Recently, a video spreading on TikTok recording the moment veteran actor Ma Dehua sent a greeting to Vietnamese audiences quickly attracted attention.
The short clip was filmed by Vietnamese students in Beijing during an exchange with students, showing the simple and close image of the male artist in his 80s.
After the conversation, the female student asked him to send greetings to Vietnamese fans. In response, Ma Dehua happily performed and said that he understood the spread of Journey to the West 1986 in the S-shaped country.
Currently, Ma Dehua no longer participates in filming regularly. He mainly appears in cultural exchange activities, art events or voice acting. For most of the time, the male artist chooses a quiet life with his family and limits appearing in front of the media.
Previously, his name was associated with the role of Zhu Bajie in the classic film adapted from Wu Cheng'en's novel. The character is built with a gluttonous, humorous but emotional personality, becoming one of the most prominent figures of the work.
The success of the role of Zhu Bajie helped Ma Dehua become widely known to the Asian public.
Few people know that the opportunity to get to this role originated from the stage. In a play related to Journey to the West, his performance impressed director Yang Jie. Although she had an initial choice, she still decided to change to give the role to Ma Dehua.
After the success of the film, he continued to participate in a number of art projects, but could not overcome the too big shadow of a classic role. In 2015, he and his co-stars such as Luc Tieu Linh Dong and Tri Trong Thuy were honored with a lifetime contribution award.
Currently, in her old age, Ma Dehua maintains a stable life, occasionally participating in events and interacting with fans.
