Yashith Fernando: From DDLJ to MJ the Musical

Before taking to the stage, Yashith Fernando fell in love with musical theatre the same way most South Asians have— Bollywood. Now having found his rhythm, the Sri Lankan-Australian actor has performed for audiences Shakespeare to Smooth Criminal to the beat of his own tune. His latest role in MJ the Musical has him wielding a camera as Alejandro, but Suhayla Sharif turns the lens on Yashith in this chat at the Sydney Lyric Theatre that lifts the curtains on being South Asian under stage lights. Listen wherever you find your podcasts.

Starting off in my career, I feel like I often tried to give people what they wanted. In my training is when I kind of realised that I bring myself to the role and I'm going to give 'me' to this character.

Yashith Fernando on finding his feet in musical theatre

Follow SBS Spice on Instagram @SBSSpice for latest updates and new chillies in the pod. Listen to more from the theatre landscape on SBS Spice:

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SBS Spice is your go-to for South Asian Australian culture, exploring what makes us tick—or ick. Catch us on your favourite podcast platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and the SBS Audio app.

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