Young, talented, and stylish, Pangeran Lantang rose to fame after starring in various films and web series. The 21-year-old star chats with DAMAN about balancing his acting journey and YouTube career, along with his passion for soccer
The film and entertainment industry in Indonesia has seen quite a few promising new faces in the past decade. As life is getting better and the pandemic gradually deescalates, the gate has been opened even wider for new talents. Among them is Denzel Jordan Pangeran Lantang—better known as just Pangeran Lantang—a 21-year-old actor and YouTuber. Growing up in a Sundanese-Manadonese family with an Indian and Dutch heritage, Lantang remembers experiencing a fun childhood. “I was a pretty rebellious boy back then. I had already attempted to ride a motorcycle before I was actually allowed to,” he fondly recalls.
Born in 2001, the young actor states that, despite his current career in the acting field, being an actor was not something he initially wanted. “Being an actor was a spontaneous choice,” Lantang reminisces. “When I was a kid,I wanted to be a soccer player instead. In fact, I still want to be one.” He names Johnny Depp, Vin Diesel and the late Paul Walker as his muses in the entertainment industry. “I grew up watching them in the films. I also look up to Reza Rahadian and Lukman Sardi,” Lantang says. “They are multitalented actors who can play different characters and really have influenced me to be an actor.”
Lantang has starred in a list of films, including 2014 drama anthology “Aku Cinta Kamu” (“I Love You”), the 2018 comedy “Generasi Micin vs Kevin” (“The Micin Generation vs Kevin”) and the 2019 coming of age drama “MeloDylan.” The 2021 web series “Antares,” however, was the one that arguably catapulted him into stardom. In the show, he plays Ardhan Alcander, a vice-leader of the Calderioz Club. “Fun fact: Ardhan is a lovey-dovey person and he doesn’t mind PDA,” Lantang reveals. “In real life, I’m a different person. When going out with my girlfriend, I don’t even hold her hand.” Despite finding it challenging to play a character different to his actual personality, Lantang still sees some similarities between himself and Ardhan—they are both pretty talkative. “I love talking. Ardhan also loves talking,” he says.
Another web series Lantang has starred in is “Twisted 2.” Released in 2021, the series comprises four horror stories spread into eight episodes. In this series, Lantang plays Deri, a psychopathic character. “This is also a challenging role for me,” Lantang says of his character. “I don’t talk much–I probably said one word or two but I was a psychopath and had to play with my expressions. Imagine killing someone. You don’t just stab them: you have to know how to kill that person happily. That’s so difficult!” In “Twisted 2” Lantang shared the screen with a number of well-known actors and entertainers such as Samuel Rizal, Djenar Maesa Ayu, Kinaryosih and Jinan of JKT48 fame. Sports, in particular soccer, and exercise are two other things the young actor is deeply passionate about. Lantang’s passion for soccer was first discovered when he watched the final match between Chelsea and Manchester United on TV. A die-hard fan of the Red Devils, he states that he is ready to take another career path should the opportunity come. “If one day someone from an agent comes to me and gives me the opportunity to become a soccer athlete, I wouldn’t even think twice about it,” he says. “I know I have secured a position in the entertainment industry but, well, soccer is my passion.” The actor also admits that he has been interested in the gym scene since he was in junior high school. “I am a big fan of Vin Diesel and seeing him on the screen made me want to have a similarly muscular body,” he elaborates. “I think there’s something missing in my life if I don’t play soccer or hit the gym.”
In 2021, Lantang joined forces with Indonesian model and “Antares” star Yesaya Abraham to launch a YouTube channel titled “Jak N
Jal.” A wordplay on the nursery rhyme “Jack and Jill,” the channel’s name was created based on Lantang’s and Abraham’s Betawi nicknames. “Yesaya and I call each other by our Betawi pet names, Rojak and Rijal. It’s like revisiting our childhood,” he says. “When we were kids, we used to play in the alleys or a nearby kampung (village), and mingled with the village kids. They played in the ditch, I played in the ditch, too. So did Yesaya.” Having gained 134 thousand subscribers by May 2022, the channel covers various topics and themes, from fun videos where the duo shares fun soccer matches they have participated in to mukbangs or eating shows involving weird culinary creations. When asked about other themes they can possibly cover in their future videos, Lantang says that the duo just go with the flow. “We make what we want to make,” he elaborates. “After all, we created this YouTube channel to have fun and entertain our friends and fans out there. But we are committed to our YouTube project. We’ve come this far, so we can’t just play around.”
The year 2022 has led to many people in showbiz going on new chapters in their professional journeys. For Lantang, it’s a great time to make new friends and celebrate friendship. “I’ve made so many new friends in 2022. It’s really fun!” he exclaims. “I reconnected with my childhood friend and they have such a big circle of friends. My circle has been rather small all this time, but he introduced me to another circle so I met so many new people and made new friends.” Regarding his hopes for the rest of the year, the young actor gives his family top priority. “I definitely want to make my family happy, especially my parents. I’ll start with my inner circle first before looking outward.” Lantang also expresses his lifelong dream to one day pay a visit to his favorite soccer team’s home, the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, as well as owning his own place. “I want to buy a house for myself but I am still unsure about living alone. I still want to be near my mother,” he playfully admits with a chuckle.
PHOTOGRAPHY EANDARU KUSUMAATMAJA
STYLIST BAGOES ABYOSO
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT AHMAD SALIM BARRY
GROOMING GEODE DINAR F.
DIGITAL IMAGING METODIUS ARFANTYO
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