[Essay] A Young Actress Isolated in Hengdian (Nicky Li)

A Young Actress Isolated in Hengdian:
Through the winter, the epidemic and suspension



The following afternoon after the Chinese New Year, Li Jiaqi was opening the lunch box that her mother sent for her, and planned to finish it quickly. There was a major scene that was suppose to wrap up on that day. The filming crew was split into A and B groups. They had been filming all morning, and Li Jiaqi had to switch to another group in the afternoon.

Suddenly, loud noises came from outside.

Li Jiaqi ran out of the lounge and heard the staff outside said "Our filming has been suspended." She was surprised: "Did the filming plan change today?" After further inquiry, Li Jiaqi was told: "Because of the epidemic, all filming activities in Hengdian must be stopped." Li Jiaqi quickly took out her mobile phone and asked her other friends who were in Hengdian. Everyone said, "Yes, I was suddenly notified to stop work."

Since the filming stopped abruptly, Li Jiaqi first returned to the crew hotel and was later properly arranged for accommodation by Hengdian.

23 year-old Li Jiaqi has a clear face. Three years ago, she was selected by producer Angie Chai to star in the new version of Meteor Garden as Xiao You. However, after the drama wrapped up, Li Jiaqi didn't get any more acting job, and she had nothing to shoot for a year.

Many of her friends left the industry because of a downturn in the film and television industry, but Li Jiaqi decided to stay in acting path. Since the second half of last year, Li Jiaqi ushered in a turnaround. She got roles in two dramas and a movie. In this Chinese New Year, the drama she is filming is "Nichang", and her co-star is Bi Wenjun, an idol group member who just started acting.

This spring, Li Jiaqi is isolated in a hotel in Hengdian.

In the beginning, she always looked for her agent when she want to do something. One month later, she took the initiative to find the producer to look back at the material, as she want to keep the feeling in the drama. In recent days, crew members have taken the health examination in Hengdian to get full scores so they can submit registration to get permission to resume filming.

While waiting, Li Jiaqi would look at the residential buildings outside the window and think: As long as we want to continue, things will be fine.


01

After being notified of the suspension, all groups of filming crew can choose whether to leave or stay according to each situation. Some filming groups left and were dismissed at that time. Our filming group chose to standby, so our entire crew stay in Hengdian.

Throughout the quarantine period, I only went out twice, to go to the supermarket.

The first time was the day when the quarantine was announced, the crew went out to shop daily necessities. There were very few people on the street at the time, but we didn't realize it would be a long-term suspension and we were still talking about the scenes that were not completed before the suspension. When I saw Starbucks downstairs, I took a photo saying how even the famous landmark of Hengdian Starbucks was closed.

Later, I started ordering takeaways. But then all the restaurants start closing. Only the supermarket and grocery stores were open, but they do not have delivery service.

The 8th and 9th day, the road was closed in Hengdian. People outside couldn't get in, and people inside couldn't get out.

The last time I went to the supermarket, about two or three people, wearing masks, hats and gloves, went to the Hengdian Guomao Building. When I passed the crossroads of the Guomao Bridge, I couldn't help but took a mobile phone and took a video. Standing at the crossroads, there are one or two electric bicycles parked in the distance, but there is no car on the road, and all the shops are closed down. There was not a single pedestrian on this road.

It did not look like Hengdian!



When I went out for dinner last time (before suspension), we also walked a well-known Wanghong Street in Hengdian. It was particularly lively and there were people broadcasting live. Now walking on that street, it was empty and suddenly everyone disappeared.

Hengdian usually has tourists and there are a large number of extra (background actors) in Hengdian, and the traffic is very high. During the Chinese New Year, half of the people in Hengdian walked away. The epidemic made everyone not go out. I think there are only locals on the street in Hengdian.

There are some villages around Hengdian. They have red banners at the entrance of the village, and the iron nets underground are locked. I don't know how the villagers buy vegetables and how to get daily necessities.

Actually, so far, Hengdian is quite safe, it seems that there is no confirmed case.

I remember when the work stopped for about two weeks, there was a rumor that made everyone panic. One of the extra actor in Hengdian, went filming from one group to another group during that time. At the time of the Chinese New Year, there weren't many groups filming.

Next, I asked a lot of people in my circle of friends and asked: Has this person been to your filming? Then I saw a rumor saying that the extra actor went to almost every group.

Later, the official news say that this person only caught a common cold. There were quite a lot of rumors during that time on Weibo everyday.

Since the crew of our filming group were scattered in different hotels before, for the convenience of management, the crew arranged us in the same hotel on February 9th and 10th, and basically we didn't go out. The hotel has a special staff to check downstairs. When I need to buy something, I had to trouble the front desk to help me. When we eat, we help each other to bring food to the door. Basically, no one can reach anyone.


02

My home is in Hangzhou. My parents came here since a few days before the Chinese New Year day. They have been staying with me in the hotel to take care of my daily necessities.

A few days before the Chinese new year, we received a call from the hotel saying that the scheduled Chinese New Year dinner lamb hot pot was cancelled, so we used the cooking tools in the hotel room to cook by ourselves. I slept a lot after eating.

During that time, my best friend came to Hengdian after she wrapped up her drama filming. I haven't seen her for half a year. I was so excited that day that I wanted to say that she was here. The two of us might be able to stay in one room together.

But, the first day she came to Hengdian, she was quarantined, and a seal was affixed outside the door. Someone was guarding her door.

She is such a good friend, and she calls my mother "Mom" too. Thinking that she had just wrap up a filming, she must have lost weight, so my mother made her a soup. When she was isolated, my mother was standing at one end of the corridor, and she was standing at the other end of the corridor, leaving the soup to her.

Later, my best friend called me and said that she really wanted to cry because she saw my mom and remembered her own mother.

My parents were always with me. The three of us are particularly safe in Hengdian. But then we heard that Hangzhou is about to be closed down, because they have their own matters to settle, they drove away early in the morning on the 7th day. At 9 o'clock in the morning, when I woke up, I received a text message from them.

After my parents returned to Hangzhou, I felt really lonely.

Since I decided to be an actress, I have been living in Beijing and rarely returned to Hangzhou. Since June last year, I have been filming from one group to another. Because of work, I spend very little time with my parents, I only talk to them on my mobile phone. This epidemic brought me back to the time I was in school, and we were able to sit together for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and watch TV and chat together afterwards, as a family.

They left, and no one spoke with me. During that time, I lay in bed every day after I checked my cell phone, and sent a dozen posts a day.

Later, I understand that I should have a lot of things to do and shouldn't rest. So I started to work hard, then I take care of myself with my skincare products, nourished my skin, and took a look at the movies that I haven't seen yet.

Before, my parents would make a lot of delicious food in the hotel, and I would give some to my co-stars and crew. During that time, I felt like "Reply 1988." There was a street in that drama. Everyone will share me some dishes, I will share them some dishes, particularly happy.

Actually, I can cook by myself. When my mother goes home, I do the cooking myself. This time, I gain a different kind of friendship.

It's been almost half a month now and I still haven't seen my best friend, but every day we will talk on video chat to practice ukulele. I spend three hours a day practicing and I already have callus on my hands. Now I can play chords, but I can't sing while I play.

Because of Greg Han, I also watched the movie "A Sun." At first I couldn't see the first ten minutes. I didn't understand what it was about. But after I continue watching it, I suddenly realized that the movie is different than what I expected. I think it's a great movie!

I also recommended it to a good friend, but she fell asleep after watching it for ten minutes, and I was so angry!

When suspension just started, half of the time, I would stand outside the window and look outside. There was a quiet area outside the window. I couldn't see anyone. Although there was nothing to see, it made me very relaxed.

Two days ago, the weather in Hengdian was particularly good. I could see the bridge of Hengdian in front of the hotel window, next to the river, the sunset was particularly beautiful.




03

The filming that has been suspended "Nichang" is a costume drama. Before this, I have only done modern setting dramas, so I was very nervous. I was worried that costume drama's filming would be different than modern dramas.

At present, most of our scenes are shot at one time. I especially like to watch them. So I also talked with the crew recently, can you let me take a look at the filming that I finished before, because I don't want to forget the feeling of the character. The producer is also very nice. He took me to the editing room. He told me, I can just tell the editor what I want to see. This character has grown and there are many turning points for her midway. I just watched the turning point scenes and watched a few romantic scenes.

After watching it, I feel like wanting to redo the takes. Because I am a Virgo, I always want to be more perfect.

Both Bi Wenjun and me takes quite a while to be familiar with each other. At first we were a little embarrassed when acting as a couple. A few days before suspension, we were mostly filming our scenes together, we were really connected, but then the filming is suspended. After so many days, we are both in isolation. We may have lose our connection when we start filming again. We may not be believable anymore as a couple.

Some people say that I have filmed two dramas and one movie, it is very likely that a lot of shows will be released together in the future, and the chance for them to be seen is smaller. But I think it's all good as long as I get to film shows. If one show is good, then it will still be a different show, even if there are other shows for people to watch.

Actually, this is not the first time I have encountered obstacle. A year ago, the industry already had a cold winter. After I filmed my first drama "Meteor Garden," I heard a lot of praises for it. I also felt that I would get a good chance, but I didn't expect that after wrapping up this drama and "Wait My Youth," I had been auditioning for one whole year, but I did not get a single role in any drama.

After that one year, I was really scared. I wanted to say that I don't want to rest at all in the future.

Many actors have been wiped out in the previous industry's cold winter. I heard many people say that many newbie actors have changed careers.

I came from a non-science class and I am very lucky to be able to persist to this day. Things got better in the second half of last year. I filmed two projects in a row. I thought I could take a breather after this drama filming, go back to Beijing to rest, and then go film another show. But I didn't expect my agent told me the recent script have to be delayed.

This virus outbreak has reshuffled every project.

If one day we get to be free, my first feeling is a little scared, I don't know if it is safe to go out of the hotel. Maybe I will go to Dongyang to go fishing in the ocean and eat there.

I often dream about another kind of freedom. One day, when I get much older. I hope that time I have a lot of money and I can buy a house and rent them out. I will keep it for my mother as soon as I have money. I hope to realize my dream soon.

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Original Article in Chinese: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/2Wy6oLrp6Sob_8j1vF6zmQ