Compiled by C. ARUNO, GERARD GIMINO and R. ARAVINTHAN

       ACTOR Elizabeth Tan (pic) says she’s actually a timid person despite her tough persona and movie roles, reported Harian Metro.

       The celebrity, who is fondly known as Lizzy, said she is afraid of ghosts and does not watch horror movies or horror-themed dramas.

       However, despite being timid, she can actually play parts where she becomes a ghost.

       “To avoid being scared, I will not look at my own reflection once my makeup is done,” she said.

       Most recently, Lizzy played the role of a pontianak (vampiric ghost) in the drama My Ex is a Pontianak directed by Shamyl Othman.

       Lizzy said she was up to the challenge in taking the role as her character was more of an antagonist when compared to solely being a haunting presence.

       “I felt it would be a waste if I rejected it just because of my fear,” she said.

       > Harian Metro also reported that actress Noorkhiriah Ahmad Shapie, 44, is grateful to finally become a product ambassador after almost 20 years in the industry.

       This comes following proposals from several health product companies wanting to acquire her services as an ambassador.

       “I was actually surprised that at my age, people are still offering me opportunities,” she said, adding that her contract began on Feb 1.

       Noorkhiriah said she was possibly selected due to her popularity among the elderly in rural areas.

       “To be frank, it actually felt awkward to advertise my status as an ambassador over my social media accounts.

       “However, this is the reality of the situation and my husband is also happy with what I have achieved,” she said.

       > Controversial entrepreneur Ahmad Iqbal Zulkefli’s recent elimination from the fourth season of the Big Stage (BS4) programme has brought relief to many, reported Kosmo!.

       Iqbal’s earlier performance on the show had obtained a meagre 9.2% overall rating and placed him at the bottom three of the lineup.

       Singer Ajai, who is one of the judges, commented that Iqbal was not born to be a singer.

       “You may have the money but you don’t have the knack for singing.

       “Talent cannot be bought with money either,” said Ajai.

       Cosmetic entrepreneur Datuk Seri Vida similarly said Iqbal was not qualified to participate in the competition.

       Iqbal’s presence on BS4 drew flak not only among the public but also those within the industry.

       The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.