10 years ago, Zheng Xi Yong graduated with a law degree. Now he's landing roles in Bridgerton and Barbie

## Summary
Instead of spending his waking hours on depositions and drafting contracts, he's in front of a camera taping for his next audition or on stage at rehearsal, running lines for an evening show he'll be performing in. "Some people apply for jobs once in their life and stay in the same company for 30 years," he told me in a video call, his profile bathed in the early afternoon sunlight streaming in his London flat window. "I've applied for a few hundred (acting) jobs, and with many, you don't even get past the first round." He confessed this with a lightness that seemed, to me, at odds with the sheer drudgery his words were describing. Nevertheless, he is acutely aware that periods of visibility do not guarantee success in the acting world. "You don't know what you're doing next," he said. "You can't really plan your life." Top of his mind right now, even as his resume continues to grow: "What's going to pay me for the next three months?" "I'm definitely not earning anywhere near what lawyers earn," he said matter-of-factly. "Actors are just not paid super well, but I love what I do and I love my life." PRELUDES AND PROLOGUES IN MALAYSIA Long before Yong set foot in a London theatre or on a television production set, he was already familiar with the stage – not as an actor but as a singer. Yong (left) at a primary school singing competition in 2004, and later performing in a Sri KDU secondary school production between 2010 and 2011. (Photo: Zheng Xi Yong) All the while, he maintained academic excellence, turning out good results for his A-Level examinations. Yong spent the final year of law school preparing to audition for drama schools in London, including the Royal Academy of Music. (Photo: Zheng Xi Yong) In the UK's "massive" acting scene, Yong reckons that a single production can attract thousands of submissions.

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10 years ago, Zheng Xi Yong graduated with a law degree. Now he's landing roles in Bridgerton and Barbie
The Malaysian-born actor and former golden boy of law school tells CNA TODAY why he's determined to stick it out in the volatile world of showbiz.
Malaysian-born actor Zheng Xi Yong (right) appears in the Netflix hit show Bridgerton as Lord Barnaby, the love interest of Posy Li (Isabella Wei). (Photo: Liam Daniel)
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Nicole Lam
Nicole Lam
21 Mar 2026 09:30PM
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Ten years ago, Zheng Xi Yong was on track to become a lawyer.
In 2016, the 22-year-old was capping off four years at King's College London with a shiny new law degree. Up until then, he had spent most of his life excelling academically, thriving in debate club and public speaking, and presiding over student councils.
To the average observer, he was on a clear trajectory for a certain kind of success – one that promised a steady income and a clear path up the corporate ladder.
Today, the Malaysian-born 32-year-old's reality looks very different.
Instead of spending his waking hours on depositions and drafting contracts, he's in front of a camera taping for his next audition or on stage at rehearsal, running lines for an evening show he'll be performing in.
"Some people apply for jobs once in their life and stay in the same company for 30 years," he told me in a video call, his profile bathed in the early afternoon sunlight streaming in his London flat window.
"I've applied for a few hundred (acting) jobs, and with many, you don't even get past the first round."
He confessed this with a lightness that seemed, to me, at odds with the sheer drudgery his words were describing.
It was a life he had chosen knowingly, but even armed with that awareness, the grind and uncertainty of carving out a career as a professional actor proved far more relentless than he had imagined.
"I was aware of how difficult people said it was, but I had this kind of optimism that I would be able to manage it," he said.
"Actually living through it was very different. That kind of took me by surprise."
When Yong spoke to me in mid-March, he was wrapping up an eight-week run of American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre in London, where he played the character of Luis Caruthers.
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Yong (right) in American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre in London, where he played the character of Luis Caruthers. (Photo: Marc Brenner)
Fresh from his involvement in the well-reviewed production, the residual sting of those early struggles was still evident on Yong's face as he recounted them.
After completing school, his fellow law grads hit the ground running, securing stable jobs with good companies that paid them good salaries. Meanwhile, Yong grappled with constant uncertainty: Would he get an audition out of this job application? Would he get a callback for that audition? Would the pay for whatever project he got cast in be enough to sustain him?
"My friends were wearing nice outfits, going to law firms to work in day after day and getting a salary," he said. "I hadn't even booked my first job."
Yong has come a long way since then. In recent years, he has appeared in global productions such as regency romance series Bridgerton, major Hollywood films such as Barbie, and a supporting role in the BBC series Boarders.
Nevertheless, he is acutely aware that periods of visibility do not guarantee success in the acting world.
"You don't know what you're doing next," he said. "You can't really plan your life."
Top of his mind right now, even as his resume continues to grow: "What's going to pay me for the next three months?"
"I'm definitely not earning anywhere near what lawyers earn," he said matter-of-factly. "Actors are just not paid super well, but I love what I do and I love my life."
PRELUDES AND PROLOGUES IN MALAYSIA
Long before Yong set foot in a London theatre or on a television production set, he was already familiar with the stage – not as an actor but as a singer.
The youngest of three children, Yong was  attending primary school in Miri, Sarawak, when he sang Chinese folk songs in a school talent competition. He went on to win, and that victory led to him representing his school at the district level, where he placed second.
Performing felt instinctive to Yong, something playful and i

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- To the average observer, he was on a clear trajectory for a certain kind of success – one that promised a steady income and a clear path up the corporate ladder.
- Nevertheless, he is acutely aware that periods of visibility do not guarantee success in the acting world. "You don't know what you're doing next," he said. "You can't really plan your life." Top of his mind right now, even as his resume continues to grow: "What's going to pay me for the next three months?" "I'm definitely not earning anywhere near what lawyers earn," he said matter-of-factly. "Actors are just not paid super well, but I love what I do and I love my life." PRELUDES AND PROLOGUES IN MALAYSIA Long before Yong set foot in a London theatre or on a television production set, he was already familiar with the stage – not as an actor but as a singer.
- In the early months after graduating, he struggled with an internal pressure to find success quickly, but wasn't able to break past even the first round for all the projects he was applying for. "When you're starting out, all you want is that first job," he said.

### Areas for Consideration
- It was a life he had chosen knowingly, but even armed with that awareness, the grind and uncertainty of carving out a career as a professional actor proved far more relentless than he had imagined. "I was aware of how difficult people said it was, but I had this kind of optimism that I would be able to manage it," he said. "Actually living through it was very different.
- CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Yong (right) in American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre in London, where he played the character of Luis Caruthers. (Photo: Marc Brenner) Fresh from his involvement in the well-reviewed production, the residual sting of those early struggles was still evident on Yong's face as he recounted them.
- But once Yong explained to them the prestige of the RAM programme and the seriousness of his commitment to his new chosen path, their concern gave way to support. "If I hated law, it would've been very easy to write it off completely," said Yong. "(But) I really enjoyed my law degree, which made the decision to change paths much harder." "I asked myself: In 10 years, will I regret not having tried performing?

### Implications
- But once Yong explained to them the prestige of the RAM programme and the seriousness of his commitment to his new chosen path, their concern gave way to support. "If I hated law, it would've been very easy to write it off completely," said Yong. "(But) I really enjoyed my law degree, which made the decision to change paths much harder." "I asked myself: In 10 years, will I regret not having tried performing?
- An ensemble casting of just 20 roles may attract as many as 4,000 applicants, many already armed with professional representation and extensive resumes.
- Preparing for a role could mean hiring a vocal coach, working with a dialect specialist, or spending days refining a self-tape, all for an outcome that was more often "no" than "yes".
- One day, he might be playing a lead, the next, an ensemble role.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers yong, law, school topics. Notable strengths include discussion of yong. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 2582.