Tomorrow is Father’s Day, and we hope you’ve made reservation, plans, gifts and all that jazz. In conjunction of this very special occasion, we’ve been releasing some amazing articles since Wednesday that’s been waiting for your attention. You can check them out here.
Fathers are like pillars to a child’s behavioral-building.
For a girl, a father is her pillar of relationships and emotional support. And it will shape her way of forming bonds as well as what she will look to, when she looks for a partner. For a boy, he follows in the footsteps of his father that will shape his core values and behavior, into the man that he’ll eventually be.
For the past couple of days, Sevenpie have been releasing stories from Malaysian fathers from all corners and walks of life. Within these articles, they share about life in a non-stop commitment to their bundle(s)-of-joy, and how they have coped with in no matter the circumstance.
In today’s feature, we’ve interviewed Malaysian actor, Keith Foo, notable for movies like Pengantin Pantai Biru and Spy in Love. Here, he gives us an insight behind all the glitz and glamour of being an actor by day and a father, 24/7. And the purest form of joy from his daughter being his life’s biggest passion of all.
So get comfy, and grab your dad because these few articles are reads that you don’t want to ignore. Take a glimpse into the lives of these unsung heroes as you discover that a father’s love knows no bounds, and sacrifice becomes the ultimate language of love.
Keith Foo – Malaysian actor; husband to Kim Raymond; Father of 1: Skylar Raymond Tao
Nobody is as passionate in acting as much as Keith. Having found his passion for the entertainment industry at a young age, Keith’s acting career was one of hard work and persistence, before landing a place in Malaysia’s local acting scene. Husband to Fashion Socialite, Kim Raymond, this celebrity couple knows what it takes to nail parenthood – and the sacrifices that come from it.
Born in Negeri Sembilan, Keith began his acting career at 21 years old. While many see the glamorous life of the entertainment industry, Keith had to grind his way to get to where he is today. Having spent 10 years in Indonesia, Keith acted in various Indonesian and Malaysian dramas and films, including, Osman Ali’s Langit Cinta.
Extroverted and charming- Keith has got it all and would do whatever it takes to chase after his dreams. Now, being a father, Keith isn’t afraid to go back-to-basic to provide the best for his family. For Keith, every day of fatherhood is a day of accomplishment – no matter how small it is.
1. Hi Keith, thank you for taking your time out of your busy schedule to have this interview with us! Your beautiful daughter, Skylar, just turned two! What has been the most exciting thing about fatherhood for you so far?
Thank you for having me, Sevenpie! I don’t even know where to start, I mean, I get excited even with the smallest accomplishment. Accomplishments like her starting to eat her vegetables, saying new words or learning how to put on her shoes by herself. Even making funny or cheeky faces lights up my day.
2. Can you share with us what are your most memorable moments of Skylar for you?
The warmest memory this year is celebrating my 36th birthday together with Skylar.
3. What are some of your attributes that you see in Skylar?
We share the same love of the outdoors and animals. I have to say she is one adventurous toddler – inherently and intuitively curious naturalist.
4. Is fatherhood what you’ve expected it to be? How has being a father changed you as a person?
It has exceeded my expectations beyond belief. It sounds like such a tired and old cliché to say becoming a father changes you, but it really does. Being a parent is the greatest thing to ever happen to me, but it also fills me with responsibility. It’s a scary thought that you have influence on your child’s future and you only have one chance to do it right.
Biggest change? With my daughter now, I find I would rather be at home with her.
5. Being in the entertainment industry surely can get busy! How do you balance your time as an actor as well as being a father?
I try my best to plan my schedule around Skylar’s. But when circumstances do not allow me to do that, I’m glad technology has helped me to connect with her. We Facetime every day when I’m away for work.
6. Can you share with us what are the values that you’ve built in your family?
I won’t say that it is built. I think it is a continuous and an evolving process. As I grow older, I realized I’ve become more of my dad (and mom). It’s going back-to-basics. I have to say the values they have instilled in me and are still instilling in me, are something that I will cherish and hopefully I too can do the same.
7. What are your future plans for yourself and also for your family?
I want to be more involved and committed with my family and less distracted with unnecessary worry or thoughts. It is not an easy process – to stay present while racing through life, but I’m learning.
In terms of career, offers may have slowed down but I’m very appreciative of the support from my fans and friends I have made along the way. They are the force behind me that keeps me motivated to create, inspire and better myself.
8. Years from now, Skylar would be reading this! What would be your message for her?
Sharing this makes me emotional – I constantly go between wanting her to stay my little baby forever and being excited about all of the amazing things she’ll do. But my message to her is simple – just be yourself and be grateful every day, to have kindness and compassion, and never ever let anyone push you into being perfect, as there’s no such thing as being ‘perfect’.
9. Lastly, any advices out there that you can share for fathers who have just entered into fatherhood?
I think the role and aspirations of fathers are changing. I noticed now men talk about achieving a better balance between work and family demands. They want more time with their families and a closer involvement with their children – I thought it’s a positive revolution. I encourage fathers to be involved in caring right from the beginning of their kids’ life, it really makes a difference.
