Meritorious Artist Quang Thang: 'In the Tao group, I was foolish and at a disadvantage'

- Since the day of moving from Hai Phong Drama Troupe to Hanoi Drama Theater,Quang Thangmore shows?

My job is still the same. I just finished the two main roles in the play.Twin Village, Land of Many People and Many Ghostsin theater projects.

In Hanoi, I had time and was assigned by the theater to work for the union, taking the brothers on vacation or to eat out during festivals. I was suited to doing those things but not to be a boss.

I like working for the union but I always have to ask permission before visiting someone giving birth. I refuse that duty, but I do the rest excellently.

In addition to the theater, I still have the opportunity to run shows. Last year, I also did many programs for the Tax Department, the Police Department..., and received a certificate of merit from the Ministry of Public Security.

Honestly, if many people invite me and I make excuses that I live far away, they won't invite me anymore so I have to try harder. Now I still have the strength to perform, but when I get old I won't be able to perform even if I want to.

Meritorious Artist Quang Thang.

- You are stressed out?

I also have to spend time filming, if I don't appear the audience will forget right away. Last year, I filmedMay 15th, this year I closeex-lover ex-husbandalso to let the audience see that I appear to make funny, entertaining films, still working artistically.

Honestly, acting in a TV series is tiring, takes a lot of time and the pay is... Okay, I won't say it's difficult anymore because I'm determined to work to repay VFC for bringing me closer to the audience.

- Coming from a stage actor background, when acting in a TV series, many people "lift" the acting style from the stage onto the screen. Does that happen to you?

Many people are like that, but not me. When I act in a movie, the camera is so close to my face that if I act with my facial muscles, it won't work. I can only act with my inner self and my eyes.

In drama, the audience sits far from the stage, the movements have to be decisive, the facial expressions have to be stronger. I can balance that.

- Acting in popular TV series, you received many advertising offers?

I am also very concerned about this. Audiences have recently complained a lot about artists advertising. I hope audiences understand that advertising is also to increase income and expenses, and I do not advertise haphazardly.

We actors sometimes don’t know much about the legal side. They show a red seal, licensed, so we know it’s legal. I’ve also been a victim of advertising copying many times.

For example, when I was filming, I was holding some product in the film. Then they would cut that part out and dub it over, making it sound like I was advertising this or that medicine. This went on for a whole year without me knowing, until an audience member complained about the random medicine advertisement, and I was shocked.

Then when we sign an advertising contract with a company for about 3 months, but then they use our image for a whole year, we don’t know. Traditional artists like us rarely have managers, so this is difficult. In general, we are trapped a lot.

- How were you framed?

At an event, I once encountered a very beautiful woman holding a bag of products and suddenly said that she admired me and gave them to me. Of course, I didn’t accept it when I didn’t know what it was. But when I raised my hand to refuse, they took a series of photos, as if two people were exchanging gifts.

Artists who come to events without taking photos are considered arrogant and snobbish, but if they do take photos, they put the product in there and use the images to advertise everywhere, which is really tiring.

Then friends opened a restaurant or eatery, asked me to take photos to encourage them, if I didn't take photos, they would say I had no heart, if I took photos, the audience would say what kind of artist is advertising everywhere.

- Artists have a real headache maintaining their image in the 4.0 technology era?

I am having a headache about this, it is true that a manager is needed to solve it. I am old, why should I hire a manager when I retire in a few years?

Van Dung and Xuan Bac have managers so they maintain their image very well. I dare anyone to use their image to advertise carelessly. Those two are smart and quick-witted, a rare trait in the artist world. They probably cannot stand under the same sky together.(laugh).

- In the Tao Quan group, you are not the smartest?

Well, I'm easygoing to the point of being stupid, whatever.

- Are you also the poorest?

Okay, let's not talk about economics anymore. I live for myself. But I'm the one who always takes the loss for myself.

Quang Thang in Tao Quan.

- How are you?

For example, our Tao Quan group always has to practice in a short time so the intensity is very high, practicing from 6am to 3-4am before we can go home.

But there were days when Cong Ly wanted to eat beef tendon and pickled vegetables, for example, so I had to wake up earlier, go to the market to buy ingredients, marinate them, then cook and bring them to the whole group to eat.

In the group, I cook the most, followed by Tu Long. I cook for my colleagues even though it is a bit of a disadvantage, in terms of rest time and money because I pay out of my own pocket. But I am happy because my friends think my cooking is quite good so they often ask for it.

I don’t calculate anything, I just do whatever I like that afternoon, I do it happily. I think, you guys practice hard, you have to eat safe food to have the energy to be creative.

Or like my juniors Trung Ruoi, Duy Nam… when they came to practice a little late, the director scolded me, I often stood up to defend them, admitting my mistake in not teaching them well. I suffered a little to cover for my juniors, because in a crowded place, if I get scolded, how can I act comedy? That's my personality, very artistic, I'm happy to help anyone.

Meritorious Artist Quang Thang received a certificate of merit from the Ministry of Public Security for his artistic contributions to the industry.

- In your family, do you accept disadvantages and endure?

My wife stays at home and does all the housework, and takes care of three children. No matter how much I lose, it can never be compensated. Therefore, even though I am stressed and tired from performing all day, if my wife says she is tired, I am ready to go into the kitchen to cook rice and wash dishes, without any hesitation.

- You live alone in Hanoi, your wife and children are in Hai Phong, how do you avoid falling?

Sometimes it's sad, but I'm a serious person. Plus, my wife checks on me regularly with a camera, so a fall never happens.

I love my wife, every year, close to Tet, my wife takes care of all the domestic and foreign affairs. I am busy practicing Tao, it will be finished on the 27th or 28th of Tet but my wife and I agree to try together. I still have 8 years to retire, if I want to go, no one will invite me.(laugh).

Artists are rushing to record in preparation for filming VTV's Tao Quan. Artists in VTV's Tao Quan 2023 program are in the process of urgently practicing to be in time for the rehearsal on January 6 and filming on January 7 and 8.