Jefri Nichol: The Powerful Rise of Indonesia’s Dear Nathan Star

Introduction

Jefri Nichol is an Indonesian actor best known for playing Nathan in the popular romantic film Dear Nathan. Born on January 15, 1999, in Jakarta, he is 27 years old as of July 2026.

He started acting when he was about 14 years old and became widely recognised after appearing in several major Indonesian films in 2017.

Today, Jefri is known for much more than romantic films. His work includes action stories, superhero films, independent cinema and streaming series. Some of his notable projects are Pertaruhan, Jakarta vs Everybody, Sri Asih, Ali Topan and Pertaruhan The Series.

Jefri Nichol Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Full name	Jefri Nichol
Date of birth	January 15, 1999
Age in 2026	27 years old
Birthplace	Jakarta, Indonesia
Nationality	Indonesian
Profession	Actor and model
Career beginning	2013
First television role	Boni in Kami Rindu Ayah
First feature film	Pertaruhan
Breakthrough film	Dear Nathan
Famous streaming role	Elzan in Pertaruhan The Series
Current status	Active actor
Recent projects	Alibii.com, Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts and Pertaruhan The Series 3

Who Is Jefri Nichol?

Jefri Nichol is a screen actor from Indonesia who entered the entertainment industry while he was still a teenager.

He first appeared as Boni in the 2013 television miniseries Kami Rindu Ayah. It was a small role, but it gave him his first professional acting experience.

His career changed greatly in 2017. During that year, he appeared in Pertaruhan, Dear Nathan, Jailangkung, Aku, Benci & Cinta, One Fine Day and Surat Cinta untuk Starla.

This group of films introduced him to a much wider Indonesian audience.

Readers interested in other well-known public figures can explore more celebrity stories on Fame Katha.

How Jefri Nichol Started Acting

According to his official Kite Entertainment profile, Jefri began working in entertainment in 2013 when he was about 14 years old.

His early role in Kami Rindu Ayah was followed by more television work before he moved into feature films.

His first feature film was Pertaruhan, released in 2017. He played Elzan, a character who later became closely connected to his streaming career.

Jefri eventually returned to the same fictional world through Pertaruhan The Series.

Starting at a young age gave him time to build experience before receiving major leading roles. Instead of becoming known through only one project, he appeared in several films during his breakthrough year.

Dear Nathan and His Breakthrough Role

Jefri’s best-known early role was Nathan in Dear Nathan.

Released in 2017, the romantic drama helped establish him as a leading actor for young Indonesian audiences.

He later returned to the character in Dear Nathan: Hello Salma and Dear Nathan: Thank You Salma. The sequels allowed the story and its characters to grow with the audience.

Nathan became an important role in Jefri’s career because it showed that he could carry a major film as its central male actor.

However, he did not remain limited to teenage romance. His later choices moved him into horror, action, comedy, historical drama and superhero entertainment.

Major Movies and Career Growth

After the success of Dear Nathan, Jefri continued to appear in a wide range of productions.

His later projects allowed him to work across romance, action, horror, comedy and drama rather than repeating the same kind of character.

Some of his recognised films and series include:

• Jailangkung 2
• Something in Between
• Dear Nathan: Hello Salma
• DreadOut
• Hit & Run
• Habibie & Ainun 3
• Seperti Hujan yang Jatuh ke Bumi
• AUM!
• Jakarta vs Everybody
• My Sassy Girl
• Sri Asih
• Why Do You Love Me
• Mohon Doa Restu
• Aku Jati, Aku Asperger
• Ali Topan
• Alibii.com
• Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts

This range shows how his career expanded from youth romance into more demanding and varied stories.

Jakarta vs Everybody and a More Serious Role

Jakarta vs Everybody became an important project in Jefri Nichol’s career.

He played Dom, a young man who moves to Jakarta with dreams of becoming an actor. The character then faces the difficult and dangerous side of life in the city.

The performance showed a different side of Jefri compared with the romantic characters that first made him famous.

His work in the film earned him a Best Actor nomination at the 2021 Indonesian Film Festival.

The project helped demonstrate that he could take on darker and more complex material. It also supported his move from youth-star status toward more mature screen work.

Jefri also received a story-writing credit for the film, showing his interest in creative work beyond acting.

Jefri Nichol in Sri Asih

In 2022, Jefri appeared as Tangguh in Sri Asih.

The superhero film placed him inside Indonesia’s Bumilangit cinematic world.

The role was different from his earlier romantic films. It connected him with a large action production and introduced his work to viewers who enjoy superhero and fantasy stories.

Appearing in Sri Asih was another sign that Jefri was choosing different genres instead of relying only on the type of role that first made him popular.

Success in Pertaruhan The Series

Jefri returned to the role of Elzan in Pertaruhan The Series.

The streaming production developed the world first introduced in his 2017 feature-film debut.

The first season was released in 2022, followed by the second season in 2023 and the third season in 2025.

The continuing role made Elzan one of the longest-running characters of his screen career.

His performance in season two received major regional recognition.

In 2024, Jefri was selected as Indonesia’s National Winner for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Asian Academy Creative Awards.

The production was listed under its English title, At Stake The Series Season 2.

The official Asian Academy Creative Awards national-winners list confirms that he was selected as Indonesia’s winner and representative in the leading-actor category.

This achievement should be described as an Indonesian national win rather than the overall Asia-Pacific grand-final award.

Awards and Recognised Achievements

Jefri has received awards and nominations at different stages of his acting career.

His recognised achievements include:

• Best New Leading Actor recognition at the Piala Maya
• Rising Star recognition from DAMAN Magazine
• Best Supporting Actor recognition for Habibie & Ainun 3
• Best Actor nomination at the 2021 Indonesian Film Festival
• Audience-choice nominations at the Indonesian Film Festival
• Best Male Lead nomination at the ContentAsia Awards
• Indonesia’s National Winner for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2024 Asian Academy Creative Awards

These honours cover romantic films, drama, television and digital entertainment.

They also show that his work has been recognised by both Indonesian and wider Asian entertainment organisations.

Jefri Nichol’s Recent Work

As of July 2026, Jefri remains professionally active.

His most recently documented projects include Alibii.com, Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts and the third season of Pertaruhan The Series.

Alibii.com

Jefri played Ganesh in Alibii.com, a romantic-comedy production released through Vidio.

The project added a lighter story to a career that already included action, horror and serious drama.

Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts

Jefri also appeared in Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts.

The short Indonesian production combines drama with body-horror elements.

It was selected for the Berlinale Shorts programme in 2025 and later won Best Short Fiction Film at the 2025 Indonesian Film Festival.

The award was given to the film and its creative team rather than directly to Jefri as an individual actor.

Pertaruhan The Series 3

The third season of Pertaruhan The Series continued Jefri’s association with Elzan.

His return followed the recognition he received for the second season at the Asian Academy Creative Awards.

Why Is Jefri Nichol Famous?

Jefri Nichol is famous mainly because of his role as Nathan in Dear Nathan.

However, his continuing popularity comes from his ability to move between different kinds of projects.

He has played a romantic lead, a struggling young man, an action character, a superhero-film character and the central figure in a long-running streaming series.

His career is therefore broader than the single role that first brought him public attention.

His award recognition also helped strengthen his professional standing. The 2024 Asian Academy Creative Awards national win was especially important because it recognised his work in a leading streaming role.

Jefri Nichol’s Education and Creative Ambitions

Jefri has publicly discussed his interest in learning more about filmmaking.

In a 2018 interview, he said that he hoped to study film directing and wanted to explore work as a director, writer and producer.

However, no reliable source reviewed for this profile confirms that he later completed a university degree in filmmaking.

His comments still show that his career ambitions extend beyond acting.

His story-writing credit for Jakarta vs Everybody also supports his interest in the creative process behind films.

Publicly Reported Legal Issue

In July 2019, Jefri Nichol was arrested in a marijuana-related case.

In November 2019, the South Jakarta District Court sentenced him to seven months, with time already spent in detention and rehabilitation deducted.

He was ordered to complete the remaining period through rehabilitation.

He was later conditionally released in December 2019.

This was a concluded legal case and should be described using neutral, factual language.

In October 2024, police also questioned Jefri as a witness in an investigation related to an alleged assault at a restaurant in South Jakarta.

Police stated that the complaint was not filed against him. He was therefore reported as a witness, not as the accused person.

Interesting Facts About Jefri Nichol

He started acting at about 14

Jefri was still a young teenager when he received his first television role in 2013.

His first film and breakthrough film arrived in the same year

Both Pertaruhan and Dear Nathan were released in 2017.

One marked his feature-film debut, while the other made him widely recognised.

He returned to his first film character

Jefri first played Elzan in Pertaruhan.

Years later, he returned to the character in three seasons of Pertaruhan The Series.

He has worked in many genres

His projects include romance, horror, action, comedy, historical drama, independent cinema, superhero entertainment and streaming productions.

He has a film-writing credit

Jefri is credited as one of the story writers for Jakarta vs Everybody, showing that his creative work is not limited to acting.

His Asian Academy recognition was a national award

Jefri was selected as Indonesia’s National Winner for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

He represented Indonesia in the awards process, but the title was not the overall regional grand-final prize.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Jefri Nichol?

Jefri Nichol is an Indonesian actor known for Dear Nathan, Jakarta vs Everybody, Sri Asih, Ali Topan and Pertaruhan The Series.

How old is Jefri Nichol?

Jefri Nichol was born on January 15, 1999. He is 27 years old as of July 2026.

Where was Jefri Nichol born?

He was born in Jakarta, Indonesia.

What made Jefri Nichol famous?

His breakthrough came from playing Nathan in the 2017 romantic film Dear Nathan.

What was Jefri Nichol’s first movie?

His first feature film was Pertaruhan, released in 2017. He played Elzan.

Did Jefri Nichol win an Asian Academy Creative Award?

He was named Indonesia’s 2024 National Winner for Best Actor in a Leading Role for At Stake The Series Season 2.

The honour made him Indonesia’s representative in that category.

Is Jefri Nichol still acting?

Yes. As of July 2026, his professional profile continues to list him as an active actor.

His recent credits include Alibii.com, Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts and Pertaruhan The Series 3.

Final Words

Jefri Nichol entered Indonesian entertainment as a teenage television actor and became a recognised film star through Dear Nathan.

Instead of remaining tied to one successful character, he built a varied career across romance, action, horror, independent film and streaming television.

His role in Pertaruhan The Series brought him national recognition at the Asian Academy Creative Awards, while his recent projects show that he continues to explore different stories and formats.

As of July 2026, Jefri Nichol remains an active and recognised figure in Indonesian screen entertainment.