According to Tran Thanh's revelation, in the early stages of developing the "Tho oi!!" project, he once intended not to participate in acting but only to hold the role of director and producer. Tran Thanh's goal is to build a completely new cast, including six young faces, who do not have many imprints on the big screen, in order to create a fresh and different feeling for the film. In the initial selection list, Vo Dien Gia Huy is the name that Tran Thanh placed high expectations on and assigned to one of the key male roles.
The character that Vo Dien Gia Huy is targeted for is Kim, the man who plays a central role in the hurtful relationship with the female lead Tho (Phao). This is a character line with psychological depth, both a "catalyst" for the entire tragedy, and represents the toxic lover model, directly affecting the female lead's emotional journey. It can be said that Kim is the backbone of the story, and also the most important male lead in the film.
However, this plan could not happen as planned. At the time close to the start of filming, Vo Dien Gia Huy was forced to refuse the role of Kim in "Too oi!!" because the filming schedule coincided with another film project, "Ai thuong ai meen" by director Thu Trang. Because he had accepted and committed to participate in the movie before that, the male actor could not change the schedule to continue accompanying Tran Thanh's crew.
Losing the initially chosen face put Tran Thanh in a passive position. Due to not having much preparation time left, he could not find a suitable replacement actor. Finally, Tran Thanh decided to take on the role of Kim himself, although he had previously intended to withdraw from acting. To adapt to the character's image in time, the male director had to lose weight in a short time, and at the same time accept dual pressure when both directing and taking on one of the heaviest roles in the film.
On the side of Vo Dien Gia Huy, he also once shared with Lao Dong Newspaper reporters that this was not a personal choice refusal, but simply a missed appointment due to circumstances. The actor expressed his appreciation for Tran Thanh's invitation and considered this a regrettable opportunity in his career. He also said that he really hopes to have the opportunity to cooperate with this director in more suitable projects in the future.
The regret from the audience is understandable, because the role of Kim in "Tho oi!!" is considered a rare "lighthouse" for a young actor like Vo Dien Gia Huy. In the context that Tran Thanh's film has achieved hundreds of billions of VND in revenue for many consecutive years, being present in the central role line almost ensures a strong coverage level in terms of reputation. Especially when "Ai thuong ai meen" - the project that Gia Huy chose - did not create the expected buzz at only 30 billion VND.
