McDonald’s® only had burgers on their menu. So, I was the lucky one who got to take the first bite of their fried chicken! [Laughs]

Besides studying, I did quite a bit of modelling and acting in my younger years.

Actually, I joined the competition for the money. [Laughs] I had just completed my SPM (O Levels equivalent) and my mother told me that I should start fending for myself, so I set out to look for means. First, I became a kindergarten teacher and moonlighted as a waitress at the PJ Hilton Hotel – I enjoyed those jobs. I like meeting people.

I read about the pageant in the papers and remember the prize money was about RM10,000. I needed some money to finance my education at university, so I thought, “Why not give the pageant a shot?” I was 19 at the time.

Before I knew it, I was mingling with the other pageant contestants in the dressing room. I didn’t like the atmosphere because everyone was feeling the pressure to look good – I just wanted to see how far I could go in the pageant; no pressure at all. Obviously, things took an unexpected turn and I ended up winning.

It definitely was a turn for the better. For a year, I was doing road shows and charity work, so there was a lot of travelling involved. On the side, I was getting more job offers for commercials, dramas and even movies. I owe that to the pageant.

I still follow and read about the current “Miss Malaysia” pageant whenever I can. I think the pageant is much better today in terms of opening possibilities for the winners. The participants today are more educated and know how to carry themselves well.

I admire Malaysia’s past winner, Deborah Henry. You can really see that she is genuine and has that eagerness to help – she carries that very well, and people can see that.

Join [the pageant] if you really want to help the cause, as being “Miss Malaysia” is an awesome responsibility. Always know what you are doing and don’t join it for no reason. If you do join, always remember to be yourself. Be who you are inside and always smile.

Actually, I’m busier now as a mother than as an actress! My eldest daughter, Sabella, is 10 years old, my boy Qayyiem is eight, my second daughter Salsabil is six, and my youngest boy, Qaddiem, is three.

On school days, I wake up at five in the morning to prepare breakfast for Sabella and Qayyiem before they go off to school (they take the bus). As soon as my two eldest children have left, I get my second daughter ready for kindergarten. I take her myself and when I’m back home, I’ll take a break for about an hour before getting up again to cook lunch for my children when they come back from school. I also have to keep an eye on the little one while going about my day.

It’s tiring, but I enjoy it, and I love being a mother. It is true when they say you don’t know anything at all until you become a mother. I want to have two more children but four is enough for now! [Laughs]

Sometimes I have to juggle everything else with my shooting schedule. I bring my kids to the set sometimes; my husband and I take turns to take care of the children.

I do simple things to relax. I can just sit at a coffee shop with a glass of Milo tarik, that’s relaxing for me. But if my husband and I have the time, we like to travel and see the world.

These days, I get a lot of “mother” roles [laughs] like the recent movie KAMI and in TV commercials like Silkygirl and Kinder Joy chocolate, with my daughter Sabella. But that’s alright, I’d rather my husband be the busy one when it comes to acting – and he should be!

Being in the film industry, do you feel the pressure to look good all the time?
I’d like to think of myself as a simple person – I don’t like heavy makeup, I don’t like to play dress up, and I don’t feel pressured to adhere to anything.

Thank you! Is being a mother of four considered exercise? [Laughs] I do play badminton with the kids quite often. I don’t have a diet regimen, in fact, I like snacking, especially on chocolates, at night. But I started watching my weight and diet after my third child. I remember my jean size going up from a 26 (before giving birth) to 31 (after my third child). Right now, Herbalife products are helping me stay in shape. And I am back to a size 27.

Well, I don’t think I need it – yet! I have friends who have warned that I might want to consider cosmetic surgery when I hit the big 4-0, but until then, I don’t think I will do anything. Don’t get me wrong, I think plastic surgery is a good thing. With all the technology we have today, plastic surgery can help accident victims and women around the world feel good about themselves. I know a few who have had some work done to look better. As long as the decision is yours, then it’s perfectly fine with me. Women shouldn’t be pressured into having cosmetic procedures.

To me, beauty comes from within. It is about being who you really are, being confident about that, and allowing people to discover the beauty in you. Nobody can take that away from you.

Do you have any beauty secrets to share? Any products you can’t live without?
I have thin eyebrows and lips (inherited from my Caucasian side) and makeup artists on sets taught me how to thicken them with an eyebrow pencil and lipstick. So, I can’t live without my eyebrow pencil and lipstick, and my Herbalife Night Cream – which really helps make my blemishes appear less obvious.

I would love to design children’s clothing one day, and women’s shoes as well. Sometimes, I find it is so difficult to find a proper pair of shoes!

PHOTOGRAPHY: Ronny Ee of Studio Pashe • MAKEUP & HAIR: Susan Chaopradith • CLOTHES & ACCESSORIES: Gold Digger (+6012-219 0069)