Despite taking pay cuts, Hong Kong actor Louis Koo finds it difficult to get movie jobs

HONG KONG: Hong Kong actor Louis Koo has voiced deep concern about the state of the city’s struggling film industry, saying even significant pay cuts haven’t been enough to attract investors, according to VnExpress.

“It’s no longer about whether I reduce my fee,” Koo said at the annual Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers meeting, where he serves as president. “Even with a pay cut, there’s still no investment.”

Funding remains elusive

Koo noted he has worked closely with authorities in search of solutions and has willingly accepted lower compensation, but funding remains elusive, according to The Economic Observer. Budget constraints have forced producers to scale back, often operating with limited resources.

Over the last two years, federation members aimed to create eight films, but due to financial challenges, only half were completed.

Producer Tin Kai Man reinforced Koo’s concerns, describing the industry as nearly “frozen”. He shared that actor Sean Lau, who recently won Best Actor at the Asian Film Awards for his role in Papa, also lowered his fee to support productions.

Turning to alternative work

The prolonged funding shortage has led many in the industry to abandon their film careers. Some have turned to alternative work, becoming delivery drivers, ride-hailing service drivers, or insurance agents, Tin added.

Now 54, Louis Koo launched his career in TV dramas with TVB, gaining popularity through shows like The Condor Heroes (1995), Detective Investigation Files IV (1999), and A Step into the Past (2001). His roles in the late 1990s earned him widespread recognition across Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.

Since 2001, he has focused primarily on films and has become a prominent figure in Hong Kong cinema.