Minh Hoa 'Calendar Queen' of the 90s, surprising revelation about Le Tuan Anh

People's Artist Minh Hoa opens up about the character of Mrs. Thuy - a terrible, tactless and critical mother-in-law in the filmFather's gift.The female artist's role is receiving a lot of attention as well as mixed opinions from the audience. It is also the first time she shares interesting stories about her time as the "Northern Calendar Queen" and memories of filming with Le Tuan Anh - a famous movie star of the 90s.

In the end… Mrs. Thuy is more pitiful than hateful.

"Father's Gift" has reached its final episodes. Looking back at the film's journey, how satisfied is People's Artist Minh Hoa with her role as Mrs. Thuy?

- Honestly, I am someone who is always dissatisfied with myself.

With the roles I have played for the audience, when I receive comments praising my acting but criticizing the character's personality, I feel happy because I know my character has touched the audience's emotions of love, hate, and even anger.

However, for me, the acting path ahead is a ladder for me to walk on and conquer, there is no stopping point for my characters.

When I watch it again, I still feel like, even if it was a small scene, if I had the chance to do it again, I would have performed it differently and better.

The first time you played the role of a critical, mean, rude and temperamental mother-in-law on screen, you received mixed opinions about your character. How have you dealt with those reactions from the audience over the years?

- My joy when playing this role is receiving feedback from friends, colleagues and audiences saying: Minh Hoa acted very realistically, acted as if she wasn't acting and had a good role.

An audience member commented on my Facebook: "Ms. Hoa! Now, every time I see you, I remember Ms. Thuy."

For me, this is not the first time I have played a villain. I shared that when I played Mrs. Thuy in Father's Gift, I was determined to receive enough "brickbats" from the audience and now I have enough to "build a villa" (laughs).

When taking on the role, I determined that this was a bad character to criticize and through that character, learn from experience for myself, for a better life.

In the past, I always faced and accepted the fact that viewers hated the character, even cursed and insulted me, confusing me with the role in the movie - in a gentle and calm way.

Because I accepted it gently, I was able to accompany and live with the character until the end. Then I loved and was passionate about my job even more.

And whether playing the main or the villain role, I always want to bring the best transformation to the audience.

With the role of Mrs. Thuy, I hope to work with the director to create a character that is harsh, bitter, and has a foul mouth but is not evil at all.

So, the audience lovesFather's GiftPlease be patient and watch the movie until the last episode. To see that, Mrs. Thuy is a pitiful woman, more blameworthy than hateful.

Mrs. Thuy lived alone because her husband left her and went with another woman, so she lost faith in men. Therefore, she devoted all her love to her only daughter, but she loved in the wrong way and in the wrong way.

Furthermore, Mrs. Thuy has a shamanic personality and suffers from an emotional disorder, so any reaction of hers becomes abnormal.

I hope that by the final episode, the audience will understand and sympathize with Mrs. Thuy's suffering and feelings.

So what do you say about the opinion: People's Artist Minh Hoa and Meritorious Artist Vo Hoai Nam more or less "carry" the entire movie "Father's Gift"?

- I am truly grateful for the love the audience has given me and Meritorious Artist Vo Hoai Nam.

In the film, all the actors are passionate about their characters, and not only the actors, but also the crew members pay great attention and invest in the work.

You can't imagine director Vu Minh Tri always calculating every word, every sentence, every scene for the actors: from old to young.

That said, a film when aired may receive many different opinions, but in general, it is the dedication, effort and creativity of the whole team to send the most meaningful and clear message to the audience.

Le Tuan Anh has very beautiful skin, when he goes to film he always gets fruit from fans.

When talking about the impressive roles of People's Artist Minh Hoa from the 90s, we cannot ignore the character of Doctor Khanh in the TV series "Wind through the dark and bright region". How did you feel when you acted with Le Tuan Anh - a famous movie star at that time?

- With Dr. Khanh, I played the role quite simply because of the kind and tolerant qualities typical of Vietnamese women, this is also an image I have portrayed before. When I knew I would play the role of a couple with Le Tuan Anh, I was quite surprised. Because at that time, Le Tuan Anh was already very famous.

However, before that, the two sisters also knew each other, so when acting together, I didn't have the reaction like: "Oh! I get to act with Le Tuan Anh".

At that time, Vietnamese movies did not have "pilot flying plane" scripts, so when they were released,Wind through the dark and lighthas caused a stir in public opinion. Many people who have not watched the whole movie wonder: "Why let Le Tuan Anh act with an older person?"

In fact, Le Tuan Anh's character is a very gallant, flirtatious journalist who is active on economic fronts. Because he admires Dr. Khanh's talent and loves her kindness, he eventually marries her, despite their age difference.

Can you share a memorable memory when filming with Le Tuan Anh? At that time, was there ever a rumor that "fake movie, real love" or was there any "ship pushing" for you two because your acting was so compatible?

- Back then, social media wasn't as developed as it is now. Actor couples who had good chemistry on film and were loved by everyone were just like: "Oh, what a beautiful couple! So compatible."

On film, our appearances are quite compatible and harmonious so there is not much age difference.

At that time, I was impressed with Le Tuan Anh because his skin was very beautiful. The audience at that time was crazy about Le Tuan Anh. When Le Tuan Anh went to act in a movie, fans gave him fruits, so I also got to "eat some" (laughs).

It's quite difficult to talk about the most memorable memory, because the two sisters acted so "in sync" with each other.

Playing the female lead role, co-starring with Le Tuan Anh, how much was your salary at that time?

- It's been 25 years so I don't remember exactly how much. For TV series, my salary is very moderate, not too high like when Le Tuan Anh acted in commercial films - the salary was equivalent to a few taels of gold (laughs).

In general, for artists, both then and now, making films is always done with the spirit of the profession, to serve the audience. They never think of making TV dramas to make money or get rich.

If Le Tuan Anh was a famous movie star, then Minh Hoa was also a Northern screen beauty at that time. Have you ever had your lover react to you?

- Back then, artists were still very simple. When going to work, everyone was devoted to their profession, never worrying about making their lover "jealous".

Later, when participating in the programHappy memories, I joked, my two sisters are "Tuan Anh's fake wife in the movie and real wife in real life. In the movie, Tuan Anh married an older wife, in real life it's the same".

Recently, I had the opportunity to film with Hong Van, at that time, Le Tuan Anh was in the US. Hong Van called her and teased: "Hoa is coming to Saigon, bro".

Tuan Anh and I greeted each other and talked normally and happily.

"Some people say that hanging Minh Hoa calendar pictures at home is very lucky."

In the 90s, People's Artist Minh Hoa was also one of the "Northern Calendar Photo Queens", can you share about this title?

- As an artist, I am grateful when the audience loves and gives me those titles. However, I have never been arrogant, considering myself as "Queen of the Northern Screen" or "Ageless Woman".

I remember, I used to take so many calendar photos that there were people joking with the photographer: "You can build a house for it." At that time, my calendar photos flooded the market and were often reprinted.

The author said that my image looked kind. Some people also said that hanging Minh Hoa calendars at home was very lucky. Back then, people liked to hang pictures of beautiful girls in their homes.

Hearing the compliments from the audience made me feel that my dedication was recognized and loved. Even today, even though I am almost 60, I always appreciate and remember the love of the audience.

Constantly taking calendar photos, your salary must be a lot?

- Back then, I was still naive and didn't know how much money a photo shoot cost. People said, if it were now, I would be very rich (laughs).

At that time, Mr. Nguyen Ky in the South - who took many photos for Diem My's generation - was the one who took photos for me. He went to the North to take photos and only gave gifts, not pay.

People say: "The eyes are the windows to the soul", People's Artist Minh Hoa's eyes are said to be "expressive", bringing a source of joyful energy. Your life must be as peaceful and happy as that?

- People often say, if a girl has sad eyes, her life will be sad and vice versa. Actually, that's not true, sad or happy eyes are inherited from the parents' genes. My father has beautiful brown eyes, and my mother's eyes are very cheerful. I am lucky to have inherited that beauty from both my father and mother, many people compliment that my eyes have depth.

Along with training, studying, accumulating knowledge and observing life has created expressive eyes.

I still teach students to try to train their eyes. Because the eyes are the windows to the soul, love, anger or hatred must be clearly expressed in the eyes. The expression of the eyes is extremely important to an actor.

"My daughter-in-law is always grateful to have me as her mother-in-law"

In the movie she is a terrible mother-in-law, so in real life, what is Minh Hoa's mother-in-law like?

- Very different. I told myself I wouldn't be as good as my daughter-in-law, but until today, my daughter-in-law still thanks me for being her mother-in-law.

Maybe because I'm an artist, my personality is usually carefree and easy-going. The more harsh roles I play, the more life lessons I learn from them.

Many daughters-in-law in modern society will not choose to live with their mother-in-law. You are both an artist and a mother, what is your secret to balancing the mother-in-law - daughter-in-law relationship?

- Many girls think that when they get married, they have to live separately because they are afraid of conflict with their mother-in-law. But before getting married, my son told his girlfriend that he would meet his mother first and then decide whether to live separately or together.

Young people nowadays are very busy, working from morning till night, and then having to take care of the house. If it were me, I would be willing to help.

So my daughter-in-law decided to stay with me. More than a year since my son got married, our family life is still very happy. My daughter-in-law has never mentioned moving out.

Actually, it’s like that in the movies, but in real life, I see and think there are many good mothers-in-law. You guys shouldn’t be afraid of your mother-in-law, we should care, understand and love each other.

You and your husband are both artists and don't have much time for family. So what helps you keep the fire burning in your marriage?

- In a marriage, it is difficult to always keep the fire burning. In the end, we should know how to balance the heat and cold to maintain it.

Anyone with a big ego will have a very tiring married life.

People's Artist Minh Hoa is so beautiful, surely her husband also has many strong points?

- I think marriage is fate, as the old saying goes: "Fate and destiny bring us together." When choosing a husband, I didn't have any grand thoughts, because people's thinking is different in different times.

What kind of person are you in class?

- My self-assessment will be a bit subjective, I just think, I always devote myself to students.

Sometimes people say I’m too gentle and should be more fierce so students don’t miss classes so much (laughs). But my personality is like that, so it’s hard to force me to be stricter now.

Minh Hoa, whose birth name is Tran Thi Minh Hoa, was born on March 26, 1964 in Hanoi into a large family working in the arts. Her father is clarinet and saxophone artist Tran Dinh Giang, and her older sister is dancer Anh Tuyet - mother of male singer Nguyen Hung. Her younger brother, Tran Quoc Dat, is continuing his work at the Army Dance Theater.

Minh Hoa returned to the Hanoi Drama Theatre at the golden age of the stage. She traveled from North to Central to South performing one play after another. She was awarded the title of People's Artist by the State in 2011.

Minh Hoa began to be widely known and famous in the 1990s with the role of Tran Le Xuan in the 10-episode seriesThe advisordirected by People's Artist Le Dan. She is also known to the audience through films in the seriesCriminal policeand made his mark through VTV's hit TV series such as:Wind through the dark and light,Meeting place of two ships,Golden Citizen,The wind of the great forest,House with many windows,Journey of Justice,Love and Ambition,Missing the sunny days,Father's Gift...

In the field of theater, People's Artist Minh Hoa has won many Gold Medals at Theater Festivals. On April 1, 2019, People's Artist Minh Hoa received the decision to retire.

Huong Ho