Nathania Ong on letting go of perfection and finding strength in the process

From Les Misérables and Hamilton to Legally Blonde – The Musical, Singaporean actress Nathania Ong has spent the past few years bringing some of musical theatre’s most iconic women to life on London’s West End.

This year alone has been a particularly memorable one. She’s been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, returned home to Singapore to lead Legally Blonde – The Musical, and is preparing to debut her own original music in an upcoming concert.

But when we speak to Nathania, it isn’t the accolades she gravitates towards. Instead, she talks about embracing imperfection, learning to be kinder to herself and finding inspiration in the women she’s had the privilege of portraying.

Sometimes the biggest leap starts with uncertainty

Looking back, Nathania admits leaving LASALLE after just one year to pursue drama school in the UK was terrifying.

Beyond leaving behind family and friends, she worried about whether the move would be worth the financial sacrifice her family was making.

“I was afraid that if I failed, I would’ve just wasted their money,” she says.

Yet, it was that leap into the unknown that ultimately shaped far more than her career.
Living overseas introduced her to people from different walks of life and challenged the sheltered worldview she grew up with.

“I would really like to believe that because of that, I have also grown a bigger heart,” she says. “I recognise and have a heart for people whose experiences I may not necessarily understand, but I’m willing to love and care about.”

Letting go of perfection

For someone working in theatre, where audiences expect the same standard night after night, perfection can easily become the goal.
It certainly was for Nathania.

“When I was younger, I became so perfectionistic and so hyper focused,” she says.
These days, however, she sees things differently.

After years of performing up to eight shows a week, she’s learnt that chasing perfection isn’t just exhausting. It’s impossible.

Instead, she focuses on telling the truth of the story.

“Not chasing perfection is one of the most freeing things that I have experienced as an actor,” she says.

“My characters feel more alive because I’m making choices on the spot. I’m not just playing the aesthetic of a character. I’m playing the truth of the character and sometimes the truth isn’t perfect.”

That shift has also changed how she sees herself offstage.

Growing up, Nathania says she struggled with low self esteem and often felt like she had to apologise for existing.

“Now I’m no longer ashamed to exist,” she says. “My self esteem isn’t always perfect, but I think that’s something we have to accept for ourselves as well as other people.”

The women who stayed with her

Every role has challenged Nathania in different ways.

Playing Eliza Hamilton, for instance, pushed her outside her comfort zone. She describes the character as graceful, patient and deeply kind, qualities she didn’t naturally associate with herself at the time.

But the role ended up changing her in ways she never expected. Playing Eliza inspired Nathania to start volunteering, and it’s something she still enjoys today.

Now she’s discovering another kind of strength through Elle Woods.

While many people remember the character for her bubbly personality and signature pink wardrobe, Nathania sees someone who refuses to let setbacks define her.

“Even when she gets told no, gets overlooked and laughed at, she overcomes each respective obstacle,” she says.

It’s also Elle’s optimism that has left the biggest impression. “We focus so much on, ‘What if this happens?’ or ‘What if that happens?’ But what if it works out?” she says.

“When you believe you can achieve something, then you’re halfway there.”

What audiences don’t see

For every polished performance audiences watch from their seats, there’s another side of theatre they rarely get to witness.

There are long rehearsals, late nights spent memorising lines, choreography that doesn’t quite click the first time and an entire team working tirelessly behind the scenes to make a production happen.

“There are so many small gears in such a big machine,” Nathania says.

There’s also the uncertainty that comes with freelancing.

Between productions, performers often juggle auditions, self tapes and the anxiety of not knowing where the next job or paycheck will come from.

Even so, Nathania says the friendships built backstage and the shared joy of creating something together make every challenge worthwhile.

Looking to the next chapter

While returning home to star in Legally Blonde – The Musical has been a dream come true, Nathania isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Beyond theatre, she’s hoping to explore more screen acting, voice work and songwriting.

Audiences will also get to hear a more personal side of her at her upcoming concert, Honest, where she’ll perform original songs inspired by her own experiences.

As for dream roles?

Elphaba and Glinda from Wicked are still firmly on the list.

But after everything she’s achieved so far, Nathania isn’t measuring success by the next role alone.

Instead, she’s learning to enjoy the journey, imperfections and all.