Just love, when life allows

Returning to the stage after 12 years

Cat Phuong has just completed the program "Night of Laughter" for the third time after nearly 5 years of little artistic activity and 12 years of absence from the stage, how do you feel?

First of all, I would like to thank the audience very much for loving and trusting me and my fellow artists. The audience did not mind the far away performance location, still came to support and watch the program, that joy is hard to describe.

This show has a capacity of only 500 people, bringing together many comedians from two generations. Besides contributing to organizing a comedy show, reviving the comedy scene, I also want to have a place for the audience to entertain on the weekend. For now, it will be twice a month, and if the future goes well, I will maintain and have more performances.

Actress Cat Phuong: Just love, when life allows 1

Cat Phuong marks her return to the stage with the project "Night of Laughter" for the third time.

Did you face any pressure or difficulties when returning to the stage after more than a decade of absence?

This time I decided not to do my own live show but to organize a music show combined with comedy and this is the third time I have taken on the role of producer.

All the organization steps went smoothly. Notably, artists such as People's Artist Thanh Dien, Meritorious Artist Hoai Linh, artist Minh Nhi, singer Cam Ly… all agreed to participate immediately after being invited.

The audience and colleagues still support her, but she half-jokingly said, "Cat Phuong's time is over"?

I never have time to run out! (laughs loudly). I've retired from the stage for a long time, now I work as a program producer. No matter what role I'm in, I'm still the same hard-working bee as before.

I am very happy

Actress Cat Phuong: Just love, when life allows 2

Cat Phuong loves and takes care of herself more after breaking up with Kieu Minh Tuan.

How has your life been over the past years, especially after breaking up with Kieu Minh Tuan? You once said you had many health and financial problems?

Since then, my health has been stable, working until 3-4am without getting tired. My finances are still average, neither progress nor retreat. As for my ex, I have completely forgotten about him without realizing it. What needs to be kept should be kept, what doesn't need to be kept should be let go peacefully. Currently, I am very happy and don't want anyone to destroy it.

In the past time, I have been living and healing my life's events with the most positive thinking possible, finding joy for myself. My daily habits have also become more positive: going to bed early, waking up early to meditate, doing some exercises, and occasionally driving alone to help those in the most dire situations.

Returning to art projects, do you still find peace of mind?

When I decided to come back with artistic projects, my soul was full of fire. I told myself that whether I failed or succeeded, I had to try my best. My soul at this time was devoted to the stage. Currently, I want to focus on the role of program producer and director.

That peace, partly comes from finding your other half?

That is also a part of life. But above all, it is still family and Bom (Cat Phuong's child and her ex-husband Thai Hoa - PV). When everything gets better, of course peace will come.

Love does not need marriage

Actress Cat Phuong: Just love, when life allows 3

Cat Phuong is getting younger and younger after many ups and downs in love

How does your boyfriend help you share the pressures of work, life and financial problems?

When I do art projects, I also tell him. He always stands behind me to support me in everything, encouraging me. Financially, I can still take care of myself, but when needed, I will still tell him and of course, he is always ready.

Do you think you are gullible or reckless when you decide to move forward with a man you have never met in real life, and are in a long-distance relationship?

In my life, I never thought I would have a long distance relationship. But what will come will come and he came to my life. Although we are in a long distance relationship, I feel very close, he always cares for me from eating to sleeping.

He always reminds me to sleep early and always ends the day with the words: “Good night, I love you so much”. Early in the morning, I open my eyes, open my phone and see his first message: “Wishing you a peaceful, joyful and happy new day”. That is positive energy in life.

Long distance relationship, how do you always trust each other?

To overcome jealousy, both of us must trust each other completely and understand each other's work. Whenever he has free time, he calls me, and vice versa, I do the same. He calls so much that sometimes I don't even bother to answer (laughs). Especially before going to bed, we talk for hours, sometimes leaving the phones like that, looking at each other sleeping.

Cat Phuong is no longer afraid of getting hurt, so she is so confident and bold?

For me, there are no two words “hurt” and “hate”. Love has no fault. If two people in love do not go together to the end of the road, do not blame anyone. The fault is probably the end of fate.

For me, once you love, love like you've never loved before. I don't hate or resent men. Even if this love is broken, I'm still happy and smiling.

What is special about this love compared to the loves you have had in your life?

Love cannot be compared. That is why love at the age of twenty or 50, 60 does not indicate the level of love. What matters is how to love and how to love to feel happy and warm when hearing your heart beating. When you love the right person at the right time, they will immediately turn into children.

So does Cat Phuong plan to get married and have a happy home?

Oh my god! Getting married at such an old age will probably get you a lot of criticism (laughs). But is it certain that the wedding will bring you a happy home?! If he were to return to Vietnam now, it would definitely be a warm family, with Bom's grandmother and Bom.

Whether you are happy or not depends on where you belong, where there is enough love and laughter. I don’t like to say: “I want to be happy”. Because if I want to be happy, I will never be happy in my whole life. So, if I remove the word “I want”, happiness will exist.

Thanks!

Cat Phuong was born in 1970 in Bac Lieu. In 1980, she followed her father to Ho Chi Minh City to do business, then took the entrance exam to the theater school.

She won the Mai Vang Award in 2001 - Most Favorite Stage Actress for her role as Thi No in the play Chi Pheo, the Mai Vang Award in 2010 for her role as Nuong in the play Canh Dong Bat Tan. In 2020, she won the Golden Kite Award for Best Actress for her role as a mother with an autistic child in the film Hanh Phuc Cua Me.

After her broken marriage with Thai Hoa, she and actor Kieu Minh Tuan, 18 years her junior, loved each other for 12 years, working together, before breaking up in 2021. In June 2023, she confirmed that she had a Vietnamese boyfriend living abroad but did not disclose his identity.

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