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AKARTA: Former top model and soap actor Atalarik Syach has learned to act the part after taking a one-year acting program in Los Angeles.

Now living in New York City, he says he wants to stay longer to stretch himself in his craft and get more professional experience.

"I'm not really sure when I'm going to go back to Indonesia," the 36-year-old says by email. "I still want to work on things here first. It's very tough though, because of the economic crisis and for the first time for me to feel what true competition in the entertainment world is."

He has worked as a crew member on student film projects, gone on auditions and done a couple of fashion shows during his four months in New York.

He also is working on honing another important skill needed to break through in the US entertainment industry.

"I have been struggling to work on my accent and English to be able to work as an actor here," says the brother of soap actor Teddy Syach. "I'm waiting for my accent to get better."

Even if he does make it in New York, he plans to eventually say goodbye to the Big Apple and return to the Big Durian.