The usually vivacious Zhao had been cast in the Hong Kong fantasy action film Painted Skin, as Peirong, the despairing wife of a general (Chen Kun) bewitched by a demonic temptress (Zhou Xun).

And it seemed that Zhao had to live her lonely character's life offscreen too as she was ignored by director Gordon Chan and his team after hours.

'I was in pain. I was in more pain than the director. All the tears the audience saw were real.' Only later did she realise that the team had cold-shouldered her to help her get in character

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.