"Whoever wants to act like People's Artist Cong Ly can"
In "Tao Quan 2025", you played the role of woodcutter Xuan Son, making an impression on the audience. Was this role difficult for you?
- This role is not difficult but requires charm and humor. In the original script, Xuan Son was a role that was born later, the first format did not have this role.
I thought there would be no Tao Quan this year so I accepted the Tet show. Other artists were assigned roles, but I didn't have a practice role to fit my pre-scheduled show schedule.
But on days when I didn't perform, I still went to the TV station to watch everyone practice. All the artists and young colleagues wanted to keep the role for me.
That day, I came to report that I had finished the show outside. Everyone said there was still a role of "the apple seller" that was only about 5 minutes long so they gave it to me. Mr. Do Thanh Hai sat below watching and extended my role a bit.
During rehearsals, everyone said that Xuan Son was getting attention this year so they used this name. The artists also added lines for my character.
Actor Trung Ruoi (left) on stage of "Tao Quan 2025" (Photo: VTV)
This year's "Tao Quan" was praised by the audience as "top notch", "as good as the last 10 years combined"... After the show aired, did you read the comments on social media?
- Lately, I have been avoiding reading comments because I am afraid it will affect my mentality. However, before the show ends, I see many positive comments about the show. Even though I only play a small role, I am very happy when I am praised.
I have been in the profession for nearly 10 years, have received high praise and also rock bottom criticism, so I am not distracted by praise or criticism. As an artist, I think that if the audience continues to praise or criticize, it means they are still interested in the program.
Are there any "hidden corners" of the artists participating in "Tao Quan" that the audience doesn't know about?
- When practicing the Tao Quan program, I found many interesting "hidden corners" about veteran artists.
People often call Tu Long and Quang Thang the chefs of the show because they cook very well. Many times, they bring their kitchen and ingredients to prepare dishes such as: dried pineapple fish, roasted pork, pate bread... for everyone.
Chi Trung is a very punctual person. He often tells people that he is old and staying up late is very tiring. Therefore, every day at exactly 1am he... folds up the script and prepares to leave.
Ms. Van Dung is a very serious practitioner, even when practicing, she always acts realistically. As for Mr. Quoc Khanh, he is often called the big brother of the young actors. He is the first to arrive and the last to leave. Every time I come, I see him there and when I leave, he is still sitting in the practice room.
Many people say he is difficult, but in real life, Uncle Quoc Khanh is easygoing, gentle, and likes to talk to us.
With the Tao Quan programs he participated in, Mr. Xuan Bac was almost an assistant to director Do Thanh Hai. When we practiced, he listened attentively, adding to our lines to make us perform better. The stage performances of the artists must have at least 1-2 lines from Mr. Bac. He often "trimmed" more lines to make us perform more gracefully.
I think that is Nam Tao's quality, because Bac worked with him, edited him, and knew the script, so he will be the pillar for the Taos to revolve around the character he plays.
My impression of People's Artist Cong Ly is that he is a very talented person. There were days when he didn't even have time to read the script, but he still acted very "sweetly" and according to the director's intention. Mr. Ly once said "the script is reasonable, the words come out naturally", we called him "the king of acting".
There are many scenes where he doesn't need to speak, he just needs to turn to look at his co-star, and the other person already knows what to say next.
Trung Ruoi confided that the program "Tao Quan" gave him many things, from personal brand to salary and income.
Which artist do you find acting easier?
- Mr. Quang Thang is the one who indulges us the most. He freely gives us more lines. On the stage of Tao Quan 2025 , I just thought of the line "I ask for one coin to go home to attend the memorial service on the island" and wanted to add it to the line, he agreed immediately.
However, with other veteran artists, we still have a harmonious combination. Like performing with Tu Long, Quoc Khanh… we unfortunately "fell" down, but their professional performance also lifted us up a lot.
I often tell people that Tao Quan is like the national football team. The artists who participate are all the best in their clubs, so they are invited to compete. Unfortunately, if a teammate misses the pass, they will still dribble the ball and successfully kick it into the net.
Many audiences commented that in the early years, Trung Ruoi's acting style was similar to People's Artist Cong Ly. What do you think about this?
- I really admire Cong Ly. When I took the entrance exam to Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema, I also imitated his acting style. But over time, that acting style faded.
In the Tao cast, anyone who wants to act like People's Artist Cong Ly can. Because he has a unique acting style, such as: fierce expressions, using strong verbs, "putting plastic" into his sentences... so anyone can imitate him.
Artists Xuan Hinh, Quang Thang… also have their own unique acting style. In their performing techniques, they become icons of that technique. In the hearts of the audience, they become icons of that role. An actor must be a good actor to become such an icon.
"I used to not have enough money to buy iced tea, had to borrow money at interest to live"
After many years of participating in "Tao Quan", you and your colleagues are often compared to veteran artists. Do you and your colleagues feel sad?
- Every job has pressure, acting is a job that "serves hundreds of families" so it is impossible to avoid conflicting opinions. We always know in advance that if we do this role or that role, we will be compared, but we face it to become more mature.
Moreover, this is an assigned task, so when we take on the role of Nam Tao or Bac Dau, we just try our best.
Trung Ruoi next to the models of the Taos of the show "Tao Quan".
What has "Tao Quan" brought you?
- The show gave me great uncles, brothers, and colleagues. Many actors have become my close friends in real life.
We were so close that when I moved to an apartment on Ho Tung Mau Street, Duy Nam also moved in with me. There was also the An Binh - Phuong Nga couple in this area, and Thai Son also lived nearby. Whenever Tu Long or Quang Thang had something to do, I would come and they would also come to my house when invited.
I also met many teachers in the profession. With many teachers, I will learn many "martial arts" to act better.
I started out as a social media performer. Through Tao Quan , I was guaranteed a more professional and formal performance. Some artists even joked with each other, "We're on Tao Quan , so we have a warranty stamp"...
Not coming from a theater family, why did you decide to apply to Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema?
- My father works in agriculture but likes writing poetry. My mother used to join the local art troupe.
My house is in Tu Liem (now Bac Tu Liem district, Hanoi). At that time, we still had the habit of watching TV and liked programs like: Meet at the weekend , comedy... People often said to each other "Pham Bang, Cong Ly are very rich", "Thao Van has a fancy house, luxury car" because she is an actress, MC...
At that time, I was not good at math, physics, and chemistry, but I was good at literature, so I dreamed of taking the entrance exam to Hanoi University of Theatre and Cinema to… change my life.
The first year, I failed the exam so I studied at an IT school but still dreamed of taking the art exam again.
After that, I found out that the entrance exam for the Faculty of Traditional Drama was easier than the entrance exam for the Faculty of Acting, so I registered to take the exam again. Before taking the exam, I took a crash course to sing folk songs.
My mother gave me 100,000 VND to study before the exam. Since I didn’t have much money, I thought of a way to go to the dormitory to find some seniors to teach me Cheo singing. They didn’t take any money, but I used my mother’s money to invite the four of them out for drinks to thank them (laughs).
I took the exam and got enough points to enter the school. During my first years as a student, I read stories for hire, then I performed comedy for Kem Xoi TV channel with: Minh Tit, Quynh Kool, Thuong Cin...
Despite many difficulties, the male artist never thought of quitting his job.
Life was difficult in the first years after graduation. Did you ever think about quitting your job?
- From 2011 to 2015 was the hardest time but I never wanted to quit my job. Honestly, I used to think "what's the point of my life" when no one called me to make movies, I was desperate and had no money.
When I was a student, I often owed money for iced tea because I didn't have 3,000 VND in my pocket to pay, and I had to borrow 5 million VND at interest to have money to spend.
After that, I did YouTube and was called to perform comedy with the Kem Xoi group in the provinces, so I had money.
There were months when Minh Tit and I performed for 28 days, sometimes 2-3 shows a day, so we were able to pay off our debts, buy a car on installments, and our life gradually improved.
After participating in "Gala Cuoi", "Tao Quan" and some TV series, has your income increased?
- The pay has indeed increased. I have been working for a long time, so the producers also pay me according to the cost of living. But since I started working, I have not had any breakthroughs where my income has increased as much as the talented people in the "Brother" programs...
But there are rumors that he is very rich...
- I have a normal life. My childhood was very difficult and hard, so I am a thrifty person. My mother is my father's second wife. When I was born, my father was 54 years old and retired. Therefore, my mother had to work hard, doing many jobs to make a living, such as: selling black bean tea, working as a janitor at a shoe company or when someone called, my mother went to make socks.
I used to be very frustrated, there were times when it was difficult to earn 100,000 VND.
When I was in 9th grade, I started working part-time. I carried beer in pubs, worked for a whole month, had no days off and was only paid 700,000 VND. Later, I went to school so I didn’t have time to work part-time anymore, which made my mother’s burden even heavier.
My mother is from the Central region so she is very good at saving. She alone skillfully supported the family and sent me to school.
Happy family of actor Trung Ruoi.
He once admitted that he was strangely ugly, but his face made an impression in skits and movies. It seems like he turned his weakness into an advantage?
- I think everyone has their own beauty. At a certain age, beauty and ugliness are no longer important. I just do my best with my job. An ugly face can sometimes be good because the audience cannot mistake me for anyone else.
Directors and producers are also impressed by my strange ugliness, so I have more opportunities. Whenever I have an ugly or rustic role, I am always remembered. I am always grateful and if I have the opportunity, I always give my all for the character.
Honestly, many places invited me to use beauty services but I refused because I wanted to keep the natural features on my face.
As an actor, working with many beautiful colleagues, is your wife jealous?
- She is easy-going and not jealous. In addition, my wife knows all about my relationships so we rarely argue. I am not a romantic person, but on important occasions I still give my wife a gift as a souvenir.
Do you like staying home to cook and take care of the children?
- I like playing with my children but I'm really bad at cooking (laughs). Whenever my wife is busy, I go to Do Duy Nam's house to eat for free. I consider the kitchen area my wife's "Western Liang female kingdom" (laughs).
Thanks for sharing!
Actor and relaxing moments with his daughter.
Trung Ruoi (real name Nguyen Ha Trung, born in 1993) is a prominent young actor in the Northern comedy scene with many film projects produced on YouTube. He was known as a member of the comedy groups Kem Xoi TV , Loa Phuong , and then participated in the theater stage.
He is one of the rare young actors to participate in Tao Quan - Meet at the end of the year . Trung Ruoi also participated in some TV series such as: Those who gossip , 11 months and 5 days, My family is suddenly happy, Where dreams come back and most recently, Doc dao .
In addition to his successful career, Trung Ruoi also has a happy marriage with the beautiful Ngoc Ha. The two got married after 3 years of dating and have a beautiful baby girl.
Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam
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