HK actor Ron Ng recalls how he once didn’t sleep for 7 days while filming a TVB drama

Ron Ng sure works hard for his money. Photo: Ron Ng/Facebook

Hong Kong actor-singer Ron Ng sure works hard for his money.

While participating as a contestant in the Chinese reality competition series Call Me By Fire 2, the 43-year-old spoke about his good old days shooting serials for broadcasting company TVB and the crazy working hours he kept.

"It was really tough. The longest I went without sleep was seven days,” Ng told his teammates, Chinese musician Renke and actor Zhang Junning.

“(I would) get up at 6am for makeup, leave for work at 7am, and we would shoot till about 6pm. Then we’d come back to TVB for dinner, and then go into the studio to shoot till about 5am.”

After a quick trip home for a shower, Ng said he’d head back to work 30 minutes later.

Upon hearing this, Renke rightly informed Ng that severe chronic sleep deprivation may actually lead to death.

To which, Ng replied: “Well, I'm not dead yet."

As detailed by a report in a Singaporean entertainment portal, Ng said he could only manage to get some sleep when he’s driven to a filming location.

“Even then it would be only for about 25 to 30 minutes. But, to be honest, I can't fall asleep or sleep well when someone’s driving.”

With that kind of work ethic, no wonder Ng – who got his breakthrough role in the highly acclaimed 2003 series Triumph In The Skies – have starred in as many as 80 dramas throughout his 24-year career.

Despite the tough times – which he admitted drove him to shed tears at times – Ng said he’s grateful for all the opportunities he has gotten.

Plus, he knows only too well what would happen if he were to complain about the hardship.

“You didn't have a choice in TVB back then. If you don't do it, there are plenty of people waiting in line to do it, right? If you're given a chance and you still have things to say, people would tell you off, you know?"