Hua Vi Van: Director and actors of 'Red Rain' do not benefit from the revenue of 700 billion

Hua Vi Van - the actor who plays doctor Le in "Red Rain" said that all the actors did not participate in the film for money and the entire crew and producer had no part in the 700 billion VND revenue.

Hua Vi Van as Doctor Le in "Red Rain".

- The audience was surprised when you only played a supporting role in the blockbuster "Red Rain", even less time than new actors. So in "Hortar Hill" which just hit theaters, is your journalist role a main or supporting character?

I don’t differentiate between main and supporting roles because it depends on the script. Obviously, I can’t play a 20-year-old in Squad 1. With the script Red Rain - a film celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day - I think any actor would participate. On the occasion of A80, we stayed up all night for 3-4 consecutive days without sleep but still lined up to march. That is the spirit of the Vietnamese people.

As an actor, at my age I am still working, which is a lucky thing. I have gone through my youth, so when I reach middle age I have to follow the rules of my work. Actors of my generation like Hong Anh and Thai Hoa are all the same.

With The Torture Hill , the director has been contacting and persuading me to participate in the film for the past 3 years. Mr. Dung is patient and calls me constantly, but I don't know if I can participate because it depends on the schedule. If the film takes too long in the North, I can't go because I have a schedule in Ho Chi Minh City and I have an old mother to take care of. With the film Red Rain, I've been away for too long so I can't continue to go to the North to act in The Torture Hill.

At that time, I had just participated in Red Rain and was in Hanoi judging for the Hanoi International Film Festival. The director met me and said that the role in the film The Torture Hill did not last long and that I could arrange my time to participate. So I accepted.

Hua Vi Van plays a journalist in "Hill of Torture" currently showing in theaters.

- But the role must have something attractive for you to agree?

My character is a journalist and plays the role of narrator. Out of curiosity, he goes to find out why the person he likes is missing, from there leading the story for the audience to discover who the culprit is. One of the other reasons is that I also like to have fun. The filming was near Tet and I like the cold air, so I consider the few days of filming as a trip to Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa. This role is not too difficult for me.

- This year you have 2 movies coming out one after the other. "Red Rain" was a big hit at the Vietnamese box office with a revenue of 700 billion and it feels like you have never been busier than this year when you continuously go on cine tours to promote new movies?

Neither I nor the actors of Red Rain could have predicted that the film would be so successful, and from the beginning we didn’t have a cinetour. We didn’t even have a flyer showing the film in theaters at first because it was a state-owned film, so the cost was only that much, everything was put into production. Even on the premiere day in Hanoi and Saigon, the actors had to take photos on the red carpet and run around giving out tickets. If there weren’t audiences who went to see it and then spread the word, Red Rain wouldn’t have been so successful.

It was not until the 10th day of Red Rain's release that we had a cinetour at the request of the audience. All the actors of Red Rain are not stars, no one is too busy. I myself have been famous for a long time but I am not very active, I do not participate in many movies and game shows.

Hua Vi Van received the love of the audience when going on a cinetour to promote the movie "Red Rain".

- Were you shocked at that time?

I was shocked! But going on a cinetour was even more shocking because of the admiration of the audience. I have been an actor for 20 years, and have been on many cinetours, but I have never been surrounded by fans blocking the aisles of the theater to the point where I could not walk. The audience even stood and sang the song What is more beautiful than being in the theater. Everything was so unexpected!

- You said you cried when reading the script, so was there any moment that made Hua Vi Van really cry out of happiness because of the audience's reception?

I had faith but during the process of making the film, telling everyone about Red Rain, praising the film but no one listened, no one believed. For me, Red Rain was like a comeback. While my colleagues in the South of the same age as me freely made commercial films, freely chose projects to do, I lost the emotion to do the job. Before Red Rain , I stopped acting for 2 years because I felt exhausted after the project Southern Forest Land.

- So why can "Red Rain" bring you back to the screen?

While I had become emotionally numb to my work due to the repetition and lack of emotion, Red Rain was the motivation that pulled me back to the profession. As an actor, it is unlikely that you will encounter a second Red Rain in your entire life. Acting in this film is an honor and pride for an actor.

Hua Vi Van with Hoang Long and Steven Nguyen at the A80 event.

Filming is not for money, the revenue of 700 billion of "Red Rain" no one received an extra cent

- How much was your salary for playing Doctor Le? Many people think that "Red Rain" earned 700 billion so the actor must be very rich!

Even if you are a star with a high salary, you may not be invited to this film. Acting in Red Rain is an honor and a source of pride. The film was made with state money, and state money is also the people's money. Everyone involved in this film is like a Vietnamese citizen on duty.

When we filmed Red Rain, we knew the film would be released on September 2nd. If everything was measured in money, no matter how much you paid, no one would participate. Everyone has a family and a job, but having to give it all up to go to Quang Tri to focus on the film for 81 days cannot be measured in material terms. If the crew did not have a strong sense of patriotism, they would not be able to participate because out of 81 days of filming, 60 days of rain, everyone was waiting for God to arrange a schedule to come out to film.

Red Rain is not a commercial film, there are no shareholders who put money into the film because it was made with state budget. With this film, when it is released in theaters, the money earned will go back to the state budget. Even the director, producer, and actors do not receive any part of that revenue.

- You are nearly 50 years old and still look young. You must have some secret to maintaining your current appearance?

Absolutely! Before filming Red Rain, I was old and fat. I opened a restaurant and had a daily job serving guests, so I neglected my figure. Thanks to Red Rain , I forced myself into an exercise regime. I went on a diet and kept that regime after the film. Filming with young people gave me a source of positive energy that I had lost before.

Hua Vi Van, U50, is still young and stylish.

- Do you practice a lot?

Before that, I exercised regularly, but since receiving the script for Red Rain, I maintained running for 45 minutes, exercising for 30 minutes every day, doing cardio, resistance training, swimming, reducing 80% of starch, reducing sugar. After 3 months, I lost a lot of weight, from the beginning to the end of Red Rain, I lost 10kg from 72kg to 62kg.

- He is handsome and famous but secretive about his private life, almost no one knows what Hua Vi Van's private life is like!

At my age, the audience has followed me for half my life, they have seen my life. I don't have much time left, so I just dedicate myself to choosing what I like, doing special projects and being proud to be able to contribute something to the country through my career. Returning to acting, no matter what film it is, I will continue and keep it fun and happy. My personal life is also related to my family and children. Enough! I have sold my life to art, so I should leave the remaining 50% of my life for peace.

Hua Vi Van in "Hill of Torture":

'Doctor Le' Hua Vi Van changed beyond recognition after the blockbuster 'Red Rain '. Hua Vi Van, the actor who played Doctor Le in the blockbuster "Red Rain", changed 180 degrees in appearance in the horror film "Hill of Torture: The Return of the Black Heresy".

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/hua-vi-van-mua-do-dao-dien-dien-vien-khong-ai-duoc-huong-phan-doanh-thu-700-ty-2446400.html