Sammi Cheng and Charlene Choi Bond Over Shared Love for Dogs

After collaborating in the film Good Times, Bed Times <戀上你的床> in 2003, it has been nearly 18 years since Sammi Cheng (鄭秀文) and Charlene Choi (蔡卓妍) have partnered on screen. The duo recently reunited in the film, Fatal Visit <聖荷西謀殺案>. Collaborating again after such a long time, it comes as no surprise that they each have grown and matured in their own ways.

Their Early Friendship

Charlene enthused that Sammi is a very caring individual always eager to help others. “I was a newcomer and still a novice when I first collaborated with Sammi, so I was rather shy and didn’t dare talk to the more experienced artistes. Sammi is great, and not only just in terms of work. I clearly remember I was going through some lows in my life at the time and was quite unhappy. She contacted a few of our mutual friends in an effort to get my phone number and messaged me to offer support and encouragement. I felt very warm then and did not think someone who has been in the industry for so much longer would use that much effort to offer me encouragement. Although I have been in the industry for quite some time now, I am still a ‘small potato’ when compared to other artistes like Sammi. She is someone with a lot of heart.”

Helping others is Sammi’s habit, and she will take the initiative to reach out if she senses the other person needs some encouragement. She said, “After all, I do have more life experiences. There are a lot of things that I have also been through. Perhaps because I have had depression in the past, I am very sensitive to other people’s feelings. I have also received support from others before when I am feeling down. A phone call or message of support really goes a long way. Because of this, I also hope to offer a bit of help to others through my small actions. I think this also has a bit to do with my personality. When I was little, my dream was not to become a celebrity, but rather to become a social worker.”

Bonding Over Love for Dogs

In addition to filming together, Sammi and Charlene have also found common topics of interest that have strengthened their bond. Apart from work, Sammi spends most of her time taking care of her aging and ailing german shepherd dog, Lucky. Charlene, who is a dog lover herself, experienced losing a pet before and understands how much heartbreak it is to watch a beloved pet suffer.

Charlene expressed, “A lot of my dogs at home are getting old. One has already passed away. Every time I see Sammi post anything about Lucky on her Instagram, I would understand her current state of mind. I really want to leave a message, but would draft it and delete it. In the end, I only wrote ‘add oil,’ because it is difficult to put these things into words when you are not the one experiencing it. Of course, I hope Lucky gets better, but I also know that he is probably walking the last leg of his journey. During this time, no words are enough.”

Life and Death Are All Part of the Journey

Caring for her aging dog made Sammi realize that their time together is limited. She said, “Lucky is already 15 years old. The doctor says his mental health is already deteriorating and there is no cure. His condition will only continue to worsen. He is already towards the end of his journey and cannot walk or get up on his own. The next phase is that his legs will start to shrink. He is already experiencing incontinence. I actually have a host of knowledge on diapers now, because I often have to buy diapers for him. I thought I would never have to deal with these things when I decided not to have children. I’ve come to realize that you do learn different things during different stages in life. He often cries in the middle of the night, and I would have to go and hold him and comfort him. I am not carrying grief or sadness when taking care of him. Instead, I want to give him warmth and love.”

Although she understands that life and death are all a part of the journey and it is inevitable, it will still be difficult when the moment to say goodbye comes. “I don’t want to think about what it would be like when he finally leaves us. I’m trying not to be too sad while going through the journey with Lucky right now. It is an inevitable stage of life. However, I’m sure that when it is finally time to say goodbye, I will definitely be heartbroken. Even if I am prepared for it to happen, it does not diminish the level of sadness.”

Source: Ming Pao Weekly

This article is written by Huynh for JayneStars.com.