Philip Keung’s Emotions Boiled Over While Filming “Murder Diary”

Utilizing method acting techniques, actors often completely immerse themselves into the characters that they portray. However, there are times when even the most seasoned actors are unable to separate themselves from their characters, and experience a lot of emotional stress such as Philip Keung (姜皓文) did for Murder Diary <刑偵日記>

Many praised Philip’s performance as a superintendent of police who suffers bipolar disorder after his wife’s departure, and suggested that he should win Best Actor this year. Agreeing that his character was well-written, Philip he felt stressed because of the challenges in playing the role.

“Before he was diagnosed as bipolar, he was a very calm person but he would go through periods of mania. His emotions would be magnified if he encounters an unhappy situation. When he is going through a manic episode, he would have cold sweats and feel dizzy. The character also has many negative thoughts. The script is really amazing–it’s hard to find something like this on television,” Philip said.

Isolated Himself

Due to the complexity of the role and filming for Murder Diary took place during the peak of the pandemic, Philip decided to live in a hotel for two months because he did not want to affect his family. It took some time for him to adapt to the solitude, and his eyes filled with tears as he revealed how much he missed his wife Anna Kam (殷寧), and their six dogs and a cat.

“I wanted to be alone while preparing for the character. We filmed for almost three months, and after work I would return to a room surrounded by just four walls and a bed. My wife or sister delivered my meals, but would leave right away. I’ve given in a couple times, and called my wife asking if she could come over or maybe buy some desserts when visiting,” the actor said.

However, Philip feels that his sacrifice was worth it, “As an actor, it is great to come across a challenging script. But I do need a break; I want to film a comedy!”

Needs a Mental Break

After Murder Diary wrapped up, Philip chose to self-isolate for another two weeks before returning home for health precautions. “I was more relaxed during those two weeks, because my wife visited me more frequently. We were able to see each other outside while wearing masks.”

When he finally returned home, Philip was shocked to realize he was the only one who was excited to be back–his wife and pets were indifferent.

Despite slowly integrating back into his normal routine, Philip was still deeply emotionally affected by his role in Murder Diary. Due to his mood swings and inability to control his temperament, his wife suggested that he see a psychologist before and after filming the drama. “I admit that I am easily affected. I can get upset over small things that are petty, and become easily unhappy. I don’t know if I’m going through menopause!”

Although a bit scared, Philip has not professional sought help yet because he believes that he can control his own emotions, “I feel this is something I can adjust. I can try to be more positive or learn to relax.”

Source: Bastille Post

This article is written by Kiki for JayneStars.com.