“Maybe it’s because I’m so ugly that I was invited to act in a horror movie.”
PV: “Demon Dog” is the first horror role in her career. Originally famous as a comedian, perhaps filming a horror movie brought you many new experiences?
Van Dung: Does it sound counterintuitive for a comedian to act in a horror movie? But it’s true. This is the first time Van Dung has encountered southern cinema. I also think I will do a TV series first, not a movie project, but also a horror movie.
During more than 30 years of working, Van Dung always brought laughter to the audience. Everyone often sees a happy, witty, sarcastic, and sharp Van Dung. But this time, Van Dung scared the audience. This role is a special role, different from Van Dung’s before. In the movie, I was not allowed to act as a comedian. The director always had to lean in my ear and say, “Sister, don’t do comedy, remember.” The director accompanied me very closely.
During filming, I felt very uncomfortable and restless. Every time a piece is released, the director says, “Sister, why is that?” I kept apologizing because I was used to being a comedian.
Van Dung in the horror movie “Demon Dog”
PV: Do you wonder why the director chose you to star in a horror movie, when Van Dung’s humorous image is so familiar to the audience?
Van Dung: I also don’t understand why the director didn’t invite me to do comedy instead of horror. Probably because… I’m so ugly (laughs). Van Dung is this ugly and can be seen immediately as a ghost. People at the agency also said that Van Dung did not need to wear makeup when filming a horror movie.
PV: In the film, she has many psychologically heavy scenes. The film takes place in a dog slaughterhouse, a cemetery… with very scary scenes. Are you haunted?
Van Dung: Actually, from childhood to adulthood, Van Dung was very afraid of ghosts. But there is one thing that I fear more than that. That’s why I love animals so much. So when I received the script, I asked the director, “Do you really kill dogs?” Did the scenes in the movie really take place? If that’s true, I won’t participate. It’s not that I’m rude, it’s that I can’t stand it. Because I love dogs and cats very much.”
So they said, “No, don’t worry, it’s not happening, we’ve already calculated it all. Because if we do that, the audience will definitely react. So you can rest assured.”
As for the scenes filmed in the cemetery, I didn’t feel scared. I’m not afraid of what I see. I’m only afraid of ghosts that I can’t see in my imagination. I also revealed that my son is more afraid of ghosts than me (laughs).
“I don’t ask for roles for my son”
PV: Speaking of her son – young actor Long Vu recently also left a certain mark when appearing in a number of television dramas such as “The War Without Borders”, “Don’t be afraid to get married, just a reason”, “Small path to life”… When Long Vu decided to pursue an acting career like her mother, I wonder how she reacted?
Van Dung: When Long Vu told me: “Mom, I’m taking the entrance exam to the School of Theater and Cinema”, I confided in my child for 3 nights. Did I say to my child, “Have you thought carefully? If you think carefully, you will decide for yourself. But if you decide, you must be responsible for the things you have chosen. This job will be very difficult. If you are not good at this job, you will be very poor and you will not have enough money to take care of your family, your wife, your children, and your relatives. That’s what my mother told me and that men must be the breadwinners of the family.”
At that time, Vu affirmed his determination to me, that he had spent 12 years waiting for the entrance exam to the School of Theater and Cinema. I believe in the path I have chosen and am determined to follow it.
Long Vu is a young actor who received a lot of attention when participating in “War Without Borders”
PV: Will being the son of artist Van Dung help Long Vu receive more favor than usual?
Van Dung: During his 4 years in college, Long Vu did not receive any movie invitations. Meanwhile, my classmates all went to film movies and skits… Vu wondered if people thought that because he was the child of artist Van Dung, after graduating, his mother would take care of everything, so no one called. I’m going to film.
I told my children this: “Opportunities don’t come by themselves. If you are a new student, go find opportunities for yourself. Why don’t you try casting? Why don’t you go and apply for roles? Please tell the director to let you do it. Even if there are 10 people auditioning, you have to be the 11th. Just keep going and you’ll get there. If you keep sitting at home complaining like this, I won’t be able to help you at all. Even though it’s possible that with a phone call from mom, people will give you a role, but your acting isn’t well received by the audience, or your acting is so bad, mom can’t ask for it for you for the rest of your life. My mother and I have come to an agreement. This is the path I have chosen and I must walk it myself.
The only thing I can help you with is the roles you don’t do well, I’ll guide you here. I will give you advice and the most valuable experiences I have accumulated in more than 30 years of working as a profession. As for applying for roles, I can’t do that.”
PV: Was Long Vu’s casting journey smooth?
Van Dung: In the beginning, casting was a complete failure. Vu told me it’s because he’s so ugly. Actually, Long Vu is not as handsome as many of his classmates. It must even be said that he is the ugliest and shortest in the class. But I told my child: “Look at Uncle Truong Giang, Uncle Cong Ly, Uncle Tu Long, Uncle Quang Thang… They are not handsome. They are very normal, very modest in height. But they have charm and are extremely good at their jobs. Many world famous artists are not handsome? People are ugly, but why are they A-list stars?
So when in this profession, don’t talk about being handsome and beautiful, what matters is whether you can act or not, can you win the hearts of the audience or not? That’s what’s important, not being handsome or pretty.” I also have to remind my children that if they keep going, they will reach their destination and they must find their own opportunities. So Vu enthusiastically went to casting again.
When you go to casting, you follow your friends, not being called. After everyone finished casting, the director saw him looming outside the door and called in. After casting, the director said, “This guy is so fun.” Okay. I’ll go home.”
So 3 days later, while I was still filming “Devil Dog” in Saigon, Vu called to inform me that he was allowed to film, a movie directed by Nguyen Danh Dung. The next day, I went to Moc Chau to film.
At that time, I was very worried, not knowing how prepared my child was in terms of clothes, hair and what the script was like. Vu was very excited and told me: “Mom, you said just keep going and you will reach your destination. Just go ahead, I’ll figure out the clothes later.” I was so nervous that I called the producers and they said to leave it alone, it would have to manage on its own.
Van Dung and his son
Wish I could act in a movie with my son
PV: I thought that being the child of a famous artist would give me a little more favor, but it turns out that Long Vu’s career is also difficult and stressful. Do you have any advice for your son when pursuing art?
Van Dung: I often give my son advice when he’s not performing well, point out his weaknesses and guide him on how to play the role sweetly. I only said one sentence: “Long Vu, art must be very real, especially television dramas or movies like that. You have to act very realistically and if you think that you are acting, it will fail.
My mother’s teacher, director, People’s Artist Le Hung once said this: ‘You guys should act like you’re not acting but acting’. I still remember that saying for decades and I repeat what my teacher said to me. If you do exactly as the teacher says, you will succeed.”
PV: When Long Vu’s performance was well received by the audience, how did you feel?
Van Dung: Honestly, I don’t think Long Vu was received like that by the audience. It wasn’t until information spread on social networks, newspapers reported it, friends sent messages and sent short clips that I realized my son was loved so much, even if it was just a very small role.
To me, Vu is just “sluggish” (laughs). So I told my child: “You see, just keep going and you will reach your destination. But you must be good, polite and humble, then everyone will love you and give you roles. If you’re good at it, you have to stop.”
PV: Do you think that one day you and your son will appear in a movie together?
Van Dung: That’s my dream. Now that Long Vu meets the director, he often says that if there is a chance, let mother and daughter play together once. Everyone said, “Don’t worry, there will come a day.”
Actually, if mother and daughter have a good script and act together, they will really enjoy it. But I want us to be in two battles, not on the same side, mother and daughter fighting together, that would be nice (laughs).
PV: Thank you for your sharing!