The perfect 70s of 'beautiful woman' Nhu Quynh

MentionNhu Quynh, the audience always imagines a gentle, graceful woman of Hanoi. People's Artist Nhu Quynh is considered a flawless gem of Vietnamese cinema. "Beautiful woman" once won an awardBest ActorThe 3rd Vietnam Film Festival, with the role of Co Net in the movieAs scheduled.

I don't go on social media or interact with every scene.

-Is People's Artist Nhu Quynh surprised that at the age of nearly 70, her role in a long-running TV series that holds many records like "The Taste of Love" attracted attention last year?

It's been a long time since I've been back to do a set.TV seriesIt's been so long. I have to say that making a TV series is much harder than making a movie. In general, the filmmaking style, the story, the actors, the directors, up to this point, I see that everything has been raised to a very high level. Even though the film is made in a continuous form, being made and broadcast at the same time, the professionalism is much higher than before.

To be frank, Korean scripts are better than Vietnamese scripts because the story is clear, the character psychology is thick and deep, so the film is very good. But TV series have to be long like that to have enough capacity to convey the story, develop the character's personality and then tie and untie the knot. TV series with only 20 or 30 episodes are not good.

- As an actress coming from cinema, is acting in a TV series in a new context with many changes too much for an artist in her 70s like you, especially in the context of the pandemic?

No, because I am a professional. Before, when making films, everything was messy, chaotic, noisy, and every step went nowhere. Now, everything is more organized, so I find the conditions for making films much better. At my age, I can still work energetically like that, without getting sick or falling ill, so I find everything much better than before.

Touching scene of People's Artist Nhu Quynh in "Taste of Love".

- Compared to your generation, young actors are now more tech-savvy and interact enthusiastically with the audience, so being praised is good, but being criticized will greatly affect their psychology when performing. As for you, an artist who does not participate in social networks will surely not be affected by external factors?

My age and young people today have really different views. I just focus on my job and the audience's comments, criticisms, and praises should only be related to the film. I think social media is a double-edged sword, it encourages actors but if they are not steadfast in their career and thinking, they will be devastated by the praise and criticism, which are often very negative. Therefore, I do not go on social media or interact with each scene.

- With young actors today, what impresses you and what do you not like about them?

In general, they do their job very well and professionally. Because the audience now watches every single detail, they also have to be very careful in the way they work or portray their characters, even their costumes have to be meticulous. That is the professionalism of young actors today. It's just that on social networks, besides educated and cultured people, there are also people who just talk for fun and are nosy, which is really not beneficial for the profession.

Continue cooking banh chung in the middle of Hang Dao ancient street

- Will People's Artist Nhu Quynh participate in any program this Tet?

I don't do Tet programs. Even though I'm on the professional council to judge VTV Awards, I only do professional work and don't want to meet or sing. At my age, I'm very shy about those things.

- But you don't mind preparing Tet in your family in the traditional Hanoi style, do you?

I make Tet very simple, just family together. The only thing we have kept for years is boiling banh chung. All the children and grandchildren gather in one evening to enjoy the atmosphere around the fire, but we don’t have enough patience and strength to wrap it. We order pre-wrapped banh chung and put the pot on the wood stove to boil it overnight in the yard on Hang Dao street.

- What hobby has People's Artist Nhu Quynh's family maintained for many years?

My family was busy preparing for Tet, he went to buy flowers and on the 30th night the whole family had a New Year's Eve meal. Because my father was still alive, now he was 93 years old, so my siblings, children and grandchildren invited each other to come back. My family had two brothers and two sisters, so everyone came back, so both the paternal and maternal sides were present. On the morning of the first day, we wished each other a Happy New Year and then went to my uncles' house and considered Tet over.

- Over the past 2 years, because of the pandemic, people have simplified many Tet preparations and limited visiting each other's houses. Has this affected your family's tradition of Tet greetings?

The pandemic has affected us a lot, but we still go to our relatives' houses. We have to find a way to protect ourselves. If nothing happens, we will still see each other on the 1st and 2nd.

People's Artist Nhu Quynh and photographer Huu Bao got married in 1980. The two artists still live in the house on Hang Dao ancient street.

- As a native Hanoian, living in the Old Quarter all your life, do you find that Tet in Hanoi is much different now than before?

In the past, the Tet atmosphere in the house was more complete, but now people open up the space outside and go on more spring outings. If there are no elderly parents who have to stay at home for Tet, people will travel to different regions, which is very different from the past. Before, when there were no conditions to travel here and there, people only spent Tet within their own family. That is also a way to bring people closer together.

For many years, we have only stayed at home for Tet because my grandfather is still alive and we cannot go anywhere. This year, my family will celebrate Tet like every year, even simpler. I think that everything for Tet preparation such as eating and drinking will be simplified and not prepared much. If there are no health problems, we will still go to relatives' houses to celebrate Tet. I am currently waiting for an American film project to be cast in Vietnam and hopefully next year if there is a good TV series with a character suitable for my age, I will participate.