A Hong Kong TV star has given up her glamorous acting career to become a waitress in Mainland China. Actress Maggie Yu Miao (also known as Yu Miao) quit the entertainment scene in 2023 and has since been working in a restaurant, reported The Star.
The former actress occasionally shares snippets from her life as a waitress in Dongguan, China, on social meda. In one recent video, the 37-year-old was seen chopping watermelons.
Yu said she earned 150 yuan for that particular day’s work chopping up 30 watermelons. Before that, she had earned 180 yuan setting tables.
She also shared a screenshot of a text message offering her a film role. The message read: “We have a role here, 500 yuan a day. Do you want it?”
However, Yu responded: “I’m in Dongguan now and have some fame here. I’ll consider it first. 500 yuan … should I go to Hong Kong to film a movie or stay here and work?”
Stability over glamour
Yu’s reason for giving up acting is simple - she likes the familiarity and stability that comes with having a regular job. She also feels her current life as a server is more manageable and rewarding.
{{/usCountry}}Yu’s reason for giving up acting is simple - she likes the familiarity and stability that comes with having a regular job. She also feels her current life as a server is more manageable and rewarding.
{{/usCountry}}Asked why she does not want to return to acting, the former TVB actress said: “I’m in Dongguan every day, and it’s very fulfilling. I earn money daily.
“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 was
After becoming a finalist in the Miss China International Pageant, Yu joined Hong Kong broadcaster TVB in 2012. She became popular for her roles in TV shows like Ghost of Relativity and My Lover From The Planet Meow.