Opening up about his past struggles with substance abuse was not an easy decision for Singaporean content creator Fauzi Azzhar, but he is now “so happy” he did.
The 38-year-old actor, who was apprehended and underwent rehabilitation in 2023, once worried about how going public with his story would affect his career.
Now, seeing the impact it has had on others and hearing from the people whose lives he has touched has become a source of motivation for him to “keep going”.
Speaking to AsiaOne in an interview in September, Fauzi recalled one encounter with a supporter in 2024 that left him in tears.
He had stopped at a bicycle station in Pasir Ris to pump his tyres when a part-time worker approached him and said: “Because of you, I stopped taking drugs, and I’m so happy that I changed.”
“I cried, you know. I just wanted to pump my tyres, but I started crying (in front of him),” Fauzi said with a laugh, adding that parents and people who struggle with substance abuse have also approached him since he went public.
The Sandbox
Fauzi was speaking to AsiaOne at a press conference for upcoming local mockumentary The Sandbox, where he reflected on his acting journey and desire to influence others in a positive way.
The comedy film follows a struggling stunt training school on the verge of closure when rumours surface of a Marvel superhero production scouting for talent in Singapore. The school suddenly finds itself filled with aspiring stunt performers and superhero wannabes hoping for their next big break.
He plays Shafiq Hakim, a perfectionist and risk-averse former Ministry of Education employee whose deep-rooted fear of failure drives him to cling to rules and do things “the proper way”.
The cast includes Sandbox’s real-life founder, actor and action director Peps Goh as well as local talents Nathan Hartono, Benjamin Kheng, Oon Shu An, Estelle Fly, Jon Cancio, Xuan Ong and Aaron Mossadeg.
The Sandbox is written and directed by James Thoo in his directorial debut and produced by Mocha Chai Laboratories. It first premiered at the 36th Singapore International Film Festival in November 2025 and is set to open in local cinemas on Oct 8.
Fauzi told us that when he first read the script, he immediately connected with Shafiq and saw parts of himself in the character.
Describing him as an everyday Singaporean who appears content with his stable job and life on the surface, Fauzi pointed out that deep down, like many others, Shafiq is searching for greater joy and fulfilment.
He said: “As a content creator, I do want to achieve this goal where I influence others. That is somebody I want to be lah.”
Growing up as the eldest of five children, Fauzi often felt a responsibility to set a good example for his younger siblings and strive for perfection, much like Shafiq.
Shafiq’s tendency to take himself too seriously also “struck a chord” with him.
He drew parallels to his own experiences as a content creator, saying: “There is some level of pressure on my shoulders sometimes to perform, to always sort of chase numbers.
“But recently, I told myself, ‘I’ll just be unhinged online. I’ll just be myself.’ … If you want to accept me, this is who I am.”
Took a chance on acting
Eight years ago, Fauzi made a big decision to quit his corporate job to venture into acting, and he admitted he had talked to “so many people” before making the career switch.
He recalled the first thing his mother said was: “Got CPF anot? Do you have enough savings?”
He said: “I thought to myself, ‘Hey, I feel like I’m very good at the things I do at work, but deep inside, I want to pursue my dreams.’
“And it’s been aching at the back (of my head) the whole time. So I said, ‘Hey, you know what? Just take a chance.'”
Fauzi landed his first acting gig in the Singapore-produced web series Average Guys SG that launched on YouTube in 2017. The mockumentary-style comedy series helped kick-start his career as both an actor and content creator.
He later appeared in the 2025 Singapore science fiction comedy film We Can Save The World!!!, starring Noah Yap, Jun Vinh Teoh, Xuan and himself.
Beyond acting, Fauzi has also built a sizeable social media following, with more than 105,000 followers on TikTok and close to 47,000 on Instagram.
Fauzi described acting as a craft that involves studying and building the characters.
On the other hand, content creation comes with the pressure to “appease people and the algorithm”, adding that “the stress is so different”.
‘Finally at peace with myself’
Reflecting on a time when he wished the world would slow down, Fauzi pointed to 2023, when he was battling depression and struggling with substance abuse.
“It felt like the world was running too fast,” he said. “So, there are times when I need to stop. But now, after dealing with my depression, I do take time with myself. It’s so important to rest.”
Fauzi previously revealed in a 2024 interview that he had first tried drugs out of curiosity and gradually began using it to stay awake during his part-time undergraduate studies in 2016.
He was later apprehended by Central Narcotics Bureau officers in 2023 and served his term in a drug rehabilitation centre.
He is now three years sober. “I am my own superhero,” said Fauzi.
Looking back on his life and career, he said that he’s “finally okay and at peace with being myself”.
“Nothing is more liberating than being at peace with yourself. I used to feel like I need validation from family and friends, but nothing is more peaceful than that.”
The Sandbox is set to open in Singapore cinemas on Oct 8.
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