Additional reporting by Yohana Belinda 

Born Herlina Christine Natalia Hakim, better known by her stage name, Christine Hakim, is one of Indonesia’s most well-known actors. The star of over 36 films, she welcomed The Jakarta Post at her residence in the outlying neighborhood of Cibubur on Jan. 17. 

For Christine, 2023 marks 50 years in the film industry. At 66 years old, Christine secured her first actress role at 16 in Cinta Pertama.

While reminiscing on her beginner days, Christine told the Post how she became an actress at a young age. 

“When I was 14, I was an ice-skater. I was a bit of a tomboy and was not very feminine, but a photographer from a fashion magazine asked me to become a model for one of his photos, which is how I got into the industry. I started as a model and did runway shows, but deep down I never really felt like a model. I just did it because I enjoyed it, but I knew I wasn’t going to make modeling my career,” she said. 

Legendary director Teguh Karya (whose real name is Steve Liem Tjoan Hok) scouted Christine, who had no acting experience at the time. 

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