Malaysian-born actor Yong Zheng Xi credits 95% hard work behind his Bridgerton fame, tracing his career from law lecture hall to international stage.

From a law lecture hall to Barbie and later the glitzy ballroom of Bridgerton, Malaysian-born actor Yong Zheng Xi is quietly carving out a place for himself on the international stage. He appeared in the period drama as Lord Barnaby, a role that marks another milestone in a journey shaped as much by persistence as by talent. Yong, 32, began as a singer but it was only after moving to London to pursue a law degree that his career trajectory shifted. “When I came to London to pursue my...