HONG KONG: Veteran TVB actor Carl Lau Kong has been a familiar face on the small screen for fans, having starred in more than 300 dramas during his 38 years with the Hong Kong broadcaster.
But he left TVB in 2020 following a drastic 50 per cent pay cut. The 76-year-old, who had once earned up to HK$60,000 (about RM33,070) a month as a full-time artiste, was offered just HK$7,500 (about RM4,130), making it hard to make ends meet.
In a recent interview on the Radio Television Hong Kong programme The Years We've Walked Together, Lau revealed that money wasn't the only reason for his departure.
When host and veteran TV producer Gary Yeung brought up rumours that he left due to a lack of good co-stars, Lau admitted: "Yes, that's right."
"If we talk about it, we will offend many people, so let's not talk about it," he continued.
Lau acknowledged that while TVB still has many good actors, they are rarely cast in the same drama together.
"As a result, you end up working with those," he said with a laugh. "I can't describe it; it's like I'm leading a bunch of kids on set, it's that simple."
"They are very polite and obedient, but there's not much improvement."
Despite his frustrations, Lau noted there were a few exceptions late in his career, such as the 2018 period drama The Forgotten Valley.
His standout villainous role earned him a Best Actor nomination at the TVB Anniversary Awards.
"Actually, I intended to quit that year. When we were discussing the contract terms, they mentioned that there was a drama they wanted me to do, so I listened to the story first. I felt the role was quite challenging, so I signed on for another year," Lau explained.
When Yeung pointed out that his departure from the small screen is a big loss to Hong Kong's entertainment industry,
Lau reassured fans that he has no plans to retire just yet. He added that he remains passionate about acting and is always open to accepting new roles—provided there is a good script.
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