| Sat, 02/07/2009 1:11 PM | Life
With 27 soap operas and nine movies already under her belt, is there any chance of Wulan Guritno getting another role this year?
Oh, yes.
"I'm working on my 10th movie now," Wulan smiled, under the beams of light refl ected by infotainment reporters' cameras.
She said all of the characters she played in her movies - from the girlfriend of prominent student activist Soe Hok Gie in Gie, to the mother of a dyslexic kid in I Love You, Mama - had brought her many challenges.
"I've played many challenging characters, including a journalist," said Wulan, who received the best supporting actress award at the 2007 MTV Indonesia Movie Awards for her role in Nagabonar Jadi 2.
Her 10th movie, King, however, is more than just a challenge as she feels differently about it.
"I agreed to play in the movie not because I like the story, but because I know people will love to watch it," said the energetic 29-year-old.
The movie King, she said, would both entertain and educate viewers of all ages because it teaches sportsmanship, inspired by the spirit of Indonesian badminton legend Liem Swie King himself. A parade of famous badminton players like Alan Budikusuma, Susi Susanti and Haryanto Arbi will also appear in the movie.
"I will play Joice, a mother who moves to a small village with her daughter after the death of her husband," she told reporters enthusiastically.
Reporters, however, seemed to not share the same enthusiasm for the movie's story. They kept trying to get her to talk about her personal life with herfiance Adilla Dimitri.
"Come on, guys, ask me about the movie, not my marriage," Wulan said.
But the half-British actress answered the questions anyway, wreathed in smiles.
"He has already proposed to me and I hope to marry him this year," she said. "(Famous fortuneteller) Mama Lauren told me that my wedding would be held in 2009. So, tell me guys, do you believe in Mama Lauren too?" Wulan teased reporters.
She said her only daughter, Shaloom Syach Razade, 10, seemed to have good chemistry with Adilla.
"I'm ready for my second marriage. I'm done with all the trauma of my divorce," said Wulan, who was divorced from model Atilla Syach seven years ago. After the divorce, she had a relationship with famous racer Ananda Mikola for some years before ending up with Adilla in 2006.
While infotainment reporters seemed to enjoy digging into her personal life story, Wulan gave them a sign to go back to the movie business.
"Knock it off, guys, this gossip about my marriage is not even the least bit interesting for those watching TV at home," she laughed, while adding, "I'd bore them with this news and then I'd feel embarrassed."
As Wulan decided to talk about the ups and downs of her career, the infotainment reporters left her one by one.
"I've always tried my best to answer their questions. I can understand why they are after me because I am someone in the spotlight," Wulan told The Jakarta Post.
Wulan still remembers the time she held a press conference to clarify the rumor of her forging her high school diploma in order to run as a 2009 legislative candidate.
"Dozens of cameras and microphones were ready to swallow me," she said. "I felt like someone who was coming on stage for the fi rst time, my heart was pounding so fast, and I was so very nervous.
"But I knew I had to clarify the rumor. It was not about me, but my parents. The rumor made out my parents had been irresponsible with my education," said Wulan, who had to show her high school certificate during the press conference.
She said her high school in London had just issued the certifi cate. The late arrival of the certifi cate, however, had forced her to forget her dream of becoming a legislator. The General Elections Commission had deleted her name from the list of legislative candidates due to the absence of her high school diploma.
But she had no regrets.
"Whatever is done is done," said Wulan, who had been nominated by the National Mandate Party.
At least Wulan can still be grateful for her career in the entertainment industry. She got her fi rst break in 1998 as a sinetron, or soap opera, actress.
She may have only appeared in few episodes at the beginning of her career, but that brief stint kindled the actress in her.
"All I can remember is that I had no time for anything when I was in sinetron," she said. "I only went home to take a bath and sleep."
But sinetron is about fortune making, Wulan added. "They paid me alot of money, you know," she laughed.
Now that she spends less time doing sinetron, she said she had more time doing movies and taking care of her restaurant and salon businesses.
What has made her even happier is that she had the chance to direct a short movie titled Bidan Lelaki (The Male Midwife), which was chosen as an opening for the 2008 Indonesian International Fantastic Film Festival.
"This is just the right track for me now. I can act while still doing other things," she said, adding she was planning to direct another movie with her fiance.
She has it all -- a famous actress, model, TV presenter, movie director and businesswoman. Is there anything else she wants to be?
Wulan said, "I want to be someone who's filthy rich because of my own hard work."