Lydia Ruth Elizabeth Kandou or better known as Lydia Kandou (born in Jakarta, Indonesia on February 21, 1963) is an Indonesian actress and model of mixed Dutch with Filipino and Indian and Minahasan descent.

Lydia Kandou
Born
Lydia Ruth Elizabeth Kandou

(1963-02-21) 21 February 1963 (age 61)
Other namesLydia Kandou
Occupation(s)Actress
Model
Years active1980 - presents
Spouse
Jamal Mirdad
(m. 1984; div. 2013)
Children
Parent(s)Rei Petrus Kandou (father)
Maria Jacoba Petronella Giezekamp (mother)
RelativesAndrew White (son-in-law)
AwardsCitra Award for Best Leading Actress

1991 Boneka dari Indiana

1992 Ramadhan dan Ramona

Biography

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Kandou was born in Jakarta on 21 February 1963. She is of mixed Manado and Dutch descent.[1]

Kandou first found work as a model. When 16 years old, she was invited to act by director Imam Tantowi. She made her feature film debut in Has Manan's Wanita Segala Zaman. During the next five years she acted in over 20 films, including several directed by Nyak Abbas Akup.[2][3] These included a role as the singer Chrisye's love interest in Syamsul Fuad's Seindah Rembulan[4] and several films with the comedy troupe Warkop.[3]

Kandou was nominated for her first Citra Award for Best Leading Actress at the 1984 Indonesian Film Festival. She continued acting at a slower rate; between 1985 and 1990 she performed in 10 films.[3] From these roles, she received two further Citra Award nominations.[2]

In 1986, Kandou, a Protestant, married Muslim singer-cum-actor Jamal Mirdad in a civil service. At the time their interfaith marriage was considered "sensational" by the news media[5] and led to extensive debate over the legality of such weddings. Ultimately, civil marriages were banned in Indonesia.[6][7] Owing to their different religions, this wedding was not recognized by the government until 1995,[1] and the case remained common in legal discussions until the 2000s.[6]

In 1990, Kandou was cast in the lead role of Nyak Abbas Akup's film Boneka dari Indiana (Doll from Indiana). After receiving another nomination for the Citra Award she was reportedly nervous; ultimately she received the award, her first win.[2] Her other films that year were all Warkop comedies.[3] She performed in Ramadhan dan Ramona the following year, which led to another win; her husband, who played the leading man, took Best Leading Actor.[2]

As the Indonesian film industry saw a downturn in the early 1990s Kandou migrated to television. Beginning in 1993, she was a regular on Gara-Gara; in 1997 she left the show to join Selendang Sutra Biru.[2] She acted in the hit television series Pernikahan Dini in 2001, playing the titular Dini's mother Shinta.[8]

Kandou made her return to feature films in 2004, when she acted in d'Trex and Ketika.[2] In 2011 she acted in the comedy Kejarlah Jodoh Kau Kutangkap, the title of which referenced her earlier work.[9]

Kandou filed for divorce from Mirdad in April 2013.[5] The two have four children together: Nana Mirdad, Kenang Kana, Nasyila Mirdad, and Nathana Ghaza.[1]

Filmography

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As of 2013 Kandou has acted in 55 films.[3]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Recipients Result
Indonesian Film Festival 1984 Citra Award for Best Leading Actress Untukmu Kuserahkan Segalanya Nominated
1986 Kejarlah Daku Kau Kutangkap Nominated
1990 Cas Cis Cus (Sonata di Tengah Kota) Nominated
1991 Boneka dari Indiana Won
1992 Ramadhan dan Ramona Won
2016 Citra Award for Best Supporting Actress Aisyah: Biarkan Kami Bersaudara Nominated

References

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Works cited

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  • Bowen, John Richard (2003). Islam, Law, and Equality in Indonesia: An Anthropology of Public Reasoning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-511-06237-7.
  • Cammack, Mark (2009). "Legal aspect of Muslim-non-Muslim marriage in Indonesia". In Jones, Gavin W.; Heng, Leng Chee; Maznah, Mohamad (eds.). Muslim-non-Muslim Marriage: Political and Cultural Contestations in Southeast Asia. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN 978-981-230-874-0.
  • Endah, Alberthiene (2007). Chrisye: Sebuah Memoar Musikal [Chrisye: A Musical Memoir] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama. ISBN 978-979-22-2606-5.
  • "Filmografi Lydia Kandou". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Konfiden Foundation. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  • "Guess what?: Lydia Kandau files for divorce". The Jakarta Post. 12 April 2013. p. 28. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  • "Lydia Kandau returning to silver screen". The Jakarta Post. 6 September 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  • "Lydia Kandou" (in Indonesian). Taman Ismail Marzuki. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  • "Lydia Kandou". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Konfiden Foundation. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  • "Penghargaan Lydia Kandou". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Konfiden Foundation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  • Ryanto, Tony (1 July 2001). "'Pernikahan Dini', unique teen romantic series". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
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