Jessica Hsuan, 51, Was Called “Fat” And “Old” By Her Manager, Who Also Told Her To Quit Acting

Former TVB actress Jessica Hsuan, 51, who starred in some of the broadcaster's biggest hits like Square Pegs (2003) and The Drive of Life (2007), recently appeared on Chinese talk show A Date With Lu Yu.

There, she shared about the challenges she faced in showbiz, and explained why she turned down the lead role in 2006 drama To Grow With Love.

For those not in the know, the drama revolved around a plus-sized woman's search for love. That role eventually went to Myolie Wu, who put on 22kg to play the character. 

According to Jessica, she rejected the drama because she wasn't keen on gaining weight for it.

“I was already 40 and I was afraid that [the weight gain] would be bad for my body… It would’ve been a standout role and would have been a good chance for me to have a breakthrough. But I still decided to put my body first.”

When asked if she regrets her decision, the actress said that she doesn't, and that it was better that Myolie, now 43, took up the role as she is younger.

“Basically, most of the time when it comes to work, I prioritise my happiness. I wouldn’t force myself to do something I don’t like,” she continued.

Jessica also revealed that she used to suffer from thyroid issues, which caused her face to swell up. As such, her job offers dried up, marking a low point in her career.

Her then-manager became very dissatisfied with her and told her that she was “already 40”and that her workload would “obviously drop” due to her age. 

The manager also said that Jessica wouldn’t be asked to portray leading characters anymore, unless it was telling the story of a 40-year-old lady.

Jessica then revealed the most hurtful thing her manager said to her:  “You’re old and you’re fat, there’s nothing you can do anymore. Don’t be an actress anymore, go and look for something else to do.”

Jessica admitted she was very affected by what her manager said. Thankfully, she got over it quickly.

“I probably can’t get roles like I used to, but it’s not to the point where I have to completely switch careers and not be an actress anymore. I think I’m still okay so I’ll continue on my own path,” she said.

She also added that she no longer works with that manager, as she felt there's no point keeping the relationship since the latter sees her as “unsaleable”.

Photos: Chinapress/ HK01

Catch Jessica in local dramas Bountiful Blessings and Parental Guidance on meWATCH, or watch the episodes below.