A reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper had a conversation with actor Thai Vu to look back on his journey, from a "hot boy" to a notable face in Vietnamese cinema in the past year.
Thai Vu was born in 2000, at a very young age, you have become known for your roles in prime-time TV series, and also for popular movies such as "Flip Side 7", "Flip Side 8"... This comes from luck, talent, or luck, according to Vu?
- I think we can call that opportunity the role of "chosen" actors. Those roles come to me when I can't imagine I can get the role. Every opportunity came to me, combined with my own efforts and a little luck, I had valuable opportunities.
Thai Vu graduated from the University of Law, which means acting in movies is a equal thing for him. After the role of Viet in "My Father, the One Who Remains" - you are getting better and better identified. How did you prepare for fame when entering the film industry?
- Before I had the opportunity to pursue an art, I always determined that I had to build a good lifestyle, practice knowledge and skills in addition to acting ability. When I became an actor, I realized that I had to be responsible to the public. I pay attention to my words, try to improve myself, become better to be worthy of the audience's affection.
How has Thai Vu's life changed when he went out, now that many people have recognized him, asked for photos, and asked for autographs?
- I am very happy with those privileges. I didn't think I was too famous and cared for like that! But when I go to an event, or maybe just on the road, while sitting at a table, there are still audiences who recognize and love me. That is the happiness not only for me but for all artists.
Idol culture is a controversial story. You have imagined that one day you may own a larger fan base, and what would happen if you went everywhere with a crowd surrounding you, screaming, calling your name...?
- Being loved by the audience is a happiness and also a great motivation for me. I always tell myself to try every day, improve my skills. When I decided to pursue an art career, I also accepted all aspects of my work.
For me, acting is a matter of fate. As for the profession, I will still work. In every role, I consider it my last role. Because I am just an amateur actor, I can't know what the path ahead is like? I can only do my best in each project.
Are you familiar with the name "actress Thai Vu"? Actors in particular, artists in general, currently have to face the pressure of fame, have to face the pressure to maintain image, when famous, they will easily be "exposed" from Facebook actions to private life, dating... How did Thai Vu prepare his mindset when filming?
- Besides the positive things, there will sometimes be some over-watching. I equip myself with a good filter, I also keep my private life clean and practice my best. With the comments, I accept and review myself but do not let negative opinions influence me. I think that if I have the right direction and a good cultural background, I can overcome those difficulties.
Instead of being scared, I think I have to believe in myself and determine my artistic path. When I am steadfast, I will not waver in the face of negative comments.
In reality, many graduates of the University of Theatre and Cinema have just graduated, and the majority have difficulty finding roles. A veteran artist once shared that he had to work in many jobs to make a living, played the role of a runner-up on screen, and it took him many years to get a role with dialogue. As a Law student coming to cinema, according to Thai Vu - what is your strength, and is appearance the biggest strength?
- I never thought that appearance was the deciding factor that helped me get into the role. The reason for the castings is because the director wants to find suitable actors. To be suitable, not only consider appearance but also acting and role suitability. The important thing is whether I can fully portray the emotions and portray the character or not? Sometimes, actors have good abilities but their appearance is not suitable for the character, or they are suitable for appearance but lack other factors. Therefore, when accepting roles, actors need to be proactive. I believe that if I am suitable for the character, I can get the role.
Acting skills, speaking skills, emotional skills, eye acting... are always controversial issues for young actors, even well-trained actors. For Vu, what is the most difficult job in acting for you?
- I don't pay too much attention to every detail, but I want to grasp the emotions of the character. When I transformed into a character, everything from emotions, expressions, and words was true, all belonged to the character. Instead of paying attention and calculating the emphasis of the wording, I relaxed to let my emotions decide, sympathizing with the character. From there, the eyes, gestures, and words will become natural.
Many people say that acting in films is most important than emotions and experiences. Is this true for you?
- I agree with this point of view. Actor who wants to act well needs to have experience. In the movie My Father, the One Who remains, I played the son of a Cheo artist, I didnt know that the whole orchestra also had to sing. I studied the monochord to help the script become closer and increase connection with my father, while spreading traditional cultural values. The more I experience it myself, the more life and interesting the role will be.
All the characters I have taken on up to now, there have been no circumstances or fates I have experienced in real life. I had to visualize and build my character myself. I have to watch and learn a lot to understand the character's life. For example, I always believe that I am Vietnamese (my father, the one who stays), living the life of a character, always thinking that my family is unfortunate and miserable. When I accepted the role, I felt extremely pressured. I made an appointment to meet Meritorious Artist Thai Son to get feelings for the character because I was very worried. But when I read the script, I shed tears and began to understand the character.
I wanted to show a character close to the audience, so I decided to learn the monochord while I had never played traditional musical instruments. At first, I was still confident, but I didn't expect the cushioning skills of singing with the monochord to be so difficult, having to listen to the singer's voice while focusing on playing the monochord. I arranged a schedule to study the lunar system and learn basketball after finishing filming, around 8pm. I fell asleep at 2am and woke up at 5am to continue filming. After a few months, the pressure gradually disappeared and I increasingly wanted to explore the character.
How does family foundation play a role in Thai Vu's journey to adulthood?
- Family is my support, where I return. My family always supports and loves me in all my decisions. When I was a bachelor of Law and suddenly switched to acting, I thought my family would react. However, everyone always supports me, even makes me very happy. My parents are proud to show me off to everyone. As long as I am happy with my decision, my parents will be happy. I know art is not a rose-fried path, but I will always try my best, try to prove my ability to reassure my parents.
