Daniel Fong pushed through high fever to complete demanding sea stunt for new drama
KUALA LUMPUR: Actor Daniel Fong has revealed that he continued filming physically demanding scenes for the upcoming drama Yes! Captain Zul Aaryan despite battling a high fever believed to have been caused by influenza during production in Langkawi.
The actor said the illness struck early in the filming schedule, leaving him with severe fever, body chills and extreme fatigue. Although he initially forced himself to continue working, his condition eventually deteriorated to the point where he was compelled to take a day’s medical leave—the first time he had done so throughout his acting career.
Daniel recalled seeking medical attention while in Langkawi, where initial examinations did not indicate any serious health issues. However, shortly after the production returned to Kuala Lumpur, several members of the cast and crew also began falling ill, with some later confirmed to have contracted influenza.
He believes the virus had already begun circulating on set during the early days of filming, as he started experiencing symptoms on the second day of production.
Despite his condition, Daniel fulfilled several key filming commitments before taking time off, including physically challenging sequences that required him to jump into the sea, film aboard a ferry and operate a jet ski.
He admitted those scenes became significantly more demanding because he was already suffering from a high fever, although viewers would never realise it when watching the completed drama.
“There were moments when I was genuinely too weak to get out of bed. I informed the assistant director that I needed to rest for a day, but before that I tried my best to complete every scene assigned to me,” he said during the exclusive screening of Yes! Captain Zul Aaryan at TGV KLCC.
Looking back, Daniel described the experience as one of the toughest moments of his career.
He recalled arriving in Langkawi full of excitement and enjoying the island’s scenic sunsets on the first day before falling seriously ill the following day, forcing him to endure the remainder of filming while struggling with persistent fever and exhaustion.
Even after returning to Kuala Lumpur, his recovery remained slow, with a prolonged cough eventually requiring specialist medical treatment.
Daniel also expressed guilt over the disruption caused to the production schedule, particularly after other cast and crew members began experiencing similar symptoms.
He said the incident reminded him of the importance of maintaining good health despite the demanding nature of filming, especially during periods of intensive production.
According to Daniel, actors often continue performing while unwell because they recognise the significant logistical and financial impact that production delays can have on an entire crew.
He described completing filming despite being ill as part of the professional commitment expected in the industry, noting that audiences rarely see the physical challenges performers endure behind the scenes.
Yes! Captain Zul Aaryan is a 30-episode television drama adapted from the novel of the same title by Wnfhanna.
The series also stars Jazmy Juma, Anna Jobling, Natasha Sass and Nafiz Muaz, and is expected to premiere later this year.
