Actress Maya: I also feel sorry for myself

Maya (real name Mai Thu Huong) is an actress who is gaining attention from the audience thanks to her nickname "the perfect sister-in-law" in the movie "Let's Love Each Other Peacefully". Before that, she played the lead role in the movie "Fragile Flower".

For a long time, Maya almost “disappeared” from showbiz, carrying with her many mysteries. Since 2015, when she was at the peak of her career after the success of the movie “Scandal: Secrets of the Red Carpet”, the beauty suddenly became pregnant and went to the US to give birth. After a series of failed relationships, Maya returned to Hanoi to live with her mother and daughter.

Lao Dong Newspaper had a conversation with Maya about her eventful career journey and her decision to return to the screen.

After gaining attention from the movie "Come home, my child, sequel", you recently starred in the movie "Let's love each other peacefully". What role do movies play for you now? It seems like the projects are quite sparse, not many?

- I am very passionate about acting. I have loved it since elementary school, attending acting classes at the Children's Palace, or participating in arts and plays at school. Whenever there is a suitable film, I will accept it. But it is true that I accept few roles. I think it is because filmmakers think Maya is a singer, not focused on acting, so there are few invitations.

Or many people think I am an actor, so they don't know I am also a singer. I love and want to contribute to any field. If I am given a role, I will try my best.

Acting is a great joy for me, I put 200% of my energy and seriousness into my work. With the role of Lan in the movie "Let's Love Each Other Peacefully", I realized that the influence of television is very great. When I go out to meet the audience, they always call me Lan. That makes me very happy.

The sisterly love between my character and Trong Lan was also actively "shipped" by the audience, which surprised me. Working with young actors like Thanh Son, Trong Lan, Viet Hoa... I also learned a lot.

Trong Lan looks like a “bad boy” but in fact, Lan is an introvert, very obedient and gentle. Although Lan is quiet, like me, he is professional. When we are filming, we take off our “introverted” and quiet sides to get into character.

During your prime, you were highly appreciated for your acting, especially for your villain role in "Scandal: Red Carpet Secrets". Do you regret not being able to use your abilities to make further progress in your career?

- Actually, many people told me that I should have been this or that, I should have been better than now. I also feel sorry! I feel like I could have contributed more, dedicated more. But sometimes "one job done right is better than nine jobs". In my heart, there is always a passion for singing and acting, I cannot give up any field.

Sometimes the audience sees me “disappearing” but in reality I just switch back and forth between the two areas. For example, I just finished this film project and then I return to my music career. Sometimes I just released a song and then accepted an invitation to act in a film, I accept it and focus on filming. Therefore, there are audiences who love films, sometimes they don’t pay attention to my music activities and vice versa.

However, there were times when I "hid" for quite a while. I felt a bit regretful because I couldn't work at full capacity and dedicate myself to the audience.

I also have my own reasons for taking a break. It's a long story and belongs to my personal life. I hope the audience can sympathize, because everyone has their own story that needs to be fixed, and needs time to heal.

You seem to be very different now, you were once considered very ambitious, yearning for a position in showbiz. Even when watching Maya's villain role in "Scandal: Red Carpet Secrets", some people said that Tra My's character resembles Maya in real life. What do you think?

- For those who have never met Maya in real life, only seen Maya through movies and media, they often see me as Tra My because I build a sexy, seductive image. Some audiences tell me that they like me because I sing well, but when they see me play a villain, they hate me.

I think anyone in showbiz or any field needs ambition and dreams, wanting to succeed. I think I am similar to Tra My in that aspect, with the same ambition, wanting to shine and be famous. Otherwise, I am completely different from Tra My on film.

With this return to the screen, she is still considered to be energetic and enthusiastic. What has changed and what has not changed in Maya after the ups and downs?

- With movies, I have done my best and tried my best. Everyone has a different stage and this stage for me, although I am older than before, I feel the youngest. It is like I have completely transformed into a new version. I feel younger, more energetic, confident and open to life. What I have kept for myself after a long journey, can be said to be enthusiasm.

When I first came to Ho Chi Minh City, I was bold and sexy. But then I changed, first because I had a child. I became quieter and more reserved. After that, I had a transformation, but this time it was not because I had a child, but because I found myself. I sought out spiritual practice, felt light, peaceful, and lived more slowly.

Many people mention Maya as a beauty with a rebellious youth. She once went to the South to seek opportunities and faced many scandals. What turning point made Maya become the version she is today?

- I used to be an ambitious person, so I moved to the South to have more opportunities and more direction. Currently, I think that as long as I have passion and am serious about my work, I can do it anywhere. It is not necessary for me to be like before, to be bold and committed to be considered dedicated. My thinking has changed a lot and I feel fine. I have a peaceful, happy life with my family. I still work, still "catch the trend".

In the past, I was talkative, humorous and made people laugh. Now, I am quieter but in return I have peace of mind. I feel like I am me. I think time has made me more thoughtful. This silence does not bring sadness, I feel more peaceful and love myself more.

In your return to cinema this time, what do you expect and wish for?

- It's true that I've had success with villain roles. That's something I didn't expect. When Victor Vu invited me to play "Scandal: Secret of the Red Carpet", I initially refused. I said I was too gentle, I couldn't act like that. But Victor Vu said I could do it. After that role, I understood that people have hidden abilities that need to be discovered. Thanks to that, I became more confident and thought I could take on thorny characters with more hidden corners.

I find myself suited to villain roles. Sometimes I wonder: "How can the person inside me play a villain role, or am I that kind of person?"

But after all, I like many different colors. I act in few films because I am picky. I have many invitations but I do not accept them because I do not want to repeat my image. I will accept a role that is different from the characters I have played. Up to now, I have only acted in about 14 films, almost 1 film per year, not many. I show my love for acting by "sacrificing" to act in fewer films, but each role will be a different color.

I am also afraid that the audience will not remember me because I have few films. But my choice is not without effect. If the audience follows me, they will remember me through each film. That is my personality in choosing characters.

After going through broken relationships and health problems, she returned to Hanoi. Can her return to Hanoi be defined as a failure, an incident, or simply a return to find peace?

- It can be called an incident on the journey I have traveled, and also a return to find peace.

Currently, I choose Hanoi as my place to live and work, with my mother and daughter by my side. If I lived in the South, I would not be close to my family, so I decided to sacrifice a little so that my mother and daughter could be near their relatives, it would be much happier.

I chose to return to Hanoi because I love Hanoi - the place where I was born. I know every corner and every street here so I always feel peaceful. Although the work may be a little less than in Ho Chi Minh City, in return, I get to be with my family.

Milan - Huyen Chi (performed)