Steven Ma Turns Down Multiple Projects Due to Health Concerns

Fans expected to see more of Steven Ma’s (馬浚偉) drama series after his comeback TVB drama Storm in a Cocoon <守業者> drew in successful ratings and critical reviews in early 2014, but Steven opted to occasionally make appearances on television and public events instead.

Though Steven had received many film and drama offers in 2014, the 43-year-old actor ultimately turned them down due to health concerns. According to the source, Steven rejected five projects — three films and two dramas.

For years, Steven has been suffering from a heart disease that causes irregular heart palpitations, which led him to be hospitalized several times. Due to his weak heart condition, Steven has fainted on numerous occasions.

Steven is currently resting in Hong Kong and has been spotted visiting his doctor and a therapy clinic in the past few days. Though he declined to elaborate on his health condition at first, he later confirmed in a phone interview that he has been taking a break from his acting career due to his heart condition. “The attacks come randomly. I even set up my speed dial to 999,” said Steven. He also added that he carries a pack of pills with him at all times for emergency.

Steven explained he had to turn down job offers. “A lot of the projects were from mainland China, and the filming locations were far away. If something happened to me, it would be impossible to get to a hospital on time. Also, I wouldn’t want to interfere with the filming progress, because the filming crew is burning money every day.”

In addition to his heart condition, Steven is also suffering from neck pain due to a herniated disc in his cervical spine. “The doctor said the dislocated disc is pressing against a large artery to the brain, which is why I always pass out.” Steven reassured that his condition is improving and he frequently visits a physical therapist.

Steven said he is recovering well and will be taking more acting jobs for 2015. He also shared, “Besides my entertainment career, I have also started an education center. We opened a new branch in Fo Tan earlier, and we plan to open another one in Hong Kong. We’re also working on opening a center in Mainland China.”

Source: ihktv.com

This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.