Harry Halim Is Entering a New Era as an Actor

• Harry Halim is expanding into acting, pursuing a longtime dream after establishing himself as an internationally recognized designer.
• He views fashion and acting as deeply connected, seeing both as forms of storytelling rooted in emotion, character, and authenticity.
• One of his recent roles was in Max Huang: Life of Action, in which he portrayed Max Huang’s father, undergoing a significant physical and emotional transformation.
• Rather than leaving fashion behind, Harry sees acting as the next phase of his creative journey, allowing him to step inside the stories he once created from behind the scenes.

Expanding into film

Harry Halim has spent years building a name in fashion, but these days, the Indonesian creative is focused on a different stage.

Known internationally for his dramatic aesthetic and storytelling-driven work, he is now pursuing acting with growing seriousness, taking on roles in film and documentary projects while preparing his latest work for the international festival circuit.

While many know him as a fashion designer, Harry sees acting not as a departure from his career but as the next chapter in it.

Now, after years spent establishing himself in the fashion industry, he feels the timing is right. “Before I get any older, I want to explore that side of myself.”

Why Harry transitioned into acting

The move may appear unexpected at first glance, but Harry believes the connection between fashion and film has always existed in his work. Many designers talk about storytelling. He takes that idea literally.

Throughout his career, he has approached creative projects through the lens of character. Long before he appeared on screen, he was imagining personalities and emotional narratives behind the worlds he created.

“Every season, when I’m creating a collection, I imagine I’m creating a movie,” he says. “Each look becomes a character with its own story, personality, and emotional world.”

On acting and identity

Central to Harry’s approach is a belief that identity is never fixed. He references the French poet Arthur Rimbaud’s famous line, Je est un autre, which translates to “I is someone else.”

The quote has become a guiding philosophy for his work as an actor. “We all contain different possibilities within ourselves,” Harry says. “We only discover them by exploring them.”

For him, acting offers an opportunity to step into different perspectives and emotional realities. Each role becomes a way of understanding another life while discovering new aspects of himself.

It is also one of the reasons he finds the craft so compelling. Rather than simply performing a character, Harry focuses on finding an emotional connection that makes the role feel truthful.

Harry’s role in ‘Max Huang: Life of Action’

One of his recent acting projects is Max Huang: Life of Action, a mini-documentary series that explores the journey of actor and stunt performer Max Huang.

Max is best known internationally for portraying Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat and for his years working alongside Jackie Chan.

In the series, Harry plays Max’s father, an influential figure in the actor’s life and a respected music conductor. The role required a dramatic physical transformation.

“I shaved all my facial hair, wore a wig, and went through extensive makeup. When I looked at myself afterward, I barely recognized the person in the mirror.”

Beyond the physical changes, he focused on finding emotional common ground with the character. “I felt there was a certain strength that Max’s father and I shared, even though our life stories are completely different.”

According to Harry, discovering those emotional parallels is what ultimately makes a performance believable.

Inside ‘The New Messiah’, Harry’s latest film

Harry’s most significant acting role so far comes in The New Messiah, a psychological drama in which he plays the lead character.

The film follows a false messiah who gradually attracts a devoted following. As people begin believing he possesses the ability to heal them, the story explores the dangers of faith and manipulation.

For Harry, the project represents an important milestone as he establishes himself as an actor. The psychological themes and morally complex protagonist align with the kinds of stories he hopes to continue exploring on screen.

What’s next for Harry Halim?

As more creatives move between industries, Harry’s transition reflects the evolving nature of artistic careers. Yet his ambitions in film remain rooted in personal fulfillment.

He speaks about acting with the enthusiasm of someone discovering a new creative language while drawing from years of experience as a storyteller.

What has surprised him most, he says, is how closely acting resembles the work he has already been doing.

For Harry Halim, acting is the continuation of a lifelong interest in character and transformation. After years of telling stories from behind the scenes, he is now stepping into the frame himself. And if his recent projects are any indication, this new chapter is only beginning.

Photography Hann Prawira

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