When Erra Fazira officially ended her seven-year marriage on Feb 18 in court, she allowed herself only 10 minutes of grief.

The Malaysian actress-singer-host then told herself to snap out of it, put on a smile and headed straight to work, where she filmed an episode of talk show Primadona.

Erra, 40, told The New Paper in a phone interview from Kuala Lumpur that she had "no choice".

"I won't deny it was tough. So much happened in just one day and I was so tired. I stared into space for those 10 minutes, thinking to myself, 'What just happened?'. Then I said, 'All right that's it, time to move on'," Erra recalled.

Rumours of her rocky union with media businessman Engku Emran Engku Zainal Abidin had made the rounds in recent years, sparking speculation they were on the verge of divorcing.

The 39-year-old, whom she married in 2007, is her second husband after singer-film director Yusry Abdul Halim of popular Malaysian singing trio KRU.

The couple had been living apart for 1½ years.

Engku Emran was granted custody of their only child, Engku Aleesya, five. Despite the blow, Erra refuses to let her emotions show.

Her career is her main focus - and distraction - now.

"I have responsibilities towards my mother and daughter. Besides, I wasn't born rich so I just have to work and work until I can't. Of course I am sad, but I can't show that I am weak. If I allow myself to be overwhelmed by my emotions, I will get nowhere," said Erra, whose career kicked off after she won the Miss Malaysia World title in 1992.

She made her breakthrough in the film industry in 1994 with a lead role in iconic romance film Sembilu, opposite Malaysian singer-actress Ziana Zain and Malaysian singer-actor Awie.

Incidentally, she will reprise her role as Wati, the love interest of rock star Awie (played by Awie) in a musical theatre production, Suara Kita, in Kuala Lumpur.

It will reunite Erra with her co-stars Awie and Ziana for the first time in nearly two decades.

Read the full story here.

Related stories:
	'There were nerves when we met again'

Click on the gallery below for more on Erra Fazira.

(Photos: BHM, BH, ST, Harian Metro, Saodah Ismail, NSTP, The Star/ANN, Utasan Malaysia, Awie Entertainment Sdn Bhd)