Laughing and crying for dance

Building on the fundamental dance movements, she learned in a children’s Cultural House in Junior School, and possessing a true passion for dance, Lan Phương won First Prize in the Solo Dancing category in the Hometown Melody Festival when she was only 22 years old. She says casually: “Since childhood, I have always loved to dance, to sway to the music and express my inner feelings through each move. I really don’t know how I was able spend such energy and time on dancing like that. I didn’t try to achieve anything, or set some target and force myself to reach it. I dance simply because I love to dance. Dancing is my passion, my talent and the best thing I could do at that time. I danced with my heart and soul, despite my blistered feet, swollen shoulders or tired arms. To me, this award showed what I could do and proved to me that a dancing career was possible.”

Unlike any other artiste, Lan Phương graduated from the Foreign Trade University and the College of Theatre and Cinema with, in her words, “good enough” English skills. Lan Phương was at the same school, and doing the same job at the same time as her contemporaries, such as Thanh Vân, Huỳnh Đông or Lê Minh Cường, but by then they had already become well known. After eight months of dancing for a living, she decided to quit even though she had a chance to perform in Thailand with her dancing group from the Lotus Theatre. “I accepted an invitation from an American director to play the role of Juliet in an English “Romeo and Juliet”, which was only offered to actors with good English skills. I made it through many rounds of auditions and rehearsals and was filled with joy when I officially took my first steps onto the dramatic stage, to express the character in my own way. I was so happy to be acting. Then I started my career in Saigon’s dramatic theatre scene. Phước Sang is an artist to whom I will be forever grateful, since he brought me to the professional stage and helped me become closer to the audience through my roles.”

Ardent Acting

It was from this turning point that Lan Phương demonstrated her capacity, and she began to receive many other offers, including the prominent role of Mai Lan in the soap opera “Ugly Girl,” a successful role that helped fix her name in audiences’ memories. This is her favourite role, she says, as Mai Lan was a very real-life, womanly character. These characteristics created a unique Mai Lan. Success in this role helped her leave a strong impression on audiences and opened up new opportunities for her. She spoke to us openly about her feelings during her first time acting for the screen. Because her major in the College of Theatre and Cinema was stage acting, this new experience was difficult for her, especially playing the role of a girl who is full of intrigue and a fool for love like Mai Lan. She felt she could hardly move without making mistakes. This role, her first weighty one, brought her to tears more than once. Although a sensitive girl who may have appeared to others to be a “crybaby”, she would always come back to work with renewed enthusiasm after her vulnerable moments. For Phương, each role becomes a new lesson in acting; she has gradually become more mature and developed greater inner strength. After roles in seven films, Lan Phương was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her performance as Thiên Hương in “Female Doctor”.

Lan Phương has performed many tender or complex and philosophical roles in such plays as “Hạc Triều” (Blue Crane), which has been invited to be performed in Japan, “Romeo and Juliet,” “Natalie,” and many other roles in the Phú Nhuận theatre troupe. Whether playing a multi-faceted character who is both human and a bird, or a lively, naïve Natalie, Lan Phương has shown her range of talents in all her roles. Whichever language she uses, or whatever kind of role she plays, she is happy every time she enters her characters’ lives.

There were times when she felt sorry for herself as many of her friends from drama school became famous. However, just as there is always sunshine after rain, Lan Phương tried her best, forgot her sadness, lived optimistically and continued her career path. “It is just that simple. I don’t try to simplify my life, everything is going to fade away. The famous artist Hồng Vân once said: “She is so real.” I don’t try to be pleased for myself or to be successful. I just try to live with my passion for the art!  My success in playing Thu in “Mother and Mistress” is the result of all the hard work that I have been doing all these years.”

Youthful enthusiasm

When she was only 14 years old, Lan Phương was Vietnam’s representative in the “Children’s Summer Camp, Asia-Pacific Region” in Japan. Then 10 years later, she again became a Vietnamese representative, this time on the South-East Asian Youth Ship – a well-known Japanese youth program. Later, Lan Phương hosted a show on NHK (Japanese Broadcasting Corporation) introducing Vietnamese culture to international friends. Lan Phương says that because of the trips she took under the program, she gained a broader perspective of the world and developed a deep appreciation of how colourful life can be. Thanks to that, she loves her job, the Vietnamese accent and people all the more.

Eighteen year-old Lan Phương left Vũng Tàu for Saigon to attend two schools at the same time: the Foreign Trade University and the College of Theatre and Cinema. Every day, she has proved herself to be a strong and brave young woman. She is confident in performing drama in English, and enthusiastic about establishing the Đông Tây drama group, to perform for foreign audiences and to participate in international cultural exchange programs. These are successes that come straight from her dreams. Doing the best she can, never expecting too much, Phương would rather be a good actress than a famous one.

Wealthy men? Not interested!

“I was lucky to be born into an average family. By passing the University Entrance Exam and studying at the Foreign Trade University, I proved my ability to my parents. That’s why they let me do what I love to do. I am grateful to them for my present success. Sometimes, I receive offers from wealthy men. But honestly, wealthy men? I am not interested. I do not set any standards for the man I would love. My heart will tell me who the one for me is. I am an emotional type. So I’d rather listen to my heart than have a hard-headed approach, setting criteria to compare and evaluate. I don’t care much about gossip and I don’t want to spend my time worrying about it. I live true to myself and I am happy with what my audiences have given me!”

Box: Film and Theatre Actress and Dancer, Nguyễn Lan Phương

v     Graduate of the Foreign Economics Faculty in the Foreign Trade University, and the College of Theatre and Cinema

v     Vietnamese Peace Ambassador to Fukuoka, Japan in 1998 and 2008

v     Excellent dancer in National Dance Talent Quest in 2002

v     Excellent dancer in nationwide Art Schools Festival in 2004

v     First prize in the Solo Dancing category in the Hometown Melody Festival in 2005

v     Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress  in HTV Awards 2007 (for her performance as Thiên Hương in “Female Doctor”)

v     Gold Medal at the National Professional Theatre Festival for Thu, her role in the play “Mother and Mistress” in 2009

v     Actress who is  fluent in both Vietnamese and English