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While the movie's release date is still up in the air, what can be confirmed is that there's more than just one familiar face audiences will see on screen.

Singaporean actors Zheng Ge Ping, Zhu Houren, local singer A-Do, ex-Mediacorp actress Sora Ma, Malaysian actors Henley Hii and Fattah Amin, along with Taiwanese actress Tien Hsin, are part of the cast list.

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Mixed feelings on his big return

Filming for "Deleted" began in 2019 but the film's release has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Familiar, yet unfamiliar", was how Ng described his first few days back on set.

He explained that it was a "strange feeling" because he felt like both an old-timer -- after all, he has over two decades of acting experience under his belt -- and a newcomer at the same time.

Having been away from showbiz for so long, Ng understandably took a little longer than usual to get back into the groove of filming.

Being an actor is also a vastly different ball game from running a martial arts school.

At Wufang, Ng calls the shots as the head honcho.

Meanwhile, part of being an actor is taking cues from the director and following the production schedule.

That often entails waiting around for his turn to be in front of the camera -- and there's a lot of waiting involved.

Not at his physical best

At the same time, acting is more physically demanding than running a school, at least according to Ng.

The former wushu champion (he won the 1995 World Wushu Championships) performs his own fight sequences and recalls he felt mentally drained and suffering from muscle aches after the first few days of shooting.

Despite being burned while filming a scene which involved an explosion, it was business as usual after getting the injury iced and applying some aloe vera to it.

Despite looking amazingly fit, Ng maintained that he is not at his physical best as he has prioritised looking after his four-year-old son Zander and running his academy over maintaining his abs.

Juggling these responsibilities can be taxing and Ng, like the best of us, binge eats when he is stressed. His guilty pleasure? Sweet treats.

He joked that he needed to get back on the saddle with a regular training regime and a strict diet if he wants to perform at and look his best.

More showbiz projects possibly in the pipeline

Ng said he is grateful of all casting opportunities that come his way, and that he weighs each project based on its merits and his schedule before making a decision.

For now, a "Deleted" sequel is in the works, and Ng will be reprising his role.

He has also signed a two-year contract with 8028 Holdings, a company that invests in making commercially viable films, according to Shin Min Daily News (SMDN).

Ng laughed when he said his phone has been buzzing non-stop since his participation in "Deleted" was confirmed, adding that the media attention will take some time to get used to again.

Now the work is lining itself up, he can get fit again.

Top images courtesy of Vincent Ng.