As fun as acting can be, it is physically demanding even if it doesn’t always seem that way. While most actors know their limits and adhere to them, there are times when taking a break just isn’t feasible. And that can lead to disastrous consequences.
Veteran actor Louis Koo (古天樂) is no stranger to working hard for his craft. Especially when it came to his project, “Warriors of Future (明日战记)”. Unfortunately, his dedication came at the cost of his health. Louis was apparently struggling so much with cervical spondylosis during filming that it almost left him paralysed!
The 51-year-old actor is used to working tirelessly. As such, when he started feeling pain in his spine, he chalked it up to his exhaustion from the lengthy filming. Louis thought that his condition would be fine after a while. However, the actor soon noticed a numbness in his right hand. Then, his right leg went numb. Eventually, the numbness spread through his body while the pain in his spine had not decreased.
The pain and paralysis affected Louis greatly and he also started having trouble sleeping. After it became unbearable, the actor went to see a doctor. It was then he discovered that his condition was worse than he thought. “You have injured your nerves,” the doctor said. “If all your nerves are dead, you (will be) done (for).”
Louis was in the middle of filming for “Warriors of Future” at the time. As he was a protagonist, he felt there were important scenes which could not be done by a stand-in. After much hesitation, Louis finally decided to put his work first. He asked the doctor for painkillers to deal with the pain, but ultimately decided to get surgery after the filming had completed.
Louis allegedly took breaks regularly on set. When he had spare time, he would be alone, taking his painkillers. The film’s staff soon discovered Louis’s condition, but the actor would wordlessly reassure them that he was fine. However, he still looked troubled.
The actor did get surgery for his condition after the film had concluded. Currently, he is recovering well without major problems. “It’s alright after the surgery,” he stated during an interview about “Warriors of Tomorrow”. “Now, it’s alright.” However, netizens were still concerned upon hearing about his near-paralysis. Several have advised him to not work so hard while others have asked him to cherish and protect his body.
Louis’s dedication to his film is certainly admirable. However, like many others, we do hope Louis takes better care of his health. After all, most fans would definitely understand if actors needed to take a break for health reasons.
Sources: China Press, Tan Tan News
