IT never occurred to Ezaidi Aziz that one day, he'd end up as an actor.
The 182cm tall model from Kuala Lumpur began his modelling career in 2014 after participating in a model search while studying hotel management in a private college.
"My acting stint began after my friend, Aedy Ashraf, tricked me into going for a photo shoot," said the 29-year-old artiste.
"Thinking that it was a usual photo shoot for commercials, I agreed to do it.
"Then I received a call from director Bahri Uma, saying that I'll be playing a role as a cousin to Aedy's character and that he would pass me the script.
"Can you imagine how surprised I was?"
Ezaidi said he was taken aback because he was an introvert then.
"Frankly speaking, I preferred to stay away from the limelight, being a camera-shy guy.
"But thanks to my experience as a model, I built my confidence and that came in handy when I was cast in that drama production."
And the rest is history.
He has starred in drama series such as 'Jesnita', 'Bila Hati Memilih Dia', 'Keria Women', 'Jangan Padam Rindu' and 'Hijrah Jannah'.
Playing the lead
Ezaidi recently played the leading role in 'Satu Hari Nanti', which premiered last month on streaming platform iQIYI.
Ezaidi's co-stars are Bella Astillah and Eyka Farhana.
"Co-incidentally, it was Eyka who suggested I try acting about 10 years ago," said Ezaidi.
Directed by acclaimed TV director Pali Yahya, the drama series follows the journey of Noah Lee (played by Ezaidi), a Chinese revert nursing a heartbreak and on a mission to find the meaning of life.
Noah finds solace in charity work, which leads him to Marissa Safiyyah (Eyka), a Muslim woman who advocates for women's rights.
While Marissa's passion for life deeply touches Noah, he also meets Aulia Jane (Bella), whose mysterious demeanour intrigues him, adding a layer of complexity to his personal life.
Ezaidi said it was the most challenging role yet.
"The storyline underscores the importance of not judging others without understanding them first. It also emphasises the need for open-mindedness and empathy."
Eyka said the opportunity to film in Makkah and Madinah was exciting, especially the chance to perform prayers in Raudhah (an area in Madinah's Prophet's Mosque).
"The experience was profoundly moving, and the seamless coordination between the production crew made it a memorable journey for me."
Bella, meanwhile, said she could relate to her character Aulia Jane.
"A loving and reciprocal relationship is essential for its longevity, and my time in Makkah and Madinah was profoundly healing and that was just what I needed (at the time of shooting).
"The supportive production team, including the director, was instrumental in helping me to bring the character I played to life." Others in the production team are Shahidan Izwan, Fazlina Ahmad Daud and Luqman Hafiz.