Ly Hung gives surprising explanation for the "disappearance" of movie star Diem Huong
(Dan Tri) - Meeting Ly Hung at a street-front house in the central district of Ho Chi Minh City, where he lives alone, the artist shared with Dan Tri reporters memories of the time he filmed with Diem Huong...
At exactly 9:30 am of the appointment, actor Ly Hung excitedly opened the gate to welcome guests to his house. The writer's first impression of Ly Hung was that the male artist had a youthful and healthy figure compared to his age of 54. "Everyone wait for me a moment, I just finished exercising", Ly Hung took a towel to wipe his sweat, happily inviting the reporter to have tea.
In the 1990s, Vietnamese audiences had a famous saying "marry a husband like Ly Hung, marry a wife like Diem Huong".
At that time, Ly Hung's image entered the audience's life in every corner, from calendars, wall pictures, book covers to T-shirts, hats... More than 30 years after Pham Cong Cuc Hoa dominated the screen, Ly Hung sat down with Dan Tri reporter, reminisced about his youth and affirmed that he had no regrets...
Actor Ly Hung tells the story of his "huge" salary during his heyday (Video: Nga Trinh).
"In the old days, if you wanted to see me, you had to go to the stadium."
It's been a long time since audiences have seen Ly Hung acting. It's rumored that it's very difficult to invite Ly Hung to participate in movies. How do you explain that?
- I am very picky. I think that when you have passed your peak, artists need to maintain their image. If you return to acting and choose bland roles, you will automatically lose your image in the hearts of the audience. I am not arrogant, I love and respect my profession. Now my life is stable, there is no need to play a role that I am not interested in or passionate about.
What does Ly Hung think about the current view that Vietnamese cinema does not have stars like previous generations?
- In a certain aspect, that's true. Before my time, there was my father (People's Artist Ly Huynh - PV), Uncle The Anh, Uncle Chanh Tin... In my time, there was me, Viet Trinh, Diem Huong, Thu Ha... In the next generation, some people say that there is no outstanding name. It's true that there are many talented actors, when mentioned, the audience also knows that they acted in this movie or that movie, but if we choose a prominent star, I think there is not yet. I also hope to have successful names, to have silver screen stars to help Vietnamese cinema develop more.
It's not easy to have popular stars and actors who become "phenomena" loved by everyone like Ly Hung's time. How "enthusiastic" was the audience for him back then?
- When I played Pham Cong Cuc Hoa , I was only 17 or 18 years old. I was so happy to be known by audiences all over the country. My fame at that time was "huge". When promoting the film in the West, Central or North, the audience wanted to see my face, they had to go to the stadium to get enough seats.
Once we went to the Vietnam - Soviet Union Friendship Labor Cultural Palace, sang a few songs, told stories about filming, and the audience was packed. Now, three decades have passed, wherever I go and meet the audience, everyone shakes hands and greets me, telling me that they still remember me, that I was their childhood. An elderly audience member said that in the past in his village, whoever was handsome, the villagers praised him as "handsome like Ly Hung" (laughs).
When mentioning Ly Hung, the audience remembers the actor who once had a record high salary, recognized by Guinness Vietnam. He was once paid up to 60 taels of gold?
- Exactly. My salary at that time was 30 million VND, equivalent to 60 taels of gold. Converted to money at this time, it is about 2 billion VND per episode (films shown in theaters in the past usually had 2-3 episodes - PV).
This is a story of income and expenditure, supply and demand. I act in commercial films, and when they are released, they are almost always sold out, with audiences flocking to see them, with more than ten shows being shown every day. My name is a guarantee of box office, and the producers make a profit, so I get paid a high salary. If I suddenly ask for an exorbitant price, no one will pay me (laughs).
Earning a lot of money at a very young age, how did Ly Hung spend it at that time?
- When I was young, I had too much money, but after signing a contract and receiving the money, I… gave it all to my mother to keep (laughs). Sometimes when I went out with friends, I asked my mother for money, a few tens or hundreds of thousands of dong. My mother used the money I earned to do charity work, to help the poor. That was also a lucky thing that helped me not have the habit of spending money lavishly.
Having starred in hundreds of films with "huge" income and being widely known, he still has no title. Does this make Ly Hung sad?
- I'm not sad. Every artist wants a title, but with what I've achieved, I'm happy. I don't have a title, but I have the love of the audience. I also have many awards and medals from the audience and the press.
In the past, voting was very difficult, not like now. You had to buy newspapers, cut out ballots and send them to the editorial office. Yet I still won the most favorite actor award for 9 consecutive years!
"When I go out, the audience asks why I don't bring my wife Diem Huong along"
Ly Hung's private life is very private. He has almost never made his love life public to the audience. Why?
- My lifestyle has always been like that. Many people wonder why Ly Hung is over 50 years old and still not married. I just say it's because the time hasn't come yet, it's that simple.
In August 2022, Ly Hung had a reunion with Diem Huong. Many comments compared Diem Huong's beauty then and now. What do you think about those controversial opinions?
- No one can resist the law of time. Diem Huong is now old, the mother of 4 grown children, her appearance is already wonderful. How can you expect a girl to maintain her appearance from her twenties to middle age? Women always have to worry and work harder than men. But what touches me is that her soul is still innocent and youthful as before.
Of course I understand what the audience thinks. I don't blame the audience, because they remember us by the old image. We were a beautiful couple in the past. If we weren't beautiful, how could we be famous? If we weren't beautiful, how could we be called a beautiful couple?
A memory of filming with Diem Huong that Ly Hung still remembers?
- In the past, Diem Huong's family was poor, her mother used to ride her bike to film. Once, when we were filming Pham Cong Cuc Hoa at night at the Independence Palace, we were so hungry, Diem Huong's mother ran out to buy 2 portions, 1 bread, 1 steamed bun for us to choose (laughs). We were kids at that time, so we played rock-paper-scissors to choose (laughs). In the end, Diem Huong ate the steamed bun, I ate the bread.
When we met Diem Huong again, we were very happy. We sat and told old stories that we could not finish.
Ly Hung and Diem Huong act so well together that the audience is always curious whether the movie is fake or the love is real or not?
- In the past, when I played Pham Cong Cuc Hoa , I remember there were articles describing our two characters as very compatible, "just holding hands, looking at each other was enough to make us emotional". People often asked if we had any feelings for each other. But I affirm that there were absolutely no feelings. We played together in the same group of friends at school, and knew each other before. That's all on set, but behind the scenes we just made each other laugh, there was no affection at all.
But back then, many viewers paired you and Diem Huong as a couple. Did you feel bothered by that?
- That's normal (laughs). The audience at that time was crazy about Ly Hung - Diem Huong. Even when I went out, people asked me "why didn't you bring your wife along" (laughs).
Ly Hung and Diem Huong are close friends in real life but had to act out many intimate kissing scenes. What did you do to… feel less shy?
- We are professional actors. There were kissing scenes that were like real-life lovers (laughs). Because we understood the characters, understood that it was a scene where the characters went through hardships and then met again, so we acted enthusiastically. We even kissed to the point where the director had to say "enough, it's too wet" (laughs). But when we let go, we both smiled at each other.
Once a beloved couple and close friends, why did Ly Hung and Diem Huong lose contact for 20 years?
- She has been secretive since the old days. Back in the day, when she was at her peak, it was very difficult for the press to interview Diem Huong, she always hid (laughs). Many events invited Diem Huong to attend, but she did not attend. So she disappeared from news for many years, none of our friends knew. In Vietnam, Huong almost only kept in contact with photographer Doan Minh Tuan. Tuan was also the one who reconnected Diem Huong to attend the class reunion last year.
"I am a movie star but I live simply, not flashy!"
If he hadn't entered the acting career, what kind of person would Ly Hung have become?
- I was born into a martial arts family. In the past, I loved martial arts more than I loved acting. I wanted to be a martial artist. But my mother stopped me, saying that if I hit someone, I could hit them three times and they would hit me back two times. No one would stand there and not let me hit them. When my father took me to the film set, the directors noticed me and I started acting at the age of 12. I was lucky to have a foundation from a young age, and to have the guidance of my parents, which is why I have today.
Does that luck come to Ly Hung more easily than many of his colleagues of the same generation?
- Art is not about luck. It is not by chance that I have received great support and affection from the audience. People love me because of the films I act in, good films are continuously shown.
My family taught me from a young age that it is difficult to become famous, and even more difficult to maintain that reputation. I believe that if you work, you have to do it properly and properly. I also make a lot of sacrifices when filming, bleeding and having scars on my hands and feet is normal!
Looking back at the glory days, does Ly Hung have any regrets?
- You asked me if I felt disappointed or regretful, I answered no.
From 17, 18 years old until middle age, I was still Ly Hung. My parents taught me about the ego of an artist. Even on the podium of glory, even as a movie star, I was very sociable. Even when I went to perform somewhere and met a motorbike taxi driver or a cyclo driver, I still greeted them normally. People were surprised and asked why Ly Hung did not have a bodyguard with him.
I live a very simple life. Even though I am famous, I am not arrogant, not flashy, and I do not need security to follow me everywhere.
Because of this way of life, even when I've passed my prime, I still easily accept and don't regret the past.
When living in fame, being praised by the audience and earning a lot of money, there are famous people who easily fall and get into trouble. For Ly Hung, his private life is… spotless?
- I think rumors and scandals are unfortunate events, something no one wants. My lifestyle is a bit different from everyone else's. After filming, I just like to go home to my parents and siblings, and eat home-cooked meals.
Some of my colleagues like to hang out in groups of 5 or 7, but I just want to rest, relax, and chat with my family. I've been like that since I was little. Besides, there are cases where people use the press to create their own scandals, which I feel embarrassed about. My point of view is that if you work in a profession, you have to be famous for your profession and your work, you don't need side stories to be famous.
If you imagine your ideal partner, how would Ly Hung describe him?
- I'm not picky, I don't think I'll find the perfect person. Is there anyone perfect in this world?
I like a girlfriend who is like my mother. My mother is a good housewife, she takes care of her family very well, she spends her whole life taking care of her children and husband. In the past, life was very difficult, my mother had to share food and money with my father. My father acted in movies all the time but my mother always sympathized and understood my father's job.
Not working in movies, what does Ly Hung find joy from?
- Now I still perform in music shows, singing is also my passion (laughs). Sometimes I also work as an MC. When I don't have a schedule, I take care of my mother. Being with my mother and taking care of her in her old age is my greatest happiness. For decades now, almost every free night I have taken my mother for a walk in Saigon. In addition, I exercise for 2 hours every day. When I have time, I practice martial arts and watch sports programs.
Ly Hung's middle age seems very leisurely, without the pressure of making a living?
- I have been working for many years, the income is accumulated and saved by my family. Singing is secondary, the rest I also do small business. Now I don't depend too much on money, life is simple, no need for luxury.
Thanks Ly Hung for this conversation!
Content, design: Bich Phuong
Photo: Tran Dat, Doan Minh Tuan, Facebook character
Video: Nga Trinh
March 13, 2023
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