Actor finds his characters in the lessons of life

As a two-time winner of the Best Actor award at the Shanghai TV Festival's Magnolia Awards, actor Hu Ge drew attention at the 2026 Conference on Creation of High-Quality Radio and Television Programs in China, which kicked off in Beijing on Nov 4.

Hu said that over the years, he had come to understand a key principle of acting: A good actor draws on personal experiences to breathe life into a character. At the conference, he shared several lesser-known stories from his career to illustrate this belief.

Speaking at the main forum, Hu recalled a traffic jam in 2015 on the road from Yushu Batang Airport to Nangqen county in Qinghai province. Local drivers told him that Tibetan herders were sweeping the road — not because of an accident, but to prevent passing vehicles from crushing the insects crawling across it that season.

"I was deeply moved," Hu said. "In their hearts, every life, no matter how small, deserves to be treated with kindness and respect."

The encounter, he said, became an important emotional anchor for his portrayal of Dorje, the leader of a patrol team in the popular TV drama Born to Be Alive. As an ethnic Han Chinese actor portraying an ethnic Tibetan environmental guardian inspired by pioneers such as Sonam Dargye and Drakpa Dorje, Hu said his visits to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau over more than a decade had given him the confidence to take on the role.

Another story revolved around a line spoken on the final day of filming: "Keep investigating." Hu said the words felt like a charge from Dorje, reminding him that the mission of environmental protection does not end when filming wraps. He subsequently joined the environmental documentary series A Green Trip to take part in on-site conservation work.

Hu said the value of quality film and television productions lies not merely in their ratings or online popularity, but also in their ability to carry ideas and goodwill beyond the screen, inspiring more people to share stories and take meaningful action in real life.