‘Give her an Emmy’: Indonesian actress Christine Hakim makes waves in HBO TV series The Last of Us
- Veteran Indonesian actress praised for conveying sense of dread that is ‘so palpable but not over the top’
- A household name in Indonesia, Hakim was also part of the Cannes jury panel in 2002 and appeared in 2010 Hollywood film Eat, Pray, Love
The scene was short, but veteran Indonesian actress Christine Hakim only needed less than 10 minutes to make an impact.
The 66-year-old “grand dame” of Indonesian cinema was praised for her performance in the latest episode of HBO’s highly anticipated The Last of Us television series, an adaptation of the popular PlayStation survival horror video game.
The episode, which aired on January 22, featured Jakarta in 2003 at the start of an outbreak of Cordyceps, a brain-infecting fungus that turns victims into cannibals.
In the episode’s opening scene, Hakim’s character, an expert in the study of fungi, learned of an impending virus outbreak and advised a military officer – played by Indonesia actor Yayu Unru – to bomb the city to prevent it from spreading.
Viewers lauded her acting, saying that “her fear is so palpable but not over the top”, and that the sense of dread in the scene was “all carried by this woman, Christine Hakim”.
Twitter user Aimee Carrero went further: “Give this actor her Emmy for that couch scene alone.”
Hakim is no stranger to Indonesian and now global audiences. She was part of the Cannes Film Festival jury panel alongside Malaysian star Michelle Yeoh in 2002, and also appeared in a minor role in the 2010 film Eat, Pray, Love in 2010 as Wayan, a Balinese jamu, or local herbal drink seller.
Indonesian social media users pointed out with pride that Hakim is a household name, and one of the nation’s most decorated actors.
