Chinese actor Hu Ge, who gained fame once again for his role in the drama series “The Blooming,” was interviewed by the fashion magazine “ELLE Fashion World” on February 18. This marked his fifth appearance on the magazine’s cover. When discussing the topic of death, he openly admitted that for himself, “at 40, life is already on a countdown.”
According to the report by “ELLE Fashion World,” Hu Ge talked about “death” during the interview. The author mentioned that this was brought up by Hu Ge himself, stemming from a conversation about age.
At 42 years old this year, Hu Ge candidly expressed that for himself, “at 40, life is already on a countdown. It is very necessary to prepare early, so that when that moment arrives, one won’t be caught off guard, and won’t have regrets—realizing that there are many things in life left unfinished.”
Hu Ge recalled that he first seriously contemplated death in second grade. His teacher explained the concepts of the universe, space, and time during a class on natural knowledge, which had a profound impact on his inner thoughts. “Filled with fear of death, I realized that before being born, I knew nothing about the world, felt nothing. I feared the day of my death, returning to a state of nothingness.” He revealed that for a long time, he was even afraid to sleep at night, “because being asleep was so similar to being dead, knowing nothing.”
Hu Ge, who used to deliberately avoid the topic of “death,” now can discuss it openly and share his thoughts. He mentioned that as one reaches middle age, the topic of death cannot be evaded. In his view, “We not only have to face our own death, but also the departure of loved ones and friends. With age, the frequency of this word appearing in our lives will only increase.”
He mentioned wanting two opportunities for farewells: one to turn the clock back to 2019, the day before his mother passed away, to make up for not being able to see her one last time; and another in the future, to visit his own sickbed on the last day, like the character “Patient 5” in the stage play “Dreamlike Dream,” bidding farewell to himself.
Hu Ge’s mother fell ill when he was seven years old. Earlier reports confirmed that his mother passed away in March 2019. On one of his birthdays, Hu Ge posted on Weibo, mourning his mother: “I’ve been dreaming of you all week, until today I realized it’s not just a daily thought.” He expressed his longing for his mother to visit in his dreams.
During the interview, Hu Ge mentioned that after his mother’s passing, he felt he could face “death” calmly without fear or unease. However, it wasn’t until the birth of his daughter “Xiao Mo Li” in 2023 that he felt time wasn’t enough. “How is it that when I’m not around, she suddenly starts walking, speaking words, forming sentences?” This led to his attachment to life, wanting to live longer, “I want to spend more years with her, to see how she is doing.”