After a period of focusing on the role of MC and improving his acting, Hieu Nguyen returned to the big screen by participating in two major projects of the People's Public Security Cinema and the People's Army Cinema in 2025.
In " In the Air War", Hieu Nguyen takes on the role of a calm, brave captain, dealing with the pilots. He was commented to be suitable for the image of a pilot, representing a guard after the country's reunification.
With "Red Rain", he transformed into Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thanh, commander for 81 days and nights to protect Quang Tri ancient citadel in 1972,
"I was so happy that I lost sleep, after one night I was still excited and proud that two works of the People's Armed Forces were honored. I feel lucky to have contributed, even small, to the success of these two meaningful projects, Hieu Nguyen shared his feelings after the closing ceremony of the Vietnam Film Festival.
Hieu Nguyen not only talks about joy, but goes deeper into the spiritual value that films bring to him.
With "Red Rain", he received great inspiration for ideals and responsibility for the country: "Through "Red Rain", I was greatly inspired in the spirit of daring to think - daring to do, turning everything into action. I am more proactive in thinking about protecting and building the country. That is what cinema brings me, not just roles".
In "death in the air", he absorbed a deep thing: "death in the air makes me understand that peace today is not easy to have. To maintain peace, it requires the sacrifice of many previous generations. When both films won awards, I was surprised because this was a rare moment in my life. I am really happy and proud".
Hieu Nguyen added that the award is not only a joy of the profession, but also a recognition of the efforts of the crew and the spirit of national defense warfare recreated on the big screen.
Lose weight for role
It is known that the preparation process for the role of Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thanh in "Red Rain" requires Hieu Nguyen to comply with strict physical discipline to recreate the image of a resilient soldier. He lost 10kg (from 76kg to 66kg) in more than two months to get a shaky appearance, suitable for the 81-day fighting figure in the ancient citadel of Quang Tri.
To achieve this goal, the actor maintained a high intensity of training, running at least 30 km/week, while cutting down on starch, only using a very small amount of rice. In particular, he also challenged himself to fast and drink for 48 hours to recreate the character's feelings.
Hieu Nguyen shared that physical fatigue, along with harsh filming conditions, helped him feel partly the resilience and extraordinary fighting spirit of his father's generation, who sacrificed for peace.
Regarding upcoming plans, Hieu Nguyen said he will maintain his best physical condition and be willing to flexibly change his figure (increase or lose 15 kg) to serve the requirements of new film projects.
