HONG KONG • Actor Andy Lau now knows that investors in his projects do not care about his health.

Speaking on Chinese talk show A Date With Luyu, he noted that their reaction to his health setbacks was entirely different from the messages of concern from fans.

Instead, Lau, 57, told the host the investors were more worried about when they could recoup their money. Some even told him bluntly that they never thought a Lau project would lose money, forcing him to reply bitterly that he did not think it could happen too.

He was out for months after a horse-riding accident in Thailand in 2017 while shooting an advertising campaign. Recently, he had to abort some shows in a run of Hong Kong concerts because of illness.

But Lau feels these health episodes have also opened his eyes to the dark side of human nature, with him realising that there is a limit to "friendships" and that he must rank the people supposedly close to him.

He revealed that the time spent recuperating after the Thailand incident was a nightmare. He feared he might never recover and even mulled over what paralympic sports he could take part in, if he had to continue using a wheelchair.

In another talk show in Hong Kong, he told the host the unpredictability of life has made him realise he may not always be there for his wife and daughter.

Lau and Carol Chu, who met in 1986 and registered their marriage in 2008, have a daughter called Hanna. Fearful over their safety and determined to protect their privacy, the family has rarely been photographed in public.

Even when they ventured out, they wore face masks and were shepherded by minders.

But Lau has since relaxed his stand, realising that they cannot live in a cocoon and that they must learn to deal with the real world.

In December, Chu, 53, and Hanna, seven, were seen attending Lau's concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum, reported Oriental Daily.

Lau, who did not hold a wedding ceremony with Chu, told the Hong Kong TV show host in jest that he might do a joint one with his daughter when Hanna gets married.

If he does, one group of people - investors - are likely to be not on his invitation list.