Ivan Gabriel

Ivan Alexander Francis Gabriel is an actor whose love for the stage began at the tender age of seven, when he made his theatrical debut as Prince Charming in Cinderella, a role he finds amusingly ironic, as he often jokes that he “plays” the Prince-Not-So-Charming in real life.

Since that first taste of the spotlight, he has taken on a wide range of roles in local theatre, earning a reputation for his dedication and versatility. This solid foundation in live performance naturally opened the door to independent and short films, where he continues to expand his creative boundaries and bring stories to life with authenticity and nuance.

While Gabriel enjoys the craft of working in front of the camera, his true passion lies in the raw immediacy of live theatre. He thrives on the electric energy of a live audience and relishes the adrenaline that pulses through him in those moments before the curtain rises. For him, the stage is far more than a platform, it is where he is fully present, where he feels truly alive, and where his art finds its purest expression.

Beyond his work as an actor, Ivan Gabriel is an independent curator based in Penang, whose practice centres on care, contextual understanding, and collaboration. As the in-house curator at Hin Bus Depot, he plays a key role in shaping exhibitions and public programmes that foreground critical voices and contemporary narratives. Working regionally, Ivan continues to champion artists and stories that challenge, connect, and bridge communities.