Film wins big, young people remember their names
The big screen in recent times has witnessed the dense appearance of Vietnamese films that have achieved hundreds of billions of VND in revenue, from "Red Rain", "Death Battle in the Air", "Searching for the Dragon Temple" to "Billion Dollar Kiss". In parallel with the box office success is the "step out into the light" of many young actors, or faces who have been in the profession for many years but have not really been remembered by the general audience.
One of the typical cases is Steven Nguyen after the role of Quang in "Red Rain". Not taking on the main role, but the image of a love-loving, righteous villain helped Steven Nguyen quickly create an effect on social networks. This success continued to bring Steven Nguyen the Actor of the Year award at the Male Icon Awards 2025, marking a clear turning point after more than 10 years of silently working in the profession.
Similarly, Ma Ran Do is considered a rare case when appearing in three hundred-billion-dong films in just one year including "Billion Dollar Kiss", "Air Battle" and "Finding the Dragon and the Incense". Having struggled with television and stage supporting roles, Ma Ran Do gradually gained attention thanks to his bright appearance, graceful and humorous acting style.
In another group of young actors, Loi Tran and Phuong Nam attracted attention when participating in "Death in the Air" and "Red Rain". Both did not play central roles, but the deep character line helped them score points with the audience.
For female actors, Xuan Van is an example of being "in the right role, at the right time". Although she had won many acting awards before, it was not until the role of Phuong in "Death in the Air" that she truly received widespread love from the public. The character of the wife with a multi-dimensional psychology helped Xuan Van escape the familiar image on television to affirm his ability in the film category.
However, not everyone can "rush in overwhelmingly". Actor Luong Gia Huy rose to fame after "Red Rain", but the next movie "Bat Mat Chat Nai" failed at the box office, causing his attention to quickly stop.
2026 Tet movies and expectations for young people
Stepping into the 2026 Tet movie race, the trend of giving opportunities to young actors continues to be clearly shown. Notably, Truong Giang reappeared in cinema with "My Three Houses, One Room" and chose Doan Minh Anh for the female lead role. Having impressed with a supporting role in "Detective Kien: A Case Without a Head", Doan Minh Anh is considered a young face with great potential when taking on the female lead role for the first time in a Tet movie project.
The fact that an experienced artist like Truong Giang "chooses a role" for a young actor shows a shift in casting thinking: Not only based on fame, but also focusing on character suitability and long-term development potential. "My Three-Room" is also expected to bring a warm family atmosphere - a factor that audiences are always looking for at the beginning of the year.
In another direction, Tran Thanh continues to exploit the young actor force in the "Too oi!!" project. The film gathers many Gen Z faces such as Lyly, combined with famous artists such as Dinh Ngoc Diep, BB Tran, Gil Le. Building a psychological story with youthful colors shows that filmmakers are proactively approaching young audiences, while creating a space to test new generations of actors.
Projects such as "Heaven-sent Treasure", "Coffee Flavor" or films that have not fully announced cast are also expected to continue to be "acting grounds" for young people. However, experts believe that opportunities come with great pressure.
Reality shows that the success of films depends on many factors besides acting such as release time, communication strategy and audience tastes. However, it is the silent process of accumulating experience through each role that is the foundation that helps young people stand firm behind the initial aura. To maintain long-term success, they need patience, correct choices and a serious attitude towards the profession.
