"The Wind Across the Blue Sky" is currently on air at prime time. Many of his scenes were widely shared across social networking platforms, and were praised by the audience as "the best actor in the film", are you pressured or happy?
- Honestly, I always identify myself as a C-class actor. My path is just getting started. Sitting and chatting with her like this, I was a bit shy. I felt like I had not done much, didn't know what to say about myself (laughs).
The audience can also see that, before now, my roles were mostly small roles, secondary roles.
But, I accept it because for me, supporting roles or small roles are both opportunities for me to work. Coming to the role of Toan, I was very happy because the audience gave me words of encouragement and support. When I work hard, focus on filming, and receive compliments from the audience, I am very happy.
With the role of Toan, the emotions that Toan brings, the audience is the one who experiences it most objectively. The audience has a panoramic view, they grasp the emotional and thinking details of all the characters, while Toan or Lam (Quynh Kool) have many things they do not know about each other.
On my side, I always blame my character, because Toan thinks too much, is shy, and does not dare to face the truth and negativity about everything. I disagree with my character when he acts like that. But I will build until the end, so that the audience can "tain" the character to the end.
The Wind Across the Blue Sky was Vietized from the original Chinese script 30 Not yet Over. Because of its Vietnamese adaptation, the film has many details, characters that are far from the original and are phanpected by the audience. Some scenes received fierce controversy, for example, Doan Quoc Dam's scene, will you follow?
- I read a few comments about the swimming scene of the character Dang - played by Mr. Doan Quoc Dam. As Mr. Dam's co-star, I didn't look at the shower action, I looked at the character's mood at that time. The character wanted to bathe to wash, because he had made a very serious mistake with his wife and family. That scene depends not only on the actor's acting, but also on many factors. A "viral" scene seems to have brought many things...
I like Mr. Dam at one point because his thinking is very real. Up to now, the audience still strongly supports Mr. Dam. Mr. Dam has shaped the character very different from the original, that is, an artist, not a "young master" to take turns wearing clothes like a "general".
When he was a director, this character did not have the expertise in management or business. To build the image of a rich director with clothes is not difficult, but Mr. Dam wants to portray a character who is not already rich, comes from art, and after failing to establish a company with his wife.
I think Mr. Dam is not wrong in shaping the character.
When remaking a film with a successful original, it is inevitable that there will be comparisons. There is a saying, no comparison is not painful. How is To Dung affected by the audience's compliments and criticisms?
- I don't think too much. Whether the audience evaluates it as a loss or a loss, the actors will happily accept it because being compared is inevitable. For me, I don't care too much about the original, I just look at the original to know the story line because I still have to respect the original.
When adapted to the Vietnamese script, Vietnamese life, Vietnamese setting, the film will be completely different from the original script.
In the original, my character was dry and lacking in sharing, but when I lost my child, the character did not react too strongly.
I asked the director that no matter how dry it was, Toan would still be psychologically affected by the incident of losing a child. I'm not afraid Toan is too different from the original because the character is still that person, but there will be different reactions. I don't want to repeat it, I don't want to be a copy of anyone.
When performing, I didn't know if the audience would agree with me, but at that time I believed in what I was doing, it was simply that.
To Dung plays a dry, heartless husband who has many disagreements with his wife. Some people think that the more the actor has capital to live on and materials in real life, the more he will be more proactive and understanding the character. Going through a broken relationship, is that true for you?
- I do not simply rely on life experience to survive in acting techniques. Not every role has I experienced similar incidents.
I come from the stage, trained and formed a lot from the stage. I can spend a whole month analyzing the script, and according to the habit from the stage, we will have to prepare very carefully about the dialogue, the language, what the line meaning is, what the emotional dialogue is, where to emphasize, the message of the character, how he talks will express his personality... I practice carefully when studying the character.
And before talking about how the audience will feel, whether it feels good or not, whether I am satisfied with the actor's acting or not, I myself - when I step onto the set - must not feel ashamed.
In real life, what do you have in common with the character Toan?
- I am also a thinker like Toan. If I had 10 VND, I would only dare to spend 3 VND. During the COVID-19 period, the theater was closed, luckily I could still take care of my family. That's the kind of person I am. People can constantly change their iPhone, but I only use an old-fashioned phone to meet the call center requirements, I want to save some time that I need to use in the future, like having health problems, or having an incident like COVID... Because I understand Toan's thrift, I can play Toan.
Many actors have switched to personal brands, building their own entertainment channels on social networking platforms to interact, keep the heat with the audience, and earn more income. What do you think about this?
- To be honest, I am an old loser. I know that building a personal image will be very good, but I keep the mindset of "natural harmony of the scent".
I know I am not anything yet so I am very afraid to share about myself. I think if I do well in my job, the audience will love me.
Up to now, after so many years of working and going through many changes in life, how do you define fame and happiness?
- I have never paid too much attention to fame. A few years ago, I dreamed of having audiences recognize me on the street.
Because, at one point, I had acted in quite a few films, but when they met me, the audience only recognized that this face was familiar and could not remember his name. Some people patted my shoulder and asked me, Are you an actor?, Are you an actor?...
I just dream, and one day, the audience will recognize me as To Dung, and will pat my shoulder and say Hello To Dung.
When filming "Life Is Still Beautiful", I was lucky to win the Golden Kite Award, and lucky to have the audience remember my name, that was something I really never thought of.
My dream seems to have come true.
Now, when I go out, the audience says to me, Hello To Dung.
For me, it was happiness.
