Star creates attraction when the movie is not yet released
On September 15, the producer of "Sisters and Sisters 3" announced Chi Pu's return to the brand as Thi Nuong. Previously, Miss Ky Duyen was introduced to take on Thi Mau - one of the central characters.
Chi Pu and Ky Duyen's co-apparition is noteworthy because their appeal did not start from cinema. Chi Pu has a large number of followers, works in many fields and in recent years expanded her activities in China. Ky Duyen has been active for more than a decade after being crowned Miss Vietnam 2014, making her mark in fashion and reality TV before trying her hand at cinema.
The two names therefore helped "Sisters and Sisters 3" gain significant attention right from the stage of announcing actors, before the quality of the film was verified.
This is also not a new choice for the brand. The first part has Thanh Hang - Chi Pu, the second part is Minh Hang - Ngoc Trinh. In the third part, faces with high recognition continue to play a central role.
Looking broader, Tieu Vy, Thien An, H'Hen Nie, Ky Duyen... have all been given significant roles on the big screen. This shows that the boundaries between cinema and fashion, music, and beauty are increasingly narrowing.
For producers, a celebrity brings an advantage that can be seen from before the ticket sale date. They already have followers, the ability to create discussions and the level of recognition that a new actor needs many years to build. Posters, visuals or behind-the-scenes segments with stars also easily become content shared on social networks.
As the number of Vietnamese films increases, projects not only compete for screening slots but also compete for attention. Casting is therefore increasingly associated with both communication and commercial issues.
However, it must also be recognized that producers choose beauty queens, singers or models to act in movies not only to take advantage of fame but also to suit the role.
Ky Duyen said that she still went through casting before accepting the role of Thi Mau. Previously, she had a film experience with the role of Karen in "Bo tu bao thu". Producer Will Vu also explained that the choice was based on the suitability with the character and the color the project aims for.
Reputation creates advantage, acting determines the long-term
An actor in commercial cinema today not only acts in movies. They also participate in promotion, cinetour, interviews, television programs and interact with audiences on social networks. A star therefore carries a quantity of attention available.
Ngoc Trinh once created many discussions when participating in "Sisters and Sisters 2". H'Hen Nie caused curiosity when switching from beauty contests to action movies.
But this advantage also creates pressure. The audience knowing someone does not automatically mean recognizing them as an actor. The more famous an artist is in another field, the more they have to face the prejudice of "encroaching on the field". If the performance is not convincing, the media coverage even makes the limitations of the role pay more attention.
Conversely, if the requirements are met, reputation can support the transition to cinema.
In the opposite direction, professionally trained actors must compete with faces with media advantages. But placing "celebrities" completely opposite to "real actors" also does not fully reflect how a commercial film operates.
Producers must simultaneously consider acting ability, character suitability, appearance, schedule and attraction to the audience. With a project investing tens of billions of VND, the advertising ability of actors is also a factor that is difficult to ignore.
The limitation lies in the fact that fame is most strongly promoted before and during the early days of release. But after the first screenings, the audience's reaction, the story and acting determine whether the film can go long or not.
Therefore, fame can bring a star closer to the box office, but the new role determines whether they are recognized by the audience on screen or not.
