Ex TVB Actress Would Rather Earn S$27 A Day Doing Odd Jobs In China Than Take On HK Movie Gig

While acting may seem like a glamorous job, it is riddled with uncertainty, long working hours and low pay.

Chinese actress Yu Miao, who was once signed to TVB, knows it all too well, which is why she left the Hong Kong broadcaster after 11 years in 2023 to explore work opportunities in the Mainland.

Best known for her role as a mistress in 2019 drama Wonder Women, the 37-year-old has been working part-time at restaurants and boutiques in Dongguan. She regularly shares about her work life on Xiaohongshu.

Last week, Yu Miao posted a clip of her one-day gig at a BBQ buffet restaurant with the caption: “Former TVB actress continues to work in Dongguan. Is there no one working in Dongguan? Well, let me do it.”

Besides taking orders and setting the buffet table, she was tasked to remove the skin of 30 watermelons and cut them.

After completing the task, she took a break and helped herself to watermelon rinds that were originally meant to be discarded.

“Finally finished cutting 30 watermelons. I should reward myself, shouldn’t waste this,” she said.

While eating, Yu Miao received an acting offer for a movie role in Hong Kong. Though the pay was HK$500 (S$85) a day, Yu Miao was hesitant.

“Right now, I’m in Dongguan and have gained a bit of popularity here. HK$500... I’ll think about it,” she replied.

While it may seem like a no-brainer to take the acting job, after all it pays three times more than her current daily wage of 150 to 180 yuan (S$27 to S$32), Yu Miao isn't keen.

She explained that acting comes with a lot of uncertainties, and one could go for months without work.

“Life in Dongguan is fulfilling! Working here today, somewhere else tomorrow — there’s always income. Acting, on the other hand, feels uncertain. Sometimes you wait six months or a year just for a single role. In Dongguan, I feel like hard work pays off, so I’ll keep going!” she said.

In a previous video, Yu Miao revealed that it is not uncommon to see actors in Hong Kong working part-time jobs as TVB salaries are simply not enough to get by on.

She considered herself lucky to earn around HK$10K (S$1.7K) when she was in TVB, but with rent in Hong Kong being so high, it was impossible to make ends meet without side gigs.