'I admire Sukarno as a father to family and state'

Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Donny Kesuma Hudayat has what it takes to be an idol: good-looks, a good physique and a good voice. But the 33 year old said he was a shy boy until softball training during his high school years helped him bulk up and he grew to 185 cms.

He was the pitcher on the Jakarta team that won gold in the 2000 National Games in Surabaya, East Java, but the unusually large number of spectators in the stands was due mostly to the young women who flocked to watch their favorite hunk in action.

A comics fan, Donny started his career as an ad model in 1987 and is still probably best known as the man in a plaid shirt and hard hat plugging an energy drink in a popular TV commercial. The husband of Yuni Indriyati, 31, has followed in the footsteps of other models-turned-actors by starring in several local TV drama series.

If you had the choice, what would you be doing right now?

I want to see my son. I spend every day working, so I hope I can have a lot of time to be with my five-month-old son, Mohammad Fadjrin Putra Kesuma.

Which trait do you most like about yourself?

I easily adjust myself to any situation.

And deplore?

I'm impatient. For example I can't stand one who is not on time while we have to be punctual. I also waver -- sometimes it's hard for me to make a choice.

Whom do you admire?

Bung Karno, because he can be a father to his children at the same time as he's a father to the nation. He did not subordinate his family even though he was so busy with state affairs. Sometimes, people with mounting tasks might neglect their families.

What kind of clothes do you like to wear?

Jeans and T-shirt.

Do you believe in God?

Certainly.

What was the last book you read?

The last thing I read was Tempo magazine. I also like to read comic books.

What makes you angry?

Something that pisses me off. It's relative. If people become too much, I can easily lose my temper.

What characteristics do you dislike in others?

Hypocrisy.

If you had to live on a desert island for one year and were only allowed to take three things with you, what would they be?

Your question is like those on an IQ test! OK, I'll take the things that can help me out on the island, such as matches, gasoline and a commando dagger.

What makes you laugh?

Many things. I'm a jovial person. But these days I laugh at my baby. He does endless things to make me smile.

And cry?

I seldom cry. The last time was when my dad (Rommel Hudayat) died, four years ago.

If there was something you could change about your appearance, what would it be?

Nothing. I like what I am now. I'm a straightforward man.

What makes life worth living?

Many things. I thank God because I've been given life, a healthy body, enough rewards to buy the food we need every day ... if I have enough to live, why should we think of death?

Do you have a favorite song?

The theme song and Edelweiss from The Sound of Music.

And movie?

The Sound of Music and Grease. The latter is a typical youth movie and, as a movie buff, I've never seen any good movie like it.

Do you ever worry about your weight?

Yes, I do. I have to care about my weight because I earn my living by selling my physical appearance.

How would you like to be remembered?

The good things about me. But anyway, it's up to the person.

Which trait do you like in woman?

I like a simple woman: straightforward, and she doesn't have to be someone else to be attractive. In brief, she has to have an inner beauty.

Do you prefer to be an actor or an athlete?

I like both. I play softball because it's my hobby and I perform in the TV series and commercials because they're my bread and butter.