DUBAI: Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez, who was recently unveiled as the star of a new advertising campaign for Hala KSA, spoke to Arab News about her childhood in Bahrain and her love for the people of the Middle East.
The Sri Lankan-born model and actress, who was also just announced as the brand ambassador for high street retailer Splash, was in Dubai to attend the brand’s autumn-winter 2019 fashion show on Friday.
Former Miss Universe Sri Lanka, Fernandez debuted in Bollywood in 2009 with the movie “Aladin” and since then has established a career in the industry. She has been associated with Bollywood blockbusters, including “Housefull 2,” the action thriller “Race 3” and “Race 2,” which garnered her an International Indian Film Academy Award for best supporting actress.
The Bahrain-raised actress has also worked with US-Iraqi beauty blogger, Huda Kattan, on a range of lashes — Kattan’s first celebrity-collaboration in 2019.
Fernandez believes growing up in the Middle East has shaped her personality.
“Growing up in the Arab culture, understanding their traditions (and) their culture is extremely, extremely beautiful and intricate,” she told Arab News.
“There is just the sense of giving I feel in the Middle East, and there is a sense of extreme respect to everyone around you. Also, their fashion sense is amazing. I love the way Arab women dress, the way the carry themselves, it is very, very elegant,” she added.
In an interview with Arab News, the CEO of Splash Raza Beig said Fernandez’s cheerful personality led the retail giant to choose her as brand ambassador. “Jacqueline fit the bill because of her energy levels, youthfulness, happiness. (She is) a woman who feels and expresses love. So, all these adjectives work with the brand Splash,” Beig said.
Fernandez, who is now based in Mumbai, said comfort is what she looks for in an outfit. “One of the things that helped me connect with Splash is that they are all about you being yourself… According to what you want, being the person that you want and expressing that through fashion is a very powerful thing,” she said.
And what advice does she have for budding stars who want a shot in the film industry?
According to Fernandez, “it is most important to be yourself and to carry that with confidence.”
