PROMISING new actor Alvin Chong, 26, is saying “no more” to starring in scary movies since his experience acting in Haunted Hotel has been giving him sleepless nights.
The Penangite has been having bad dreams, and worst of all, a real-life haunting four years ago has returned to torment him.
“While I only had a small role as the manager of the hotel who did not encounter any ghost, I spent a month on the set and saw ghostly apparitions — there was a headless woman and a zombie grandmother and granddaughter, all of these chilled my spine!” said Chong at the press preview of Haunted Hotel at the MBO Cineplex in Starling Mall in Petaling Jaya recently.
When Haunted Hotel was filmed last year, its cast stayed at the Amber Court condominium in Genting Highlands, which is associated with ghost stories.
Chong found the place creepy as its elevators had flickering lights and they moved slowly. The corridors were dark and walls, mouldy.
“It was like a haunted hotel, and when I was in my room, I heard knocking sounds, and these were made more frightening by the cold, howling winds late at night.”
Unfortunately for Chong, memories of a past haunting in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, returned in his sleep during and after the Genting Highlands stay.
“My real-life ghostly experience took place when I was touring with fellow singers in Kota Kinabalu. We stayed in a hotel in the heart of the city, but one night when I was having a shower, I saw a faceless, luminous man standing next to me!” he said.
The encounter horrified Chong, which made him scream, and ran straight to his bed where he tucked himself under his blanket.
“I’ve decided to stay clear of horror movies, even though I’ve just starred in one.”
When asked about his next project, Chong said he was offered to star in a Chinese language action comedy alongside You Mean The World To Me’s Steve Yap.
“I’ve not made up my mind about this project yet, even though it’s kind of interesting because Steve and I would be playing buddy cops, like those in American films.”
As for music, Chong will be releasing Malay singles in December.
“Last year, I recorded Lagu Mu, composed by Omar K. I like Malay songs, and I hope to sing more of them next year.”
The preview of Haunted Hotel was attended by its director Ryon Lee and its main actors Aom Sushar of Thailand, Teddy Chin and Nadia Aqilah Bajuri. Haunted Hotel opens in 8,000 cinemas in China today, and it opens here on Oct 19.