(Beijing, 2nd) Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan and Taiwanese actor Mark Chao, who married in 2014 and have a daughter together, have long been regarded as one of the entertainment industry’s most admired celebrity couples. Recently, Gao opened up about life, loss and family during an appearance on host Chen Chen’s podcast Beyond Boundaries.
Gao revealed that she and Chao had once jokingly discussed which of them would leave first. She admitted that she would prefer to be the first, believing that the person left behind would have to endure both the sadness of losing a loved one and the responsibility of handling everything afterwards.
Chao responded calmly: “That’s fine. I’ll take care of what comes after.”
His simple response quickly drew attention online, with some netizens describing it as an understated yet deeply touching promise.
During the conversation, Gao also spoke about losing her mother and how the experience changed her perspective on mortality.
Her mother had struggled with health problems for years and was once reportedly told by doctors that she might have only two or three years left. However, she went on to live for more than another decade.
During those years, Gao significantly reduced her workload to spend more time with her mother. She said she put her “greatest effort into being together” with her, and looking back, she feels she was able to make the most of the time they shared.
The experience also shaped how Gao thinks about her own future. She hopes to have her personal affairs properly arranged so that she does not place unnecessary burdens on her family, while also having the opportunity to say goodbye to the people who matter to her.
Gao also speaks to her daughter about the grandmother she never had the chance to meet. She believes death should not be treated as an entirely forbidden subject and hopes her daughter will gradually develop the ability to understand and cope with loss.
The couple’s calm approach to such a difficult subject resonated with many netizens, who felt that taking responsibility for one another and being willing to face difficult moments together can be just as meaningful as grand declarations of love.
